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These people have everything - http://www.web-tronics.com/prcibofa.html
First PCB board which DIY method? Using Kinkos, Staples etc. ?
- Thread starter spinnaker
- Start date
I just etched some boards. The main thing to watch for is the printer settings. Best quality with true black setting seems to work well (it will set the printer to use only the black instead of CMY to make black.)
I tried a partsexpress catalog I had around (read others have had good results) but I was unable to get a single print on it as the paper was just too thin to run through either printer without jamming. I went back to the magazine paper as it was slightly thicker with no issues on one printer.
The cheap laminator worked like a charm for transfer. Slight modification by trimming the housing so it didn't rub the board as much (could use a tad more but not really necessary with small baords fed at the roller ends) as the top housing seems to sag after the laminator is warmed up a bit.
I let it warm up a good 15 or so minutes.. Takes about 2 passes for the toner to start to adhere to the board (1/16" thick boards) so you have to be careful not to let the paper move before it is tacked. I used a small piece of scotch tape on the back (cut the paper so it folded around one edge to help hold it in place) and removed the tape after the toner tacked to the board
.
Sent the boards through about 5 or 6 times changing feed location and orientation of the board until it was hot and I could see the traces starting to show through the paper. Placed it in a bath of room temp water with a tad of soap (not sure if that is needed) and in a minute or so the paper will just fall right off.
Etched using 2:1 peroxide & muriatic acid in a beaker warmed in a tub of hot water. Once the solution gets some copper in it and is warmed, takes about 4.5 minutes to etch 2 boards, each 2"x2".
TDK CDMark pen works great enough for writing (I think I got this one at bestbuy quite a few years ago) just have to make sure the lines are good and black with enough ink.
I tried a partsexpress catalog I had around (read others have had good results) but I was unable to get a single print on it as the paper was just too thin to run through either printer without jamming. I went back to the magazine paper as it was slightly thicker with no issues on one printer.
The cheap laminator worked like a charm for transfer. Slight modification by trimming the housing so it didn't rub the board as much (could use a tad more but not really necessary with small baords fed at the roller ends) as the top housing seems to sag after the laminator is warmed up a bit.
I let it warm up a good 15 or so minutes.. Takes about 2 passes for the toner to start to adhere to the board (1/16" thick boards) so you have to be careful not to let the paper move before it is tacked. I used a small piece of scotch tape on the back (cut the paper so it folded around one edge to help hold it in place) and removed the tape after the toner tacked to the board
.
Sent the boards through about 5 or 6 times changing feed location and orientation of the board until it was hot and I could see the traces starting to show through the paper. Placed it in a bath of room temp water with a tad of soap (not sure if that is needed) and in a minute or so the paper will just fall right off.
Etched using 2:1 peroxide & muriatic acid in a beaker warmed in a tub of hot water. Once the solution gets some copper in it and is warmed, takes about 4.5 minutes to etch 2 boards, each 2"x2".
TDK CDMark pen works great enough for writing (I think I got this one at bestbuy quite a few years ago) just have to make sure the lines are good and black with enough ink.
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Inkjet? Where did I say inket?
Believe it or not, lasers can use the CMY to make K.. some printers will do this under photo settings so the black blends in better with the other colors. Ther first time a few weeks ago when I printed it actually looked blacker than the prints now. Could be the toner batch.. could be my imagination but I wasn't able to get the same darkness this time. However, the etchings came out great. I did increase the trace widths to avoid possible broken traces so not sure if that did anything or if using more etchant helped but I'm not complaining.
It is one of those things that there are so many variables to take into account.
Believe it or not, lasers can use the CMY to make K.. some printers will do this under photo settings so the black blends in better with the other colors. Ther first time a few weeks ago when I printed it actually looked blacker than the prints now. Could be the toner batch.. could be my imagination but I wasn't able to get the same darkness this time. However, the etchings came out great. I did increase the trace widths to avoid possible broken traces so not sure if that did anything or if using more etchant helped but I'm not complaining.
It is one of those things that there are so many variables to take into account.
No you didn't say inkjet, but you did not mention laser either, or what type of printer you were using, if you leave important info out then you leave room for assumptions...
Speaking of which, has anyone tried dye-sublimation as a resist?
Years ago, at a photo lab I worked in, we had a Kodak dye-sub printer, and we could print in reverse, then iron onto ceramic mugs and mousepads, puzzles and the such.
I have an old 4x6 olympus dye sub printer, but never tried it for acid-resist. I no longer have any of the cartridges, but I was just wondering if i works.
Years ago, at a photo lab I worked in, we had a Kodak dye-sub printer, and we could print in reverse, then iron onto ceramic mugs and mousepads, puzzles and the such.
I have an old 4x6 olympus dye sub printer, but never tried it for acid-resist. I no longer have any of the cartridges, but I was just wondering if i works.
