Just etched my first PCB!

[GuitarLord5000]

I used carbon paper to transfer the image to the copper and traced it with a sharpie marker.  When I removed it from the solution, it looked absolutely HORRIBLE!  I immediately started on a new one, but forgot the ever important stage of fingerprint removal.  As you can imagine, it did not work very well.  However, when I was gettin ready to try a third time, I looked at the first one I did.  It originally looked like the etching solution had removed parts of the traces, but after it sat for a while, the traces seemed to magically reappear!  Bright and shiny as ever!  I dont know why that is, but when I can, I'll post some pics.

[gez]

Permanent marker adheres extremely well to transparencies intended for use with inkjet printers (though it won't with other types of film).  The ink will be opaque and will block UV, so If you have a fluorescent light in your kitchen/bathroom it allows you to use photo board with your artwork (tape the whole lot so that it's in contact with the surface of your strip light).

I mention this because you're doing things by hand anyway.  If you screw up with the method you're using you have to start again from scratch, but with a transparency all your original art work is still there.  If you miss a trace just draw one in and etch another board!  

The resist used for photo board is a hell of a lot better than permanent marker too, so you get better results.  You can buy transfers for pads/IC pins