Where do I Purchase PCB etching supplies in Halifax, NS?
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M$3 Answers
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M$There are a lot of options that do not require vendors.
for example- i make my layouts on high gloss photopaper and use the toner transfer method. everything available at walmart. High quality results for a crazy low price.
The etchant, you have many options. 2 common ones are ferric chloride, which the source MAY carry. But its messy, not reusable, stinks, stains, and you cannot watch the etching process.
Another option is Ammonium perchlorate crystals. I love this stuff. It comes in dry form, and can be purchased online. Simply add a few tablespoons to boiling water, and drop the board in. The etching is crazy fast, the etchant is clear so you can watch the progress, it goes blue as it dissolves the copper. The best part, is that you can boil it when you're done, dry it out, and end up with re-usable crystals! not PERMANENTLY reusable, but moreso than other chemicals.
Last i know of, is using diluted Muriatic acid. I believe this can be purchased from the plumbing section of home depot. people use it to clean pipes and toilet bowls.
i say use Ammonium perchlorate- justbuy it online.
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M$
the Muriatic acid (Hydrochloric) idea does work, but you must make sure that it has plentiful Air as Oxygen is part of the catalyst.
you`ll need to add a little hydrogen peroxide to get the initial batch started, after that you can take about 5% of the old used soln and that to the plain acid directly and it`ll keep going like that forever.
My process:
I print the layout onto label backing (the wax-paper like backing that shipping labels and stuff come stuck to, I get it out of the recycle bin at work)
Then iron on the design, most of my designs are small enough that I can just set the iron on the pcb with the design sandwiched in there, let it cool, peel it off. Usually I don't even need to soak it.
Touch up - generally there are a few missed spots, so touch up with fine-tip sharpie marker
Etch:
I use copper chloride chemistry, I started my acid with muriatic acid (a liter) and some hydrogen peroxide (a couple tablespoons), it really helps to pump air through it while you're etching - I just use a little aquarium pump and etch in a glass beaker. The acid is stored in a glass liquor decanter.
To clean off the part, I wash it first in a baking soda solution, so sodium bicarbonate will react with the copper chloride to for NaCl (table salt) and copper carbonate (which is insoluble in water). This is really important because copper ions are super toxic and should not be put down the drain (not to mention copper chloride will etch your pipes if you flush it). then just wash it in water.
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M$
Ammonium perchlorate only etches while it's hot, is minimally toxic, does not require a base to deactivate corrosion, and i've had boards that have etched in seconds- long before sharpie traces have had a chance to dilute.
For the wax paper- i think even that's too much. I bought a popular science magazine a few years back, and realized that all the pages were done in high gloss. I've used that magazine as transfer paper for about 4 years now, and i still have half left.
As a bonus, when ammonium perchlorate binds with a metal- it can bind with iron, aluminium, copper, etc.. It doesnt become garbage. It becomes ROCKET FUEL. THats right, cupric ammonium perchlorate (very pretty baby blue crystals) are usable as a powerful propellant. In fact, ejector seats in jets use (among others) Ammonium perchlorate as their propellant because of its high energy density.
If your looking to get gouged... Last place on earth I'd buy anything.