RadioShack 16oz. PCB Etchant Solution

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

You can make your own printed circuit board etchant out of muriatic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Both of these chemicals can be found at your local hardware store. Google for the correct ratios and procedure to use when mixing.

The RS etchant works well but stains everything in sight. The homemade etchant mentioned above does not stain things, is easily obtainable, and does just as good of a job at etching.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

For small boards use a small sponge, pour enough into a small plastic bowl to wet the sponge. Rub the sponge on the circuit board rotating board and sponge sfter a few strokes. This moves the copper away from the board and should only take about a minute or two to etch the board depending on how thick the copper is. look at www.pcbfx.com for more help.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

Don't look for THAT bottle style on the shelf at your local store. They've changed to a white opaque bottle. This is good, because it makes the instructions and warnings easier to read when the bottle is half-empty. Unfortunately, it's harder to tell how much is left. The shelf life is great! My first bottle's lasted over twenty years. Here's a hint: if you're doing a small board, use a plastic drawer from your parts cabinet as the tray. Works well with the Press & Peel (R) "laser toner transfer" process.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

If you want to boost the speed and precision add Citric Acid to the mix. This is called the Edinburg Etch. Citric Acid takes the dissolved copper or brass away from the piece your etching. Search Edinburg Etch for the Mixing Procedure. Find Anhydrous Citric Acid at Gourmet Food Shop or Bulk Food.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

To make a printed circuit board first look up "Comparison of EDA software"
on Wikipedia. I use the freeware version of Eagle.
Eagle allows schematic capture and board layout.
Print the board layout at a 1:1 scale using a Laser printer on
HP Laser Photo Paper 220G.

Clean the PC board (both sides) using a ScotchGuard green pad.
Copper should be bright.
Rinse the board in water and dry.
Put denatured alcohol on a wadded paper towel and rub both sides of the board.
Black stuff comes off on the towel.
Use a fresh towel with alcohol and repeat until no gunk comes off on the towel.
Handle the board by edges to keep fingerprints off of the board.

An electric iron on high with lots of pressure can be used to transfer the PC pattern to the board.
A much superior method is to run the board and paper through a GBL H220 Laminator.
Google the laminator about $100. I run it through on the 6 mil setting 3 times in each direction.
The board gets warm and I handle it by the edges.

Don't peel the paper off of the board. Dunk paper and board in a bowl of water and let it soak
for a few minutes. Use your fingers to rub the paper which rolls up in small pieces. I use a cheap
toothbrush to get the areas between pins. A thin layer of paper adheres to the toner.

For etching the Ferric Choride works good. Bubbing air using an aquarium pump helps.
The copper reacting with the etchant absorbs heat and slows the reaction. The air bubbles
move fresh etchant into contaact.
Do a Google search for the MSDS on Ferric Chloride to see what precautions you need to take.
Rubber gloves and Goggles are recomended as is good ventilation.

The ScotchGuard pad with lots of pressure will remove the toner from the etched board.
A Dremmil tool is a good way to drill the holes. High RPMs for small bits.

Other etchants I haven't tried are Ammonium Persulfate, orHydrocholic acid combines with drugstore Hydrogen Peroxide.

Disposal of spent Ferric Chloride.
Don't pour it down the drain.
Washing soda (Sodium Carbonate) should be used to adjust the pH to about 7. A mud of
copper compounds will precipitate. Separate and dilute the liquid as it goes down the drain.
The mud can be dried and turned in as Hazardous Waste. The copper compounds make good root killer like
the kind you buy at the hardware store for a septic system.
A chemist can take the mud and react it to make copper sulfate and then plate the copper using electroysis.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

I mix PCB on a 1 to 1 Ratio with white vinegar and it will etch out a pattern in my Damascus blades.
New solution will take about an hour depending on how deep I want the etch.
Clean up is a breeze with soap and water, then buff to a high sheen.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

if you know how to use the product properly it's a good product. I've been using RS Ferric Chloride for years. There's lots of good articles on the Internet on doing PC boards. Unless your doing a one time, ones or twosey board than buy at least a couple bottles and a use a aquarium air pump to make a bubble etcher. Done right this agitates your board constantly without you having to stand there doing it mechanically. Fresh enchant works fast at room temp. I've successfully etched them in 5 to 10 min's. When the etch gets older you can speed it up by warming it in a suitable container in hot water for awhile. Fumes will be present so do this outside. A couple bottles will last you for many boards not just one or two. A word of advise when using ferric chloride. Wear latex or equiv. gloves. Wear old clothes, do it in a well ventilated area with safety glasses on. This stuff stains EVERYTHING including you so please be aware of that!! Use common sense and you'll do a safe job. RS is the only place I know where a hobbyist can walk in and buy this stuff. I've been doing my own boards since the '70's. My only gripe is while dry resist and blank PC board material is now cheaper, etchent is getting expensive. Used to buy it for [$] for 16 oz. now it's up to [$]. Searching the Internet has not come up with any good alternative. This site says it's available in store so I'll find out soon.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

I have noticed that if you scuff the copper clad board before putting on the resist then the unwanted copper etches in about 30 min at room temp. With out scuffing it takes several times longer.

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

This product does the job for etching my copper and brass items. BUT I am now unable to purchase this - Need to know why and where I can get it???

Comments about RadioShack 16 oz. PCB Etchant Solution:

Honestly this stuff is really slow. It takes an hour or more to etch a small board. However where else can you find Ferric Chloride on a store shelf? In a pinch it works fine.