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| Suggestions for an etching tank? |
| (1/2) > >> |
| Dago:
I was drooling on an etching tank (with a heater and an airpump) which costs around 125$ until I sortof realised it's just an aquarium heater + aquarium air pump and a transparent tank. I checked on aquarium heater and air pump prices and the pump + heater cost considerably less, the best deal I was able to find was around 26$ for a 100W heater and an air pump. Now I'd just need to find a suitable tank (transparent) which could fit euro sized pcbs (160x100mm). Making one from plexiglass or something would be pretty easy too but I don't really have tools for that. Any ideas or suggestions where I could find something suitable? Or I could just continue etching my PCBs in a tupperware container but it's just so damn slow (takes an hour or more) and you have to move the board around every once in a while. Heres a pic of the commercial one: |
| EEVblog:
Spring a bit more money and get this nice one!: http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Fasteners-Production-Equipment/PCB-Equipment/Etching/PCB-Etch-tank/29472 Nothing worse than etching boards in the old tupperware container, so do anything you can to avoid it! Dave. |
| KuchateK:
Stuff used for etching is usually aggressive to silicone or glues and home made container or even professionally made aquarium can leak pretty quickly. I'm using plastic cereal containers. I paid for them 4 & 6 dollars (medium and big). I was able to find containers with covers sealed with rubber gaskets, so when I'm not using solution nothing evaporates even after few months. Covers have additional smaller windows that can be used to put air tubes or heater cable inside and there is still nice splash protection. Drawback is that they are over twice the thickness of regular etchers and it takes one liter to fill medium and over three for the big one. But one piece plastic part will never leak and that sealed cover is really good. I'm not using heater right now and I'm experimenting with agitation by PC fan blades on long plastic tube and small electric motor from toy. I'm not making a lot of PCBs so little more time to etch is not a big deal for me. Edit: I've found exactly what I have: http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3922/41n1zb2rnulaa400.jpg |
| Dago:
--- Quote from: KuchateK on October 28, 2009, 12:33:46 am ---Stuff used for etching is usually aggressive to silicone or glues and home made container or even professionally made aquarium can leak pretty quickly. I'm using plastic cereal containers. I paid for them 4 & 6 dollars (medium and big). I was able to find containers with covers sealed with rubber gaskets, so when I'm not using solution nothing evaporates even after few months. Covers have additional smaller windows that can be used to put air tubes or heater cable inside and there is still nice splash protection. Drawback is that they are over twice the thickness of regular etchers and it takes one liter to fill medium and over three for the big one. But one piece plastic part will never leak and that sealed cover is really good. I'm not using heater right now and I'm experimenting with agitation by PC fan blades on long plastic tube and small electric motor from toy. I'm not making a lot of PCBs so little more time to etch is not a big deal for me. Edit: I've found exactly what I have: http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3922/41n1zb2rnulaa400.jpg --- End quote --- Cereal containers actually sound PERFECT!! I gotta try to find some. --- Quote ---Spring a bit more money and get this nice one!: http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Fasteners-Production-Equipment/PCB-Equipment/Etching/PCB-Etch-tank/29472 Nothing worse than etching boards in the old tupperware container, so do anything you can to avoid it! Dave. --- End quote --- Well, I've been exposing my PCBs with a 11W fluorescent light (the regular kind) and etching them in a tupperware container and it has been working pretty well, just takes a long time :) Example PCB with a µMAX package ic (0,65mm lead pitch): Ordering PCBs from a manufacturer (like pcbcart) is always possible as well and not THAT expensive but usually I do not have the patience to wait for them (I guess you people are the same with projects, once you start doing something you gotta get it done FAST before you lose interest) and usually you can't be sure the first design is 100% correct so its easier to do multiple revisions at home. |
| Simon:
use a vertical food box, these are normally sold as breakfast cereal boxes, they are thinner and taller, not perfect but as close as you will get to what you want for a fiva, you can (carefully) drill a hole in the side to pass the air pump pipe through, they come with lids which is handy |
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