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Equipment/PCB etch station: Difference between revisions
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==Status== | ==Status== | ||
1st | === 1st Tank - Developer === | ||
Working (powder, fresh as of 06-DEC-2012) | |||
2nd | === 2nd Tank - Etchant === | ||
Now contains CuCl2 etchant at ~3M strength. Ready to use. (Heater does not seem to shut down by itself so make sure not to overheat the solution, being worked on) | |||
====CuCl2 Etchant==== | |||
The bath for [[Project:PCB Making/Cupric_chloride_etchant|Cupric Chloride etch]] was prepared using the slow method : leave some copper in acid, allow corrosion to occur generating some oxides, add further copper and acid as required. Water, acid, copper and hydrogen peroxide (if used) should be noted as it's easy to over-dilute if you just add stuff randomly. | |||
The preparation so far contains 540g copper, 2900ml 38% HCl, 1750ml water. SG is 1260. This is ready for use - air has been bubbled through it and it has reached the bright green colour indicating it has converted copper to cupric chloride. The acid concentration appears to be correct and I have reconnected the heater. If the etchant is not bright green, please leave the small fishtank bubbler running. The bubbles will regenerate the etchant. | |||
'''DO NOT ETCH ANYTHING EXCEPT COPPER IN THIS TANK''' | |||
See [[File:CuCl.pdf]] for maintenance instructions. These are basically : Check colour. Bubble if dark. Titrate against 1 molar NaOH to check acid concentration (this only requires a check for precipitate, no need for acid indicator). Add HCl if necessary. | |||
If you use it, don't rely on the small bubbler to provide agitation - keep it moving the whole time (and be careful your board doesn't walk out the end of the basket when you do that). The small bubbler is really only there to re-aerate the solution after use, as it's quiet enough to leave on. | If you use it, don't rely on the small bubbler to provide agitation - keep it moving the whole time (and be careful your board doesn't walk out the end of the basket when you do that). The small bubbler is really only there to re-aerate the solution after use, as it's quiet enough to leave on. | ||
=== | === 3rd Tank - stripper === | ||
Working. (No not THAT kind of stripper you dirty minded geek!) | |||
=== 4th Tank - (Water) === | |||
Currently contains clean water (mainly to protect the heater if accidentally switched on | |||
===Usage configuration=== | ===Usage configuration=== | ||
