Step 16 : Keep 'em clean


If you are making a lot of boards, you can store them in a Ziploc bag to keep them safe while they are waiting to be etched.

Step 17 : Etch

Once you are done playing around with the iron, it's time to etch. Drop your boards into your warm bubbling acid. I apologize for not having pictures of this step, but as I mentioned earlier, safety should always be on your mind, and I was too busy trying not to stain myself, the wall, and the dog to take pictures. The best thing to remember is to check your boards frequently and keep a large bowl of water and some paper towels handy. Boards have a tendency to appear to not be doing anything for a while then the second you decide they aren't etching...zip! their done! The bowl of water is for checking your boards. If you lift your board out of the etchant and you can't quite tell if it's completely done, let it drip off as much etchant as you can, then rinse it off in the water. You will be able to see the board better once that yellow crap is washed off. If the board's not done yet, dry it off with a paper towel and throw 'er back in the bath!

Once you are satisfied with your board's etch, put the boards in the water and clean up the tank. Do this right away because the longer that thing sits on your workbench, the more chance you have of tipping the silly thing over. The boards will be fine in their new bathtub for a while.

Step 18 : Wow! a board


Congratulations, it's a printed circuit board! Leave the P-n-P on to protect your copper from oxidation until you are ready to mount the parts.

Step 19 : Drill!


The last step to make your board complete is to drill a buncha' holes in it. I highly recommend using a Dremmel drill press. It's quick, easy, and your holes are always clean. If you don't have a Dremmel tool, get one! They are hands down the most useful tool on the planet next to a cordless drill. Once your board is drilled, you are technically done. but one more thing....

Step 20 : Before you mount parts


When drilling holes in fiberglass, the drill bit has a tendency to get dull pretty quick. When this happens, the drill leaves a ridge of copper around the edges of the holes as you drill. Just leave it for now, but when you are ready to clean the P-n-P off so you can mount parts, this little ridge will chew the snot out of your steel wool. To remedy this situation, use an electric sander (or hand sand it) with 180 grit paper. Don't scour the surface of the board, just run the sander over it lightly to remove the copper ridges from the holes, THEN use your steel wool to clean the board. Be sure to use the steel wool. If you try to solder on the board after it is sanded only, the solder won't flow very well and you'll wind up with lots of cold solder joints.