Once you get a few things together, it's easy. Exposure time, proper blacks on the transprencies, separating foil to which the soldermask doesn't stick. You have to think about when to apply the soldermask. Because now you'll be plugging holes with it. It would be better to mill the traces, apply the soldermask, drill holes. You can also mill the traces, apply and cure soldermask, mill the soldermask openings, drill holes.
I've seen a couple tutorials where people apply solder mask after the board is complete and use a laser engraver to etch away the mask on the pads, I may try that method. I have a couple boards that were just tests, I'll experiment with those before I try things on a board I actually need.
They often print the silkscreen.
Just a friendly reminder for future me. DON’T rely on sticky double sided tape holding vero board on enclosure when you’re blasting some low Hz loudly. Back into bench it goes.
Is it still a pedal if there's no stomp switch? I might put one in eventually though.
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When I get my new UV printer (it was an accident, I swear) I plan to print the silkscreen on my DIY boards, but I hadn't thought of printing a soldermask with a UV printer. That is certainly a possibility, just use a nice thick coat of ink, leaving gaps for the pads, and then print the overlay in the same go.
For that you should talk to Voltera, they have you covered. Prints conductive inks onto a blank substrate.
*Saves search terms at govdeals.com*
Oh, and one more thing - in my experience, soldermask sticks better to copper than laminate. I mean large areas. Sometimes, after UV curing, when removing the protective film, the paint comes off with the separating film.
