how to etch or whatever your own PCB?

[Greenfuz]

got any good instructions on how to do this? is it cheap?

[Chankgeez]

cheaper than prison wine

[Iommic Pope]

Actually I'm pretty sure you can do it with prison wine.

[spacelordmother]

Actually I'm pretty sure you can do it with prison wine.

Just watched this last week, which includes diy pcb instructions: http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Ultimate-FM-Transmitter/?ALLSTEPS

[Iommic Pope]

That was actually a cool instructable.

Unlike all the ones for DIY hooch....

[Greenfuz]

I do just about everything with prison wine

[Greenfuz]

also I downloaded this http://groovesizer.com/design-files-red/ design file or whatever for "fritzing" but it won't open properly. is there a certain version of that program that I need for it to not fuck the hell up?

[Iommic Pope]

I do just about everything with prison wine

You're like the boozy MacGuyver, dude.

[Greenfuz]

if I was the real boozy macguyver I'd be able to make a pcb outta whiskey and cardboard

[selfdestroyer]

I have a few tutorials up on my blog that may help.
http://music.codydeschenes.com/?page_id=1388

Let me know if I can help you out.

[eatyourguitar]

after 4 years of pedal building I found that etching was really almost a waste of time. the simple fuzz face type stuff can be done point to point. anything else, I find it both faster and easier and cheaper to order a compact through hole pcb or half through hole half SMD pcb from OSH park. I use eagle to design the pcb. I can do a schematic and pcb start to finish in 4 hours. it takes me longer than that to design, print, iron, wash, etch, wash, drill, cut, tin a a larger, inferior 1-layer pcb that will usually corrode quickly. I can get a simple circuit down to one square inch so I just pay $5 free shipping for 3 copies of that pcb. with SMD you can put components on both sides. I did just SMD transistors on the last one and stuck them to the bottom of the pcb hiding under a resistor. eagle is free. you can learn eagle on youtube. if you etch, you will waste more money on toxic chemicals and drill bits and laser printers and all other shit. you will be breathing fiberglass when you drill. the ONLY advantage to etching, is you can use an old layout from the internet and you don't have to wait 3 weeks for a pcb to arrive in the mail.

[LaoWiz]

haven't done prefabbed pcbs yet. In time, I will probably go that route.

Once you get used to whatever software you are using, the easier it gets. I have a Mac from 2006 and have been laying out pcbs on DIYLC. It's an old version which sucks but I've made a shitload of etching layouts from it.

If I mass produced anything, I would do pcbs, no doubt. I like etching my own layouts as it's easier, right now, to mod an existing layout that you have made.

If you are etching a circuit for fun, do it, it is fun.