Electronics buff hand-draws and etches custom PCBs at home — functional home-etched PCB runs a 3D-printed fume extractor fan

A maker demonstrated a low-cost home PCB workflow by hand-drawing and etching a custom board for a 3D-printed soldering fume extractor.

Elliot Andal of ALTco tested markers, paints, and etching options before settling on a Pentel N850 marker and ferric chloride.

The finished decorative hand-drawn PCB was assembled into a working controller for the fume extractor fan.

The project highlights a practical alternative to standard PCB fabrication for electronics prototyping at home.