Etching PCB's in the Netherlands?

[WildMountain]

As I am slowly getting into the more complex builds I am thinking of etching my own PCB's. I was wondering what the other dutchmen on this forum use for etching their PCB's. Especially what you use for transferring your layout to the copper board. I've read a lot on Press-N-Peel, but can't seem to find it anywhere in the Netherlands.
Do you have an alternative like glossy photo paper? If so, which brand do you use that I can get in the dutch stores? Or do you know where to get the pNp stuff around here?
Alvast bedankt.

[geertjacobs]

Here is a European mail order shop that carries PnP.
http://www.banzaieffects.com/europe/parts/pcboards.htm
There's another good parts supplier in Germany who might have PnP but I really can't remember the name right now.
Graag gedaan.

[Fumi SG]

Don't know anything about PnP, but I can tell you...

.. kheb goede ervaringen met Banzai! :wink:

[Arno van der Heijden]

Je kunt inderdaad foto papier gebruiken. Ik heb daar echter geen ervaring mee dus ik weet ook niet welk merk het beste is. Als je toch wil uitproberen zou ik gewoon de goedkoopste pakken. (Laat wel even weten welk merk het was en of het de moeite waard is voor mij om de volgende keer te gebruiken ).

Iets anders wat goed werkt zijn doorzichtige overhead sheets. Waarschijnlijk nog goedkoper dan foto papier. Ik heb deze techniek enkele keren gebruikt en dit werkt dan ook prima.

Het schijnt dat je bij deze twee methodes niet zo'n scherpe resultaten krijgt als met PnP, maar als je het beetje bijwerkt met een stift (speciale, die daarvoor geschikt is) is dat echt geen probleem.

Succes!!

[WildMountain]

Thanks guys for the help.
Geert, I think I might try the PnP from Banzai.
Arno, (ik houd het toch maar op Engels zodat de rest van het forum het kan lezen), could you explain the way you use overhead sheets? Just print 'em and then iron the patern on to the copper? I would guess it needs some layer between the sheet and your iron or the sheet would melt onto your iron? Does this method give you decent transferring of the patern?
One last question for now: What do you use for etching fluid and where do you get it?

[acryl]

why do you want to make your pcb's using pnp ?
i always use the sunbed, it works easy and results are as good or better
you will need photosensitive pcb material which is easy to get
print the layout on a transparent overhead sheet
fix the sheet to a piece of glass
remove the protectionfoil from the pcb material and fix it to the sheet (do not expose to sunlight)
at a distance of about 15 cm (6 inch) from the sunbed's lamps exposure will take about 50 seconds
(experiment for best results)
now develop for about 10 to 15 seconds, etch as usual

piet kennis piusstraat tilburg or radiobeurs rhee karnemelkstraat breda sell everything needed

[Fumi SG]

Here, some extra info on how to use Pnp! :wink:

[markusw]

why do you want to make your pcb's using pnp ?
i always use the sunbed, it works easy and results are as good or better
you will need photosensitive pcb material which is easy to get
print the layout on a transparent overhead sheet
fix the sheet to a piece of glass
remove the protectionfoil from the pcb material and fix it to the sheet (do not expose to sunlight)
at a distance of about 15 cm (6 inch) from the sunbed's lamps exposure will take about 50 seconds
(experiment for best results)
now develop for about 10 to 15 seconds, etch as usual

I totally agree. I'm using a standard writing desk lamp "equipped" with a 12V 50W neon bulb. Takes much longer though (30-60 min), but who cares.....as long as you're not going to produce larger quantities...

Once you're done with checking different exposure times it's highly reproducible. Never had a problem with self etched PCBs since.

Good luck,

Markus

[WildMountain]

Have made some nice looking PCB's with the fotographic method (got all the stuff at Piet Kennis in Tilburg). First one will be a "Boutique Fuzz Face" from GGG.
I did order some PNP from Banzai (thanks for the tip) so I can try that out as well.
Thanks guys.

[Mike Burgundy]

FWIW, I definitely prefer the UV/photosensitive board method.
For boards that aren't all that finely pitched, I simply print (mirrored) on 80gram printing paper and expose through that for about 20 seconds with a face-tanner (4 tubes) laying on top of the board (glass sheet in between to press everything in place)
Iedere lokale electronica zaak heeft daar de spullen wel voor.
Verdere NL tips (postorder):
Smallbear (duh) - ook PNP en transfer papier
Partsexpress
Reichelt.de

[WildMountain]

Do you mean it's possible to use regular printing paper instead of transparent overhead sheets? I didn't know that (didn't think of trying it either).

[geertjacobs]

http://www.musikding.de was the other German parts supplier...

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Do you mean it's possible to use regular printing paper instead of transparent overhead sheets? I didn't know that (didn't think of trying it either).

If anyone does this, it helps to have the printed surface next to the photosensitive layer (otherwise diffusion thru the paper takes sharpness off the edges, especially since the light source is diffuse). but, be sure you aren't making a "reversed" board  :shock:  :oops: