When you have a home electronic project ready to go from prototype to finished version, you'll want to etch a printed circuit board (PCB) for it. The etching process takes a copper-foil-clad plastic board and selectively removes the copper, leaving conductive traces that make up your circuit. While you can pay an outside service to do this for you, it's relatively easy to etch boards at home with common chemicals. The process takes a few hours.
Instructions
1 Place the circuit board in the tray with the copper side facing up. This allows you to watch the etching as it progresses.
2 Don the rubber gloves and safety goggles.
3 Pour enough etching solution into the tray to cover the board to a depth of about ¼ to ½ inch.
4 Note the time. Check the etching process every 10 minutes, watching the copper slowly disappear from the board. After about half an hour, check every three to five minutes. Gently tilt the tray back and forth to slosh the etchant over the board as it's etching. As the copper disappears, just the thin lines of resist will remain. The resist protects the copper underneath, which becomes the conductors of your circuit board. When you notice all the visible copper is gone, remove the board from the tray. Pour a few ounces of water over the board to rinse the etchant solution from it.
5 Take the board to a porcelain sink and rinse it under cold water for a few minutes.
6 Scrub the board with gentle pressure using the Scotch-Brite pad to remove the black resist material. Do this under a cold water rinse. Scrub and rinse until you've completely revealed the bright copper traces that were hidden by the etch resist. Dry the board with a soft towel. Set the board aside.
7 Place the plastic funnel in the bottle. Pour the used etchant into the bottle. Label the bottle "Used Etchant" and write the date. Set the bottle in a cool, dry place on a high shelf, away from children's reach.
8 Rinse the tray thoroughly in the sink, then set it aside to dry.
