A printed circuit board (pcb) mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components using conductive tracks, pads and other features etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. pcb's can be single sided (one copper layer), double sided (two copper layers) or multi-layer. Conductor on different layers are connected with plated-through holes called vias. Advanced PCB's may contain components - capacitors, resistors or active devices - embedded in the substrate.
In this Instructable I'm going to show you how to make your own coloured PCBs.
Step 1: What You Need
A PCB to dye
A Permanent Marker the colour you want to dye your PCB
Acetone (I use nail polish remover that has acetone as the main ingredient)
Kitchen roll
Step 2: LETS GO!
Start off with a clean PCB, and colour the edges of the PCB before moving onto the reverse of and finally the front of the board totally covering in permanent marker.
At this point it will look streaky and rough (like its just been colour in with a marker) but don't worry, the magic is yet to come!
Step 3: The Magic
Take a square of kitchen roll, and dab it with your acetone and wipe it over the PCB till the copper track shine though.
This process will remove the streaky and rough marks made by the felt of the marker pen, leaving a beautiful smooth dyed finish ready for tinning & populating.
Step 4: Experiment With Colour
Now you have seen how easy the process is, why not experiment with some colours!
PCBWay, PCB prototype and Fabrication the Easy Way!
