Making Your Own PCBs

High-quality PCB layouts for hobby use, small lots or experimental setups can be generated using modern layout programs, some of which are available for free. However, this tidy work on the PC is followed by the unpleasant task of etching the circuit board.A wide variety of etching kits and accessories are available in electronics speciality shops, but none of them is especially inexpensive and some are rather awkward to use. The difficulties start already with the layout film. Since even expensive overhead projector foils made with photocopiers or laser printers are not sufficiently opaque, it’s necessary to superimpose at least two identical foils to expose the board. Copying the layout onto sheet film requires a small but fully equipped photographic darkroom.