LED bonsai tree project and PCB making tests.

They're great for that. Especially the little bits of broken nail at the side of the finger.

Big Clive

also they are good for your nails and those annoying little bits of skin that catches everything

Side cutters. Very common on eBay due to their widespread use in Chinese factories. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=side+cutters&amp;_sop=15&amp;LH_BIN=1&amp;_osacat=0&amp;_from=R40&amp;_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H1.Xelectrical+side+cutters.TRS1&amp;_nkw=electrical+side+cutters&amp;_sacat=0" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=side+cutters&amp;_sop=15&amp;LH_BIN=1&amp;_osacat=0&amp;_from=R40&amp;_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H1.Xelectrical+side+cutters.TRS1&amp;_nkw=electrical+side+cutters&amp;_sacat=0</a>

Big Clive

I'm not sure which is more relaxing: Soldering or watching someone who knows how to Solder. I suppose it's watching because I won't pay for any slipups that occur! Clive, is there a name for that style of snips that you use? I've got a small pair of the sort of "half boat" shaped common ones but those look a lot more convenient to use.

The sodium metasilicate is my favourite developer for standard PCBs. I bought a plastic bottle of the dry version (also called water glass) on eBay and when used at the correct ratio with water it makes a fast and long lasting developer.

Big Clive

I've just used thermal transfer and even got some paper for it that I haven't tried. And now seeeeeeed sent email that there's a free trial batch. I should be making pcb's but I don't have a project planned that would need one.

Harri Haataja

Oh man, I'm glad you tried using that etch resist film. I considered it before but it seemed too convoluted and having seen you try it I'm still of that same opinion! I use Mega's Microtrak boards now and they work even more reliably than the papery ones that I used before (following your advice). I get very good detail from them. But I also use the liquid concentrate developing solution (the sodium metasillicate stuff, but liquid concentrate rather than crystals - I think it was Mike's website that suggested that) - I found the crystals took ages to develop the board, while the diluted liquid concentrate develops boards in literally five seconds - the board goes in, you move it back and forth quickly and then pull it out immediately and rinse it. The boards from Mega are naturally more expensive than applying the film yourself, but I'm happy to pay that extra to avoid dealing with laminators - my PCB etching workstation has enough components already!

Andrew

Big Clive-The Bob Ross of electronics!

Oh, handy. I wanted to try and make that no matter how demoralizing. Thanks

SD

Good project, I'm not to the point of making my own boards yet, but very interesting. thanks.

You missed your calling as a surgeon. Well done. No band aids in a while, hope that's not a sign you're slowing down :) :).