I am fully inclined to agree with Kai. Using fabrication technigues to make PC boards at home may be fine for projects where you have IC leads on 0.1 inch or 0.05 inch spacing. But when you get to the TQFP style packages with leads that are on 0.5mm spacing (0.0196 inches) it requires care and precision in the process that is extremely difficult to achieve in a home workshop.

I have used the service at this link for PC boards that are manufactured and delivered without solder masking. The service can make nice etches on panels that use line geometries down to 0.008 inch lines and spaces. Trying to solder 0.5 mm center to center TQFP chips and connectors onto these boards without solder mask can stretch ones patience even with the best flux, soldering iron and solder wick.

On the other hand I have had quite a few boards made using the excellent service at this link. They have made boards for me using design geometries down to 0.006 inch lines and spaces. The best of all is that the boards come with the Green LPI mask which makes the soldering of TQFP type parts a breeze.

I have found that the prices charged by these services are quite reasonable. If you happen to be only making one or two boards for a project I find it economical over trying to etch your own at home. Combine that with the consideration that Kai points out that the modern chips often require a good power/ground plane in order to function properly. At $51USD per board for full four layer boards with solder mask and silkscreening it is really easy to build professional prototypes that can allow you to properly implement all of your careful engineering design work. (I'll tell you that I have seen plenty of projects where the best made plans were diverted to frustration and failure due to crappy prototype circuits and packaging!!)

Michael Karas