Circuit Boards

For permanent prototypes, I need to make circuit boards.

I need to get comfortable with KiCAD. This should help with both perf and laser printed boards.

Perfboards

Pretty simple, but can be logistically complex for larger projects

Copper Clad Boards

Slightly cheaper and can handle more complex circuits. But I have to hand drill the holes and print the circuits. For now, I need to rig up a basic drill press, eventually I need a real one.

For any technique, double check all connections. It's easy for traces to be connected that should not be.

Laser Printing

Laser toner is resistant to ferric chloride. For this I need a mini drill press and an iron. I have a toaster oven, I'd like to try sandwiching the board and paper between two sheets of metal held together with screws and throw the whole thing in the toaster oven. Probably 450-500F for 20 minutes.

I like acetone transfer, that seems to work well and the chemicals are pretty cheap. Hitting the board with a heat gun after was recommended and it seems to seal up the tiny pores.

KiCAD

Use ground planes, they save on etchant. Use wide traces, I started at 1mm. Gaps between traces should also be wide. When printing, don't mirror because the mirroring of the toner transfer matches the mirror of the reverse side of the board. I haven't done it yet, but I've already started experimenting with a silkscreen layer.

Traces can be routed under resistors.

Milled

Modify a 3d printer to mill a board. It looks like people have had mixed success with this one.