Hey everyone! I’ve been experimenting with a purely DIY PCB workflow to avoid chemicals and long shipping times.

Current Progress:

Milling: Using a CNC with 0.1mm V-bits for isolation routing.

Masking: I’ve started manually applying UV-curable ink (solder mask).

The Challenge:

Automated Solder Mask: Hand-coating is messy and uneven. Since I have the CNC set up, has anyone experimented with automatic dispensing syringes or using a laser module to ablate a pre-coated mask? I'm looking for a repeatable, "set and forget" way to clear the pads.

Via Connectivity: Manual wire-looping is killing my soul on complex designs. Are conductive pastes (silver/carbon) reliable for long-term use in milled boards, or is the consensus still to stick with copper rivets/eyelets ?

Auto-leveling: I’m using Candle’s heightmap, but I still get uneven traces on larger PCBs.…