Hello...

[Inquisitor]

Sorry I didn't post here first, I've only just seen the new members introduce yourself here forum.

My interests are writing software, photography and electronics.

I'm here because I want to upgrade my PCB setup and I need help badly :-)

[martin54]

Welcome to the forum, sure there will be someone who can help with upgrading your set up, I'm just not one of them lol

[Inquisitor]

LOL, I fear I may be beyond help anyway :-)

[Fivetide]

LOL, I fear I may be beyond help anyway :-)

LOL welcome .. which ordos are affiliated to ? ;)

[Inquisitor]

Thanks for the welcome Fivetide.

Ordos? Not sure what that means :-) From googling I'd guess it's a Warhammer reference based on my chosen user name? If so it's the wrong type of inquisitor, mine's a Red Dwarf reference :-)

By the way I've been looking at your PCB board thread and wondering if it's too old to reply to considering that I have nothing to contribute on the milling front.
If it helps I get my PCBs from Mega UK and use a photographic method, it works really well and I can post details if you want. I've also gotten boards from Mouser, Farnell (once and the photo resist was duff) and Maplin.
I usually go for FR4, SRBP isn't as robust and can go moldy.

Mega-UK - PCB Laminates
PCBs/Circuit Boards | Mouser
Prototyping Boards | Farnell United Kingdom
Copper Clad Boards : Printed Circuit Boards : Maplin Electronics

[Fivetide]

The Emperor protects.
I will be attempting some PCBS soon so any methods posted will be appreciated :)

[Inquisitor]

"The Emperor protects"

Ordos Emperor returns Dune. Something to do with Dune? :-)

If you have some information on what you're building I'd be happy to take a look and give my opinion.

Thinking about it, if you're just doing simple single sided amp boards and have the luxury of a CNC machine this may be your best option. Having never milled a PCB I don't know :-)

Anyway the way I do it is this:

Print my design onto JetStar ink jet film using a Photo printer (a normal office one should work too). I used to use OHP transparencies printed on a laser printer but they warp too much to get accurate or precise results.

Next I expose the PCB in my "light box", which at the moment is 4 T5 fluorescent tube holders fitted with UV (NOT UVC!) tube screwed to a piece of ply with a sheet of glass from a photo frame supported above it on two blocks of wood. I just stick a book on top to hold things in place and cover it with anything to hand so I don't get damaged by the UV :-)

Next I develop the board in a sodium hydroxide free developer. Developing with caustic soda/sodium hydroxide gives very bad results.

I then wash the board and etch it in ferric chloride, an old ice cream tub is potentially useful here.

After that I sometimes throw in immersion tin plating and a solder resist layer using a similar artwork to film, UV exposure and development process.

The results i get with this process are good, fine detail can be realised (I don't know how small a detail can be milled but I'd guess it's far less). The chemicals are a pain to get rid of though, they need to be disposed of properly.

Now that I've written (mostly) all of it down it does seem like a lot of hassle :-)