[fsilva]

There is also lots of information in this page http://members.optusnet.com.au/~eseychell/PCB/etching_CuCl/i...

about an alternative to ferric cloride, acid cupric cloride. It is easier to buy, since all you are doing is mixing 2 parts oxygenated water with 1 part muriatic acid/HCl (@33%), which can be obtained at any hardware store. It shares the same problem with Ferric Cloride: after etching, the resulting solution is hazardous and should be disposed accordingly (€€/$$).

I've done this at home just like the original article but with this other solution and after 3-4 tries got pretty good results. Good enough for some basic SMD circuits.

[sokoloff]

Can you actually get muriatic acid at "any hardware store" nowadays? I'm 0 for 4 on 3 Home Depots and 1 Lowes in eastern MA.

[fsilva]

I'm in Portugal so I can't comment on your experience. In here one can get it at any 'mom&pop' hardware store, which are more common than 'Home Depot' style stores.