What's he building in there?

[mauswerkz]

I remember reading a way of etching your own PCB's by using a laser printer with the fuser removed, and a chemical bath! It'd be interesting to try.

I use a laser printer to etch my own boards, but I print on glossy paper then transfer the toner to the copper clad board with an iron. The biggest pain about making boards myself is the drilling though. Thankfully I have the tools to work with surface-mount components now, which minimises the drilling required.

[Rake]

Ahh yes, I recall the iron was a step in it too. So you effectively melt the toner to teh copper bits, and whatever is exposed can be washed away, leaving the covered bits. Or something like that.

Would you drill before or after etching? I figure a drill press would work well for the task.

[mauswerkz]

Ahh yes, I recall the iron was a step in it too. So you effectively melt the toner to teh copper bits, and whatever is exposed can be washed away, leaving the covered bits. Or something like that.

Would you drill before or after etching? I figure a drill press would work well for the task.

Exactly. You drill after the etching. If you drill before, you expose copper to the etchant and risk overetching. Also, after it's etched, the circular copper pads make nice centre-punch-style divots for drilling. Drill bit sizes are 0.6-1.0mm, so a drill press is pretty much required to not break the bit. Unfortunately, I don't have one :-(

[BEAST260]

u can pick one up from super cheap for $80-$90 and there pretty good. i got one and comes in handy.

[BEAST260]

Here ya go... check it out
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/onl...102608#details

[mauswerkz]

Here ya go... check it out
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/onl...102608#details

Not bad, but probably too big for PCB stuff. I'd need something like this:


Though, now that I've found a place that makes proper boards at decent prices, I'll be buying them from now on. Too bad it takes 3 weeks for them to ship from Taiwan.

[Marty]

marty cheated? look at his sig! read people, read!

[BEAST260]

i dont know how to read

[jmacman12]

I was just bugging ya anyways Marty :P but I wasn't aware about Mauswerkz sig links, he has some awesome projects!!

[Heco94]

I viewed it as well jmac, seems like a great site really nicely put together.

[mauswerkz]

Part 2. Stand back, I'm about to do SCIENCE!

[Marty]

frothing with excitement

[Rosey]

I'm scared.. Not just for your safety, but the world. Is that safe?! Jesus! >_<

[BEAST260]

oh so thats what u use to make a black hole......

[jmacman12]

lol @BEAST260

This should keep the volt drop to a minimum judging by its size! Can't wait to see more stuff your cooking up! Forgive my lack of proficient knowledge in electronics but have you looked into ultra capacitors for your vehicles or are they too pricey? Or is this going to be made into one?