Re: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Bill Coleman


On Jan 4, 2006, at 10:17 PM, Scott Richardson wrote:


I used a *plastic* container for my first etching project. Nice fumes,
fascinating meltdown.


Ferric Cloride (the active ingredient in the etchant) shouldn't  
attack plastics. In fact, it is shipped in plastic bottles!


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASELMail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901

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Re: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Scott Richardson
> an *aluminum* pie pan

I used a *plastic* container for my first etching project. Nice fumes,
fascinating meltdown. Managed to scrub off enough goo to finish the Tuna Tin
transmitter (RIP).

Scott N1AIA


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RE: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Kevin Shaw
Ha! I did the exact same thing. Only I molded a "dish" out of aluminum foil
and started etching my board in my bedroom. As my etching container started
to self destruct, I quickly opened my bedroom window and threw it outside. A
half second more and the whole thing would have melted and landed on the
carpet.

Kevin
N8IQ/4

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Allen
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 9:30 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

When I was about 12 years old (1958/1959), printed circuit boards were
exotic technology that was unavailable in kits.

I wanted badly to handle one, and learn how they are made.

  A magazine (I believe it was Popular Electronics) ran an article on a 40
meter, transistorized QRP transmitter.  I took the schematic, and (to the
best of my abilities at that time) drew out a printed circuit board mask by
hand.

As there was no electronic supply stores in the area (South Carolina) at
that time, I saved up my pennies and ordered a blank printed circuit board
and an etching kit.  I realized that this was going to be a one-shot deal.
When the kit arrived, I carefully masked off the board with the included
black tape, and little black dots.  I then carried the board and etching kit
into the kitchen, showed my mother what I was doing, and asked her if she
had a shallow container that I could put the board in and then pour in the
etching solution.  She said that she had just the thing, and produced an
*aluminum* pie pan that she had saved from a Morton, frozen, cherry pie.
Yes, you see where this is going.  I put the circuit board in the pie pan,
poured in my bottle of etching solution, and was amazed to see the pie pan
erupt into a foaming, black mass.  I grabbed the edges of the pie pan, and
ran for the (stainless) kitchen sink.  Just (and I do mean just) as I got to
the sink, the bottom came out of the pie pan, and all of my etching solution
went quickly down the drain!

It's funny now, and it was probably funny at the time, but I don't believe I
thought so then!

The board sat around the ham shack for years, and I would look at it (with
all the acid resist tape still on it) from time to time.  It was kind of
like hitting yourself over the head, but without the pain.

The rest of the story?  I etched my *second* printed circuit board just a
few years ago, and (believe me) I used a glass container.  That worked
better!

Dan Allen
KB4ZVM
K-2 S/N 1757
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[Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Dan Allen
When I was about 12 years old (1958/1959), printed circuit boards were exotic 
technology that was unavailable in kits.

I wanted badly to handle one, and learn how they are made.

  A magazine (I believe it was Popular Electronics) ran an article on a 40 
meter, transistorized QRP transmitter.  I took the schematic, and (to the best 
of my abilities at that time) drew out a printed circuit board mask by hand.

As there was no electronic supply stores in the area (South Carolina) at that 
time, I saved up my pennies and ordered a blank printed circuit board and an 
etching kit.  I realized that this was going to be a one-shot deal.  When the 
kit arrived, I carefully masked off the board with the included black tape, and 
little black dots.  I then carried the board and etching kit into the kitchen, 
showed my mother what I was doing, and asked her if she had a shallow container 
that I could put the board in and then pour in the etching solution.  She said 
that she had just the thing, and produced an *aluminum* pie pan that she had 
saved from a Morton, frozen, cherry pie.  Yes, you see where this is going.  I 
put the circuit board in the pie pan, poured in my bottle of etching solution, 
and was amazed to see the pie pan erupt into a foaming, black mass.  I grabbed 
the edges of the pie pan, and ran for the (stainless) kitchen sink.  Just (and 
I do mean just) as I got to the sink, the bottom came out of the pie pan, and 
all of my etching solution went quickly down the drain!

It's funny now, and it was probably funny at the time, but I don't believe I 
thought so then!

The board sat around the ham shack for years, and I would look at it (with all 
the acid resist tape still on it) from time to time.  It was kind of like 
hitting yourself over the head, but without the pain.

The rest of the story?  I etched my *second* printed circuit board just a few 
years ago, and (believe me) I used a glass container.  That worked better!

Dan Allen
KB4ZVM
K-2 S/N 1757
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