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A Hardware Threepack

Posted by michael on from the tab-A-in-slot-B dept.

Johnath writes: "This just happens to be a great time to be a hardware junkie. For those interested in learning more about the metal under their PC's hood, Tom's Hardware has a great intro to PCB manufacturing, Ars Technica has recently written an architectural study of the P4, and ExtremeTech has a decent look at the South Bridge." The circuit board article is really good - explains it better than the textbooks I've seen.

2 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. The reason behind these "fluff" stories: by zsazsa · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think Tom even said it himself:

    It's just been a S-L-O-W period in hardware news. The excitement of MP Athlons has subsided, the P4 scene is quiet, the GeForce3 has been out for a while... Honestly, is there anything NEW happening in the hardware world? (Aside from future releases...)

    Ian

  2. Re:In The Days Before PC Boards - and Do-It-Yourse by jfunk · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Toner transfer is my method of choice. I stuck transparencies, like you'd use in an overhead projector, into my laser printer. I crank up the darkness of the page, so it puts a lot of toner onto the transparency.
    Then, I print my board layout, in mirror image, onto the transparency. Rest it on the blank, clean copper-clad board, and run a hot steam iron over it for a few minutes. With some practice, you'll be able to transfer enough of the toner onto the board that when you etch the blank board, your layout comes through.


    I've done that before, but I found the results not-so-good. Then again, I was using those special transparencies designed for it.

    Myself, I go a couple of steps further. I get the presensitised boards and print, using an inkjet printer (I found the Epsons *much* better than the HPs for this), on inkjet transparencies. I then create a sandwich of board, transparency, and some heavy glass on top. Expose to light (a cheap-o $20 desk flourescent has done me well) for a bit, drop it into diluted sodium hydroxide for a few seconds (drain cleaner will work in a pinch, but I don't really recommend that), wash, then etch. I've so far ethched only with ferric chloride, but I've been thinking about going ammonium persulfate, which is supposed to be quicker and easier to use, except that you have to heat it.

    After etching, I simply wash with water. I don't bother cleaning off the remaining photoresist (green traces, cool). I simply spray the board with acrylic, drill using a Dremel (get the tiniest bit you can find!), scrape the acrylic off the pads with an X-acto knife, and solder it.

    Yes, I'm one of the freaks that had a 'custom fishtank' made.

    I've found the results to be extremely good. I've made boards with *really* thin traces and they've always came out perfect.

    Of course, I'll have to chase that with some links:



    (that lameness filter gets lamer all the time, arrgh)