Baby's first circuit layout

Now that I know it works I can free up my breadboard and permanently build this circuit. I know it's hard to believe, but I have never designed from scratch or even rearranged a circuit, but it's true, not once. Well, now I can say I have rearranged one. I don't have the shit to do this job right or I would have used the template I have (the site that started it all) and my shit would look all killer like and I would beam with pride. Okay, I'll admit it, I'm still beaming with pride even though it looks like Fido's ass it's still cool. I like the layout but the soldering is terrible. The biggest reason it looks so bad is because I don't have the shit I need to properly etch the board. My soldering iron is a total piece of steaming feces but I have done some decent work with it. See exhibit A :^) But having to solder wires across and all over rather than having nice, neat, etched traces is what really pushes this baby into the red on visual failure but at the same time raising my Mcgyver credibility around 18 points, so it's not a complete bummer. I had the bright idea of using a circuit pen to do the traces but my parts are laid out in such a way that I needed to do alot of jumping over leads with other leads, so the pen just wouldn't do it. PCB design is no joke, it's fuckin' crazy challenging. I tried to leave some room so I can sneak in an NTE956 voltage regulator and a few leads that will attach to frivolous bullshit attached to my enclosure, such as a bar LED display that will act as a load meter. There are only 4 LEDS on each display but with two leads per light and one for each axis that's a buncha damn holes I gotta keep open. You also notice that the capacitor has not been installed yet, I'll knock it out in the morning if I have time. I have the gEDA suite of applications for PCB design and for drawing schematics but I don't know how to use them yet. I even have an applications that will take a schematic and build it virtually and test it. That's fucking cool I don't care who you are.

Well, getting this mostly done was a big step towards being done with this project but just this segment alone has a long way to go. Besides the additions I mentioned making to the circuit I still have to prepare the enclosure and mount all the shit that will be on it. In the end I'll be the proud owner of a two axis driver for a couple of old printer motors. They see me steppin', they be hatin'