I made a PCB etching maching! I would love to hear your thoughts

[tuvtuv]

here is a link to our blog:
http://fenneclabs.net/index.php/2019/06/29/the-complete-pcb-etching-station/

[capt bullshot]

Nice job.
I wouldn't build such a thing for my own use, I don't like to mess around with "wet" stuff and always be worried about leaks and such.

[Benta]

A better solution is a vertical bath with bubble tubes at the bottom, where the PCBs hang vertically into the bath from the top.

[MosherIV]

Actually spray etching is by far the better method

https://hackaday.com/2012/02/11/create-pcbs-in-just-minutes-with-this-awesome-spray-etching-machine/

Or

https://www.instructables.com/id/The-Etchinator-low-cost-spray-etcher/

[excitedbox]

I am working on a PCB printer that will print multilayer and dual sided pcbs on unclad FR4 / anything you can get the ink to stick to. Just today I received a big shipment of chemicals for producing the nano particles for the conductive inks and in the coming week or two I should have most of the other things I need.

[hv222]

Spray etching is most effective. I'm using vertical etching and it do the job.

To eliminate Cl2 gas just start with CuCl2 and HCl solution. Let them etch copper. Then add H2O2 to recombine CuCl to CuCl2.  Cl2 gas freed can happend when you don’t have enough CuCl in solution (enough copper to etch).

Etch solution work best, when CuCl concentration is between 260g/l to 370g/l. For PCV container etch temperature should be lower then 55*C and for PP less then 70*C. HCl in solution is important to get pH below 1 and to dissolve CuO, because CuCl2 don’t each CuO. Concentration of free HCl in solution should be 0.1N to 3N. Best etch results are from 1N to 2N.
At this conditions you should etch 35um PCB board in less then 2 minutes. Etching at low concentration of CuCl2 extend etching time and this cause a overetch.

To regenerate solution you need add 1.6l of 35% H2O2 and 3.21l of 30% HCl and 3.61l of water for each kilogram of etched copper.