Something I'd like to learn how to do

[DaJe]

Is mkae my own circuit boards. I'd like to just like, make my own PCI card or something. Not even one that's useful, just as something to screw around with. I suppose a course in computer engineering and/or electrical engineering might help, but I don't know. It's just something that interests me. I actually plan to go to MIT for a degree in computer engineering, but before then I have to start off somewhere smaller. I'm just trying to think of what I should take. I also want to be able to make like my own electrical circuits.


I'm not even sure what I'm saying, so basically I'll just ask, what would be a good way to learn this kind of thing?

[Airbozo]

Some electronics hobby stores carry a kit for that sort of thing. It explains how to make the mask and etch the card, but you will be limited to 2 layers (front and back), where some video cards or scsi controller cards have multiple layers (~6 I think...). You could probably make a serial port card or some sort of relay control card that way.

The one by my work even has blanks for simple cards (coated on both sides with copper), which you then create a mask on the computer or by hand, then acid etch the copper away. BING custom card...

[D1337]

making a pcb is pretty dam simple, all it involves is the etching, and drilling for the holes.
On the other hand you have the schematics and all the electrical components, which is the stuff your gonna have to bash into your brain.

For the board, i suggest you go read some instructables, theres several tutorials on the etching and layout.

[OvRiDe]

Instructables has some great articles on etching, but there is alot more to making circuits then etching. I would suggest getting some "breadboards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadboard)" so that you can prototype a circuit before you lay it out for etching. They are also great for just messing around with components and experimentation.

As for the etching here is a pretty good video that outlines the process...

http://revision3.com/systm/etching

[DaJe]

Now I'll just need to find a store around here. What I should do is I should wok really hard and figure all of this out, and put a lot of work into one thing, and just make like a basic funtioning computer.

[D1337]

Building the pcb and adding all the electrical components is half the battle, You need to be able to program (hate using that word, so tempting to add the -ming) otherwise your not just going to make anything very interesting.

[DaJe]

Yeah, know how to program. That was something I started to get into a little but never really did. What would be the best language to know?

[XcOM]

machine, binary, Perl, C, C#, C++

and my fav, assember language, i used to use this at uni! DAMM i hated it, i mean it was lovley

[DaJe]

Instructables has some great articles on etching, but there is alot more to making circuits then etching. I would suggest getting some "breadboards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadboard)" so that you can prototype a circuit before you lay it out for etching. They are also great for just messing around with components and experimentation.

As for the etching here is a pretty good video that outlines the process...

http://revision3.com/systm/etching
As yes, System. Oh Patrick Norton, what have they done to you...


But damn, so much acid. I'll need some gloves, so clothes that fully cover my arms and legs, some goggle, some plastic tongs, and a ton of baking soda. I just hope that if I leave it in that shed, that fumes won't build up in ther and kill someone who walks in >_>