🚀 go-pugleaf

gantzm@gantz.bowlgreen.oh.us (Michael L. Gantz) writes:
>I have been reading all the articles concerning the etching of circuit
>boards, something I have a great need to do.  And they all assume that
>one would be etching the copper off of the board.  Is it possible for
>the home hobbyist to devise a system to deposit copper onto blank
>boards?

>After the circuit images have been developed the board would then be
>treated either chemically or electrically to bond copper to the traces
>developed on the board.  The might solve the problem of plated through
>holes as they might get coated also.

       The process by which boards get "plated through" holes could
in theory do something like this, but that process is substantially
more complex than regular board etching.  Home board etching is
common; I've never heard of someone doing plated through holes at
home.  

       There are pens for "writing" conductive ink onto blank boards,
but this is more of a tool for making minor changes, not a way of doing
whole boards.  

       Right now, board houses are so hungry for work that discounts
can be negotiated and delivery is really good.  And the quality is far
better than you can do at home.  If you're doing anything fancier than
single-sided boards, go with a commercial PC board fab house.  Single-sided
boards you can do yourself, if you're so inclined.  If you have to do it
on the cheap, design a single-sided board, using wire jumpers when you
have to cross traces, don't try to put more than one trace between
IC pins, and try making your own board.  Worth doing once in your life.

					John Nagle