Sounds great! One would have to be careful to not scrub off the etch resist, but that shouldn’t be an issue if you’re just rubbing the sponge against it. Have you tried this method? I’d like to know if it’s more or less efficient than etching with an agitator, along with average times.

Very nice.

If you use a persulphate etchant, this won’t work I don’t think, since those etchants don’t improve with agitation; They don’t form ‘contour/gradient shells’ around etch areas.

“a resist is applied using either a sharpie or the toner transfer method.”
Seems you need to get your eyes tested andrew.

I’m amazed the resist puts up with being wiped, I may take up home etching if this is as convenient as it seems.

@rolf Quite a few toilet cleaners have high levels of hydrochloric acid (near the 20% range). You can find a how-to here – http://www.instructables.com/id/etching_a_circuit_with_toilet_bowl_cleaner/

I have done something like this. I had the Radioshack etching kit, and I got bored waiting for it so I got out a flux brush (like a cheap little paint brush about 3/8″ wide) and brushed the etchant across the board. It was done in just a few minutes. The biggest problem was the toner, which didn’t seem to stick to the board right.

@matt… i’ve found that be true if the board is dirty (scotch-brite pad and acetone or isopropyl), if the iron isn’t hot enough (turn it all the way up and place a sheet of paper between the iron and transfer sheet), or if there isn’t enough toner on the transfer.

please, make sure you use gloves and safety glasses with this. ferric chloride is very nasty and will stain anything it comes in contact with, including skin.

“hydrochloric acid… Typically sold in 2 gallon jugs at lowes” –Steve Watkins

I don’t know about you Steve, but Lowes around here sells clothes.

I’m gonna take a crack at making PCBs just for the hell of it. Wish me luck guys. Send a card to the hospital in advance, hoping that the acid burns heal up okay.

See ya

Hydrochloric acid = Muriatic acid = Spirits of salt, it goes by a few different names.

you can use A SHARPIE?????????

Sweet.

surface prep is simply everything in getting resist to stick. After that it’s ultraimportant to clean/neutralize every trace of etchant. As etchants will keep on corroding. And many spent etchants are quite conductive too. Which has caused odd hard to track down intermittent flakies in high voltage or high gain circuits… Especially if humidity fluctuations make conductivity vary..

I’ve been working with FeCl for about 25 years now (I started when I was around 10 yrs old). The stuff is safe, though it stains bad. It wont hurt or burn if get it on you but the stain will last 1-3 weeks and look strange to others. Stains on cement or floors can be permanent after it dries. Ingestion? I dont know, very small amounts probably ok, but take a good gulp and it could lead to iron poisoning.

FeCl fumes are not so much toxic as just an irritant. However, keep metal appliances and stuff nearby away, fumes could condense on them and ruin the finish. (I’ve seen it firsthand.)

I’ve been using this guys system for a few boards:
http://www.pulsarprofx.com/pcbfx/main_site/pages/

much better than regular tonor transfer. After the tonor transfer you treat it with some green leaf and then the resist pattern is *very* tough to get off…as in, sandpaper has a tough time.

I then use the sponge to etch and it is definately faster and more effecient than constant agitation. It’s all about getting the used FeCl away from the copper surface to let the fresh FeCl do its work. The sponge is also cleaner, just trust me on this. You use much less of the resist and your not adjitating it and dripping it everywhere.

Today I am trying a new ferric chloride mix with citric acid (Edinborough mix) that is supposed to facilitate the evacuation of the used FeCl from the copper surface to let fresh FeCl at the copper. I’ll post the results.

The Edinburg etch worked good. I don’t use sponge anymore though. I double bag the PCB in two zip lock bags and put the etchant inside and zip lock. I then use an artists rubber roller to squeeze the etchant accross the pcb surface. I submerge the whole thing in a bucket of hot water while I do this. The hot water heats the etchant through bag without diluting it and speeds up the process beyond belief!