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[[Printed circuit board|PCBs]] rather than on reducing the cost. Making PCBs at home is much quicker, with results the same day instead of waiting weeks for a commercial fabricator, and cheaper (if you don't take the time into account). However it involves working with messy chemicals, drilling will be tedious and the overall quality wont be as good.<!-- SMD & through hole -->
== PCB layout ==
{{Main|PCB layout and design}}Although possible with tape and dry transfers, or permanent marker pen [[Electronic design automation|EDA]] software will offer schematic capture, PCB layout, ERC (electrical rule checks), DRC (design rule checks) and other features, e.g. simulating the circuit with [[SPICE]].<ref>PCB design, [http://www.ladyada.net/library/pcb/software.html Software options], ladyada.net</ref><!-- Wikibooks' Practical Electronics [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Practical_Electronics/PCB_Layout PCB Layout] and [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Practical_Electronics/PCB_Layout/Trace_Current_Capacity Trace Current Capacity].
== Warnings ==
Dust and fumes ...
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With SRBP use a craft knife and straight edge. Score it deeply on both sides. Clamp one or both sides between wood to prevent the board being scratched. Then snap it off. A craft knife works especially well for perforated prototyping board. Score down the center of a row of holes, line the score line up with the edge of the table, and press down quickly on the overhanging piece.<ref name="eese">[http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/1151/how-do-you-cut-pcb How do you cut PCB?], Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange</ref>
FR4 boards are much harder to cut and very hard on tools.<ref name="diyaudio">[http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/parts/62929-easiest-way-cut-pcbs.html Easiest way to cut PCB's], diyAudio forum, August 2005</ref> A PCB guillotine is the right tool for the job. Failing that use a bench shear or an office guillotine that can cut through more than 2 mm of paper. Use a nibbling tool for non-straight cuts.<ref name="hpcb"><s>[http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Homebrew_PCBs/conversations/topics/22519 Cutting PCB], Homebrew Printed Circuit Boards Yahoo! group</s></ref><ref name="diyaudio" /> If there is going to be any dust a conventional dust mask might be insufficient protection as the dust is extremely fine. Use a vacuum cleaner to catch the dust at source. Safety glasses should always be worn.<ref name="eese" />
Alternately take a straight edge and secure it along the line to cut. Then take a chisel (one set aside for this), and run one of the corners along the straight edge. First pass go lightly to just get a bit of a groove dug in for the tool to follow so it wont jump out on subsequent passes. Next pass or two press hard, and dig in for a deep groove. Score on both sides. Secure the board and snap the piece off. To finish the edge make a pass or two along it with a fine file.<ref>[http://www.eevblog.com/forum/manufacture/cutting-fr4-boards/15/ Cutting FR4 boards], EEVblog forum, August 2012</ref><ref name="diyaudio" />
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FeCl<sub>3</sub> is toxic and harmful to the environment – do not flush spent etchant down the drain. After use leave the FeCl<sub>3</sub> to stand still for at least a couple of days, the copper precipitates to the bottom, leaving still useful etchant on top. Pour this into another container. Add pure sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO<sub>3</sub>) aka baking soda to the thick mud at the bottom. The NaHCO<sub>3</sub> will react with ferric chloride rendering the solution relatively harmless to the environment. Do only a little bit at a time, waiting for the reaction to settle down each time. The reaction will produce a substance 7 to 10 times the volume of the solution, any spillage will contain still active FeCl<sub>3</sub> that will stain whatever it comes in contact with. Keep adding the NaHCO<sub>3</sub> until the rust-coloured mess is fairly dry in texture. It can then be disposed of along with the household waste.<ref>[http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?PHPSESSID=2721ef0370b6f7ad578168a1c3200a26&topic=50426.msg377103#msg377103 Re: how do you all dispose of Ferric Chloride?] by Mark Hammer, 15 October 2006</ref>
=== Alternative etchant to FeCl<sub>3</sub> ===
Cupric chloride etchant is very similar to ferric chloride, but is simple to regenerate, there are no disposal problems,<ref>''[http://www.xertech.net/Tech/CuCl_ech.html Etching Circuit Boards Using Cupric Chloride and Acid Solution]'' by Stephen Kasten</ref> and doesn't stain everything it comes in contact with. It does use more dangerous chemicals. Open Circuits wiki discusses a variety of other [https://web.archive.org/web/20140810173425/http://www.opencircuits.com/Chemical_Etchants chemical etchants].
== Tinning ==
Tin-plating a PCB makes it a lot easier to solder and makes working with [[SMD]]s much easier. Use room-temperature tin plating crystals e.g. ''Seno Immerse Tin Crystals'', these produce a good finish in a few minutes but can be expensive. Only make enough tinning solution to cover a PCB in the tinning tray. Keep the solution in a concertina-type bottle to exclude air. Also avoid contamination with metals other than copper. Thoroughly rinse and dry the PCB before tinning. Use a separate tray and pair of tongs specifically for tinning, and rinse them after use. If the solution stops tinning, discard it, clean & rinse the tray, and make up a fresh solution. A cool tinning solution will usually prevent tinning so ensure the temperature of the tinning solution is at least 25ºC, but not more than 40ºC, put the bottle in hot water to warm it up.<ref name="mh" />
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{{reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* ''How to Design and Make Your Own PCBs'' by R. Penfold, Babani, 1983, {{ISBN
* ''Fabricating Printed Circuit Boards''' by Jon Varteresian, Newnes, 2002, {{ISBN
* ''Build Your Own Printed Circuit Board'' by Al Williams, Tab, 2003, {{ISBN
== External links ==
* [http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/pcbs.html How to make really really good homemade PCBs] by Mike Harrison
* Wikipedia:[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_EDA_software Comparison of EDA software]
* [
* [
* [http://quinndunki.com/blondihacks/?p=835 PCB Etching Mega Redux] by Quinn Dunki, 15 February 2012
* ''[http://www.instructables.com/id/Stop-using-Ferric-Chloride-etchant!--A-better-etc/?ALLSTEPS Stop using Ferric Chloride etchant! (A better etching solution.)]'' by The Real Elliot, Instructables
* ''[http://www.instructables.com/id/Killer-PCBs/?ALLSTEPS Killer PCBs]'' by incoherent, Instructables
[[Category:PCB]]
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