This is not a full guide tutorial, but just some tests and how you can make PCB's at home easily and fast.
Note: This is not my 1st time making PCB's.
So because projects are coming soon, I decided to test some stuff today, like my skills making a simple board using EAGLE and using SMD components. In this case an ATMega SMD microcontroller. I thought I couldn't make boards using SMD components so I decided to give it a try and see what the final result will be.
I used to work with normal beginner size microcontrollers DIP ATMega328, resistors, regulators, etc. So, because I got almost perfect skills working with those components, I decided to put all that away and upgrade all my hardware/components to SMD.
Hardware modeTo test my SMD skills, I decided to make a simple board using ATMega8A SMD and design a PCB in EAGLE.
And this is what I came up with, I made it as small and compact as possible.
After that I plugged on my Laser printer, took a glossy paper, exported to a *.pdf file the circuit from eagle in black/white and mirrored with TOP side.
Printed the circuit on the glossy paper and got a piece of copper PCB that I had around, cleaned it really well with water and soap using a hard sponge, cut the paper in to a small nice shape and start ironing it on the copper PCB.
After 10+ minutes of ironing, pressing the iron tip the paper of the PCB really well, took the PCB and placed it in the water for 2 minutes for the paper to get wet and be easy pilled.
Pill gently the paper, leave it to soak in the water and pill it gently till you clean all the PCB.
Sorry for the bad light on the video!
At the end you will have a nice looking board. In the (last picture) you can see what will happen in the bottom right corner pin if you don't press the tip of the iron in all the paces of the paper.
Of course, after that is the etching time to dissolve the copper around the circuit and get the final look but I was out of liquid/solid rust (or how it's called) to do the etching process.
UV MaskBecause that was a test for me, I decided to test the UV mask as well, I took a piece of sponge and used it to apply the UV paste on the PCB after that cut a normal size transparent plastic sheet and put it on the top of the paste/PCB to make the final look smooth.
After that, using homemade 10x UV LEDs, I hold them above the PCB for about 5+ minutes so the paste can cure and harden, pilled the plastic sheet slowly and got a nice looking masked PCB.
Remember: After the UV LEDs 5+ minutes procedure and pilling off the plastic sheet (the paste is hard as a rock) let the PCB mask cure more under the sun or in a dry place or other people put it in the oven for few minutes to dry fast and be 100% cured.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Domino00001010
Thanks,
Domino60
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