PCB Help!

Wond3rboy · Dec 6, 2008

Hi since i am going on to make my first PCB i wanted to ask some questions:

1) How can i drill holes on my board(I want the easiest way cause a lot of things are not available where i live)

2) Since i dont have a laser printer i am going to get my circuit printed from a shop and i will be reacing home in 15minutes.Will the toner on the TTP dry out cause i can put it on the board but wont be able to iron it before 15min?

3) If i etch the board with the Toner Ink and no TRF since it is not available then will i get a good board or not?

Thanks

3v0 · Dec 6, 2008

Wond3rboy said:
Hi since i am going on to make my first PCB i wanted to ask some questions:

1) How can i drill holes on my board(I want the easiest way cause a lot of things are not available where i live)

Anything that can drill a hole. On a board with just a few holes I use a pin vice. It is like an exacto knife with a drill bit inplace of a blade. If you get an exacto style knife with a X instead of a slot (where the blade goes in) you can force a small drill bit into the unit.

Most everything else should be done with a press or stand to prevent bits from breaking. HSS bits are more flexible then carbide so they break less. A corded drill in a stand works. A dremel in a stand works better. Many cordless drills run slow and are not a good choice. A table top drill press works well.

2) Since i don't have a laser printer i am going to get my circuit printed from a shop and i will be reacing home in 15minutes.Will the toner on the TTF dry out cause i can put it on the board but wont be able to iron it before 15min?

Toner is plastic that is melted by the printer. It does not dry on the paper but rather solidifies or unmelts as it cools. The iron remelts it to allow it to stick to the copper.

3) If i etch the board with the Toner Ink and no TRF since it is not available then will i get a good board or not?

As I said. Toner is plastic not ink. TRF (foil) is like frosting on a cake. You can do without it. The purpose of TRF is to seal the top of the toner on the board because toner often has pin holes in it. You can live with the pin holes. Everyone did for many years.

More important is you choice of paper. (not sure if you have the Pulsar paper) Glossy paper with a lot of clay is good. If you want to stay sane print like 10 or 20 copies of the artwork. The chances of getting it to transfer correctly on the first go is small. Remove the failed toner with acetone.
There is an art to the ironing thing. Also have several papers with a good chance of working on hand. It is a trial and error thing without the commercial products. But once you get the formula it works.

Thanks

HTH 3v0 ..............................

Wond3rboy · Dec 6, 2008

thanks 3VO very much appreciated!

Wond3rboy · Dec 11, 2008

3v0 said:
HTH 3v0 ..............................

hi 3vo just one more thing.Its about smd components, how do make smd pcbs since i cannot solder them because the copper on the bottom side and the component is on the top side.How do i connect the copper with component pins?Thanks

3v0 · Dec 11, 2008

Wond3rboy said:
hi 3vo just one more thing.Its about smd components, how do make smd pcbs since i cannot solder them because the copper on the bottom side and the component is on the top side.How do i connect the copper with component pins?Thanks

I assume we are talking about a single sided PCB.

When you layout a SS SMD PCB you can put traces on the top or bottom but not both.

In layout the mirror tool is used to switch a component between top and bottom. This lets you put the component on the side with the copper.

When I make a SS PCB with both through hole and SMD parts I put the copper on the bottom. SMD parts are on the bottom with the copper and through hole parts end up on top.

HTH

Wond3rboy · Dec 11, 2008

thanks.As usual i will ask if anything else comes up!

Boncuk · Dec 11, 2008

Just to add something to 3V0's good explanation:

You can touch up the pin holes of the toner using a permanent pen type EDDING800. It has a 0.5mm tip and fills the pinholes easily. The ink is 100% water and etchant proof. To remove the ink use a sandy detergeant of the kind used to clean aluminum cook pots.

Boncuk

Wond3rboy · Dec 12, 2008

Thanks Boncuk.

Rolf · Dec 12, 2008

Manhattan Type Construction.........

Wond3rboy said:
Hi since i am going on to make my first PCB i wanted to ask some questions:

1) How can i drill holes on my board(I want the easiest way cause a lot of things are not available where i live)

2) Since i dont have a laser printer i am going to get my circuit printed from a shop and i will be reacing home in 15minutes.Will the toner on the TTP dry out cause i can put it on the board but wont be able to iron it before 15min?

3) If i etch the board with the Toner Ink and no TRF since it is not available then will i get a good board or not?

Thanks

Do to your location you might look at other ways of using PCB material.
I like the looks and simple but effective way of using Manhattan, like in this sample: 2n230pictures
Unfortunately there is no more of the instruction articles , on how to do it, on the web, that I can find.
Basically the larger PCB is a ground plane and smaller pieces are glued on (super glue) for soldering points. This construction looks like a viable alternative for one up projects without to many IC's with a large number of pins.

Wond3rboy · Dec 13, 2008

Thanks Roff!

Wond3rboy · Dec 13, 2008

I just printed by circuit from eagle using ctrl+p and the junctions as well as the component outlines have been printed. So my question is will they shorten something out? Am i supposed to do something about it?

3v0 · Dec 13, 2008

From the layout (not the schematic) editor.

To print a foil pattern from eagle select the following layers. Top or Bottom, pads, vias, and optionally dimension. These are selected using the DISPLAY icon which is just below the "i" aka information icon.

In the print dialog box select the black check box. If it is the top layer also select mirror.

If you are going to do a photo resist method an inkject is ok. If you are using toner transfer you need to use a laser printer. Set the print darkness to full dark.

HTH
3v0

Wond3rboy said:
I just printed by circuit from eagle using ctrl+p and the junctions as well as the component outlines have been printed. So my question is will they shorten something out? Am i supposed to do something about it?

Boncuk · Dec 13, 2008

Eagle is WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). Click as many layers off as necessary until you get the desired screen display. Components have nothing to do with a board layout. I answered that detailed in a PM.

Boncuk

Wond3rboy · Dec 14, 2008

Thanks for answering in PM.I made the board myself.But there are two junctions which short two wires so how do i remove them?Do i use Acetone as advised by 3v0 after i have printed my board on to the PCB ?Or do i do something on the paper?Also the only water based marker available here is the non permanent one.Will it do?There are alcohol based permanent markers.

3v0 · Dec 14, 2008

Use eagle to produce exactly what you need. Post what you have as a pdf attachment.

Wond3rboy · Dec 14, 2008

I sorted it out Thanks 3V0.I deleted the junctions and will print it again on another TTP.By the way i got one TTP for 3.75USD! bought two of them and pulsar offer a whole roll of TRP,TTP for 9USD i guess!

3v0 · Dec 14, 2008

It still would be to your advantage to post your work. We can look it over for you. No need to by shy, we were all new one time or another.

dchurch · Dec 14, 2008

Help

It really is a good idea to post a picture.

Most PCB programs allow some type of save as image function. You can also hold down the shift key and press Prt/Scr while viewing work on your pc. Then open a paint program and select paste.

A schematic is best for evaluating circuit function but a PCB image is needed to evaluate the product.

Making your own pcb can be fun and rewarding. You may eventually want to use a hobbyist pcb service like **broken link removed** or BatchPCB.com.

Good luck with your project

Wond3rboy · Dec 15, 2008

Here it is its mediocre i know,its the ART2003 Programmer a JDM programmer which will serve as a prerequisite to the big one The Junebug of which i have been able to make a stripped off version.I wanted to 'practice' making PCB's using this so that it would be easier to make the Junebug.I deleted the one junction and did a little tweaking for which i was too lazy for before!Thanks

Wond3rboy · Dec 15, 2008

hey i got my first PCB(in the second try)!The first try ended up pretty bad but like they perserverence is the ke to success now i am going to do that with the Junebug PCB.Thanks all!

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