• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
  • A Winner has been chosen for the 2026 July 4th Retevis RA89R Giveaway! Click Here to see who won!

Drawing pcb traces

brandon7861

Loose Wire
I Support WorldwideDX.com!
Nov 28, 2018
2,495
2,776
293
Until now, i have used fingernail dotting tools to draw traces with fingernail paint. Its the only thing besides photoresist that holds up to warm copper chloride etch at a pH of near zero.

Found something better. Old blood thinner syringes. Underneath the plastic safety stuff is a glass syringe. I removed the sharp part with a dremel and poured a few drops of nail paint in the back end without letting it run to the tip, then put plunger in and held it pointy end up and revoved the air. It tolerates being set down without plugging, but it could easily be put tip down into a sacraficial cup of paint to keep the tip fron clogging.

The board copper looks terrible because I abandoned it mid etch. One of those times an amazon resist pen failed me. This is my first attempt so I think I can make it look better with practice.

1000005621.jpg
1000005620.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: VMC and 19wrc333

Been etching prototype boards in a reasonably advanced setup for decades and I learned something new and very handy from you today. Thanks!
Great idea for touching up a bollox heat resist pressing when a Sharpie is just too brutally large.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • @ BJ radionut:
    Scheduled for Jul 4, 2026 Saturday Live Streams:
    To celebrate the 250th birthday of our great nation. We are giving away not just one, but multiple antennas! The Grand prize is the CaHR-Tenna Hydra Antenna, along with several other antenna prizes that will be announced throughout the giveaway. Whether you're a new ham, portable operator, POTA activator, or an experienced HF operator, this is your chance to upgrade your station. Prizes Include: HRA Hydra Antenna (Grand Prize) Additional antennas from HRA More prizes may be added during the giveaway!
  • @ BJ radionut:
  • @ BJ radionut:
    CQ Worldwide VHF SSB/CW Contest: 1400Z, Jul 4 to 1400Z, Jul 5