Rhinestone Cowboy
This is a handmade custom printed circuit board (PCB) that was designed and made using a toner-transfer acid etching process. The PCB is attached to a laser cut acrylic layer with a sublimation printed vinyl sticker decorated with tiny gemstones. The PCB has 20 LEDs and a battery holder, which were hand soldered onto the board using surface mount soldering, and the lights turn on using a 3 volt coin cell battery. This project tested many skills, and developed new ones. To complete the entire process there was usage of waterjet cutting, sublimation printing, PCB design, fabrication, surface mount soldering, laser cutting, and vector design. The hard work and dedication to make such a unique PCB and print had paid off, and it now serves as a great decor piece for around the home!
Below are some images showcasing the product in its natural environment:
Below are some images showcasing the product in an isolated environment:
The Process:
To make this custom PCB, the process started with selecting what design would be used for the front of the design, and configuring it. Inkscape was used to create a design file, this design file would help the laser cutting, water jetting, and PCB making process. EasyEDA was used to make the schematics of the PCB, and layout the design to assist with the toner transfer and soldering.
Below are images of the image used on the front of the product, images of the PCB design, and images of the inkscape design:
Once this process was done, the Inkscape file was uploaded to the laser cutter, to cut a piece of acrylic out in the shape of the boot design, and then was uploaded to the Wazer (water jet), to create a gcode, in which the water jet cut out a piece of copper in a shape of the boot design as well.
Below are the images of this cutting process:
After the piece of acrylic and copper were cut, the next step of the process was to print and cut a sublimation of the boot design, and then proceed to heat press the sublimation to vinyl to make a sticker to cut out and place on the acrylic. Also, the PCB design made in EasyEDA was saved as a PDF and then printed onto transfer paper, which was then heat pressed onto the copper to prepare it for the acid etching process and hand soldering.
Below are images of the printing process for the sticker and transfer:
Once the sticker transfer and PCB transfer were complete, a sharpe was used to fill in the gaps on the copper where some of the transfer did not stick. Once this was done the copper was put into an acid bath for 10 minutes. Then it was submerged in a gasoline bath to remove the toner transfer. This helped prep the PCB to be soldered. The acid bath and gasoline bath revealed where the components needed to be placed on the copper and soldered.
Below are pictures of the process:
After the acid etching process was complete, 20 LED's and a battery holder were hand soldered onto the copper. When the battery is placed into the holder the LED's turn on. Once this process was working and the hand soldering was done, the copper piece was connected to the acrylic piece using screws, and allowed it to stand and light up similar to an LED sign.
Below are pictures of this process:
And that finalizes the process to make this product, Rhinestone Cowboy!
Below are some close up pictures:
