KindaFuzzy wrote:Normal sharpie doesn't hold up too well to etchant in my experience, it works but not great. They sell etch resist markers that look just like a sharpie that seem to work a bit better, I use one to touch up bad transfers.
It's totally possible to do a board this way though, but I wouldn't try anything too complicated, it's hard to get the spacing right and draw fine traces close to each other.
I used to use perf board when I first started, and just copied the pcb layout with the component leads.
+1 on this .. the sharpie didn't have much chop against the etchant IME either. I went for a proper PCB pen, and it's lasted me a couple of years now.
I started out PCBing this way and as KindaFuzzy says, it's not easy getting the tracks separate if the bord is a lil complex, but I
did manage to do a rebote 2.5 this way (did my head in, but I got there).
I used to print out the PDF and cut the paper down to the board size. I'd tape the paper over the PCB and get a light hammer ad nail, and tap a dent onto the board at each of the dill points. then I could take the paper away, and I'd have a better idea of what lines to draw from <-> to (between the dents).
I can't remember if I drilled, then drew, then etched; or drew, then etched, then drilled.
try it on a smaller board first I guess...