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Jero's First Etches
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 10:25 pm
by Jero
Got some etching stuff the other day and made a couple pcbs. Tried to do one enclosure as well but that didn't turn out

. I don't have a printer at home so I ended up using my touch up marker for the entire thing. First board is an Electra based on an Andrew Carrel layout. The other old school ehx looking one is an LPB (ironic, eh?), again from AC. The last that looks like it should be on turret is effdubs electra layout...for turret.
Before the storm

After

and finished

The crappy enclosure...
when I started drawing I accidentally depressed the tip and tons of ink oozed out. Below, is what that gave me


Some more to come, made the "right" way this time

Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 10:41 pm
by culturejam
I've done a few with a sharpie as well. It's pretty cool to have something really "hand" made.

Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:24 pm
by Jero
I actually haven't tried straight sharpie yet. It was the "action marker" that came with the etch set. Seems like a fancy paint pen

. It really is cool to have them hand done like that. I plan on doing a few every now and again with that method. Haha, I tried to draw up the buffered splitter you posted the same way, but gave up quickly. Must.try.again.
Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:50 am
by nbabmf
My first enclosure etch came out really shallow. The second one lost a lot of detail because the aggressive bubbling lifted the mask. I etch face up now.
It's a lot of work to get right, but they look awesome when you do.
Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:05 am
by Jero
nbabmf wrote:My first enclosure etch came out really shallow. The second one lost a lot of detail because the aggressive bubbling lifted the mask. I etch face up now.
That's exactly what happened to mine. I think I might have left it too long also. I'll try again when I can print it. Got a sheet of pnp waiting to be used.
Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 3:01 am
by LaoWiz
I etch face up now, as well. I pour etchant on the box and use a rubber sucker bulb and suck up he spill off and then reapply. I'll add some fresh juice here and there. I also have a water batch next to the etchant container that I dip the box into from time to time to check how deep it's getting and this also keeps the box from getting to hot. I've let it get too hot a few times and the acid ate up some of the toner. actually looked cool but it was a pedal iwas making for someone and used a new box.
I love the look of etched enclosures. even when it doesn't come out so clean. the sanding of the boxes makes it a real pain....
Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:09 pm
by Jero
I was actually going to ask what to do for face up etching, thanks for mentioning that guys. It certainly is a much diff reaction between etch/enclosure & etch/pcb.
Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:15 pm
by nbabmf
I use a Q-tip for etching enclosure face up. I have better control over the amount and location of the acid that way.
Re: Jero's First Etches
Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 11:51 pm
by tuffteef
must try this looks fun
hopefully i wont burn my face off