Quick and dirty PCB prototyping.
Items required:
-Copper board (in this case single sided)
-Sharpie pen
-Etchant (Ferric chloride)
-Plastic containers
-Rubber gloves
-Cotton
-Nail polish remover
PCB prototyping helps provide a robust temporary circuit for proof of concept or a cheap way to build a circuit and free up space on your project board for other projects.
Here I needed a 12V supply but there wasn't enough space on my project board for it. So a prototype board is a fast and cheap way to clear up some space.
I did it the quick and dirty way. Drawing my circuit with a Sharpie pen on a single sided copper board. Didn't even bother to clean up the surface before I started drawing. 2 coats of Sharpie covered the circuit.
Once the ink has dried, time to remove the unwanted copper. Prepare your etchant, in my case I used ferric chloride. Remember that it is corrosive, so protective gear and well ventilated work area is a must. Always use plastic to hold corrosive liquids. I prepared the etchant and placed my board in it. I poured warm water in a bigger container to heat the smaller container that has the etchant.
As you can see in the picture above, I mucked up on the first board. Basically my thumb touched on the right side of the circuit while I was manipulating the board during the etching process. So note to self, don't touch the surface!
My next attempt was much better and the sharpie is still intact.
I used some nail polish remover (a few drops) on a cotton ball and wipe off the Sharpie ink. Populated and soldered the board. Its working!
