[morzh]

Arran

I was making my own PCBs back in the old country ever since I was 13.

The one-sided laminate (first it was a phenolic paper one; then came fiberglass) or, eventually, in 80s, 2-sided; Mom's nail polish, then Fe-Cl3 (Ferric Chloride) that I somehow was able to get.

Here in the US, around 1990 I used photo-sensitized laminate, printed the artwork on a transparency; exposed to sunlight, then etched the resist in baking soda solution, then again Fe-Cl3.
This is great, but for double-sided board I'd have to use those via eyelets, solderabled, that would be inserted and flared in a through-hole.
Messy, long. A kit also added to cost.

I still can do it in my sleep, even though igt's been 35 years since. But...why?