Glad to hear you're making progress Dana.
As to what type of test probes to use, most constructors (and commercial ESR meters) seem to use miniature 'croc clips'.
Regarding a project box, I don't think many people will want to mess about making a wooden box - I've just got into the habit of making comb-jointed boxes for all my home-brew test gear, using a home-built router jig, because woodworking and woodturning are parallel interests. I've attached a pic that was sent to me by another constructor of a recently built meter in a plastic project box. (The dial has not been calibrated yet).
As I've been making PCBs using the time consuming and sometimes inconsistent UV light box method for years, I'm in a rut as deep as a grave, and don't have a laser printer to experiment with, so I just plod on with UV. However, there's a lot of information on internet about the laser 'iron-on' method which seems to give good results and cuts out the need for either self-spray lacquer/expensive pre-sensitised PCB, getting the UV exposure right, and getting the correct strength of developer, or either the whole design disappears before your eyes, or nothing happens. Hard to get consistent results with UV.
I take your point about not wishing to risk magazine paper in your printer. An interesting process though. I don't know what 'junk mail' comes through your mail boxes in Missouri but in the UK, we get a lot of glossy 'free sheets' - advertising material, printed on glossy paper.Some paid for magazines use thicker higher gloss paper which is probably better. Because printers' ink is used on that paper, it is colour fast, so it matters not that a page is covered in print - you don't need to find a blank piece. You just cut the paper to A4 size, feed it into the printer, print out your design and iron it one then soak the paper off in warm water, leaving the laser printed design and nothing else on the PCB. Or so the story goes - I haven't tried it, but I can see the attraction.
Good luck with the etchant - dont buy too much hydrogen peroxide or Langley will have you in their cross-hairs!!
Don't forget to 'flip' the image or you'll have a back to front PCB!
As to what type of test probes to use, most constructors (and commercial ESR meters) seem to use miniature 'croc clips'.
Regarding a project box, I don't think many people will want to mess about making a wooden box - I've just got into the habit of making comb-jointed boxes for all my home-brew test gear, using a home-built router jig, because woodworking and woodturning are parallel interests. I've attached a pic that was sent to me by another constructor of a recently built meter in a plastic project box. (The dial has not been calibrated yet).
As I've been making PCBs using the time consuming and sometimes inconsistent UV light box method for years, I'm in a rut as deep as a grave, and don't have a laser printer to experiment with, so I just plod on with UV. However, there's a lot of information on internet about the laser 'iron-on' method which seems to give good results and cuts out the need for either self-spray lacquer/expensive pre-sensitised PCB, getting the UV exposure right, and getting the correct strength of developer, or either the whole design disappears before your eyes, or nothing happens. Hard to get consistent results with UV.
I take your point about not wishing to risk magazine paper in your printer. An interesting process though. I don't know what 'junk mail' comes through your mail boxes in Missouri but in the UK, we get a lot of glossy 'free sheets' - advertising material, printed on glossy paper.Some paid for magazines use thicker higher gloss paper which is probably better. Because printers' ink is used on that paper, it is colour fast, so it matters not that a page is covered in print - you don't need to find a blank piece. You just cut the paper to A4 size, feed it into the printer, print out your design and iron it one then soak the paper off in warm water, leaving the laser printed design and nothing else on the PCB. Or so the story goes - I haven't tried it, but I can see the attraction.
Good luck with the etchant - dont buy too much hydrogen peroxide or Langley will have you in their cross-hairs!!
Don't forget to 'flip' the image or you'll have a back to front PCB!
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
