[simpits-tech] Press-N-Squeal PC Board Sheets

[Marv De Beque]

There are many, may PCB layout programs available.  Some are freeware and
others cost.

Do a search on the web and pick one that is in your budget.

I use a CAD drawing  program with good success.  You can get Turbo-CAD for
free on the WEB.

Douglass CAD makes stuff for the Mac and maybe the PC if  you want a try
layout program instead.

Then print the design to a clear acetate on your printer.  You might want to
print two and overlay them for better results.


On 12/1/02 1:08 PM, "Joseph Fagner" <crease-guard@attbi.com> wrote:

> Hey Marv, I have used the photo etch system before on another project
> unrelated to pit building.  It does work and you can get good results
> but there is definitely some art to it.  I used a PCB layout designed by
> someone else and could successfully make decent boards with this, but
> have not myself figured out how to use any software to layout a pcb, so
> that is the first hurdle is laying out the tracings.  The next is
> exposing the presensitized board, pretty easy to do with a UV light.
> Then you have to take off the sensitized area with the reagent.  This
> can lead to problems with leaving in too long and taking off too much of
> the sensitized area.  Then you have to develop it in the ferric chloride
> solution.  This takes awhile but does work.
> 
> Biggest problem I had was when traces where close together, you would
> some times not remove all the copper and have to go and manually scrape
> it out.  If you tried developing longer to get this resolution, you
> invariably etch some pads and other tracings too thin.
> 
> It does work and expect to go through a learning curve when etching but
> the biggest problem/hurdle for me was making a pcb layout to transfer to
> clear acetate sheet for the sensitizing step.
> 
> If anyone out there has a good easy program to use, please send the info
> our way.  I have tried protel, but it was too complex for me and didn't
> want to learn the whole thing for a 30 day trial software.  I'm not
> about to pay $8,000 for the software
> 
> Jay
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: simpits-tech-admin@simpits.org
> [mailto:simpits-tech-admin@simpits.org] On Behalf Of Marv De Beque
> Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2002 10:52 AM
> To: simpits-tech@simpits.org
> Subject: [simpits-tech] Press-N-Squeal PC Board Sheets
> 
> I recently bought the Press-N-Peel PC Board film to try making some
> small
> prototype boards.
> 
> The bad news is that I was very underwhelmed with the results.
> 
> The good news is that it only took about 5 minutes of working with the
> stuff
> to realize that it was not going to work.
> 
> The biggest problem is registering the film over the PCB.  Once you get
> it
> where you want it, applying the hot iron will move it where you don't
> want
> it.  However, it won't move until it has deposited 50% of the toner in
> one
> spot and then finishes with the remainder smeared over a different spot.
> 
> Neither spot is where I had intended it to go.
> 
> Not sure if I want to explore the UV photo etch route or not.
> 
> Marv
> 
> 
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