If you want to make boards at home, you can try a toner transfer method. Use laser print or photocopy onto transparency or some common photopapers, and iron onto a copper clad board. The toner acts as an etchant mask. Don't have to bother with photoresist, light boxes, etc. It's not the most precise method, but it does work, and cuts some of the hardware costs. After having trouble with noise on breadboard circuits, I do all my prototyping this way. It is possible, though tricky, to do double sided boards, enabling one to use a handy ground plane. Most beneficial.
-Oli
