Sunday, June 29, 2014

Sunday is Funday

Well I have started working on the PCBs for all of the Lost & Found Fidgets I am planning to make...



As such, I am getting good at making the boards.  These three are waiting for some components I should get later this week.  I have added everything that I do have, so that they will be quick to finish when the parts arrive.  The question is how many of these can I get made before then.  Here are the steps I have to perform for each one...


  1. Cut out the front and back print outs (5 min)
  2. Polish the blank PCB that has already been cut to size and clean (5 min)
  3. Iron the front and back patterns to the PCB (15 min)
  4. Soak in water, scrub to remove paper residue (15 min)
  5. Etch (30 min)
  6. Scrub excess toner away (5 min)
  7. Drill, grind and smooth (20 min)
  8. Solder components (20 min)
  9. Clean and dry (5 min)
Total Time: 2 hours (per board)

For the next set of boards, I am going to try using the White Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide and Salt solution to etch the boards.  The bottle of Ferric Chloride I purchased from Radio Shack some time ago is about depleted.  It has taken on a nasty greenish tint, but actually still seems effective at etching.  I am just anticipating the move to a "cleaner" etchant because it is cheap and not as toxic.


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