wiki/electronics/electronics/pcbfabrication/etching.md

Etching the board

Home ► Electronics ► Circuit board fabrication ► Etching the board

---

Prerequisites

• Copper board with photoresist applied
• Ferric chloride
• Sponge or brush
• Gloves

Etching

I prefer to pour a small amount of ferric chloride in a plastic container and rub it on the board with a small piece of sponge or a brush. This usually takes 10 minutes depending on if the ferric chloride has already been used and the temperature, but allows you to monitor the process closely and focus on the unetched parts. In contrast to dipping the board in a bigger tank, this tends to etch from the inside out.

If you're going to do more than the occasional board, look up better methods.