TomG shows how he etches PCB boards using paint, a 25W laser cutter, Muratic Acid, 30% H2O2 and a sponge. Much frothing ensues.
The technique is a neat one, given the presence of a laser cutter, because it can take you from copper clad to etched board in a pretty quick amount of time.
One note, the Muratic Acid is actually from a pool supply store, not Home Depot. It is, of course, dangerous. Wear safety goggles, use gloves, use in a well ventilated area. (The acid smells like a punch to the nose, don’t inhale it)
[…] wrote in from the Milwaukee Makerspace to tell us about [Tom]‘s etching process that is like wiping the copper off the board. He […]
[…] wrote in from the Milwaukee Makerspace to tell us about [Tom]‘s etching process that is like wiping the copper off the board. He […]
[…] wrote in from the Milwaukee Makerspace to notify us about [Tom]‘s etching approach that is like wiping the copper off the board. He […]
Hasn’t this been done before?
Talk given at ps1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFQ3wjwKZP4&list=UUyb-ThgB4Dx8TWq3rJHpmRA&index=12&feature=plcp
Seems very similar, yes. But sometimes the devil is in the details. Tom’s method does not use a bath. It only uses a couple of ounces. Also Tom uses slightly different laser settings.
What copper clad are you all using? I like how see-through it is.
I bought that stuff from AS&S super cheap. They don’t have it anymore but you can get a variety of thicknesses off of EBay. For example the PCB-Depot guys. If I recall correctly ours is 0.2mm thick.
he said the hydrochloric acid is reacting with the copper, Cl (aq) cant react with copper solid because they are both reducers. the reason for adding the acid is actually to introduce H+ ions into the solution, hydrogen peroxide won’t react unless H+ ions are present. also you had better be careful breathing anywhere near that stuff because the aqueous copper that has been etched off the board will react with the chlorine ions to form copper solid and poisonous chlorine gas!
A great technique for quickly etching PCB boards from Milwaukee Makerspace http://t.co/20NV4AEy