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Forum Index : Electronics : Making Printer Circuit Boards
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Downwind Guru  Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Hi frackers, Try printing onto the waxy backing that sheets of stickers come attached to with your lazer printer and then iron that down onto the copper. It works much better than the clay paper and no soaking required. Just let it cool after ironing and it will almost fall off. I went to a loacal sign writer and got a large roll of the backing that the vinal is attached to they use for the vinal lettering. They normally bin it so was happy to give it away free. I still rather use the photo sensitive board to the iron on method but have used both. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| Rocky Newbie  Joined: 31/08/2010 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1 |
Hi, all I'd just like to let you's know that i've been direct plotting my PCB's for about 10 years and to give you a procedure for doing it. What I mean by direct plotting is putting the resist straight onto the blank PCB , no photo resist ,no UV exposing or UV plotting or developing required. Just print the PCB and etch it. Firstly , some back ground, and that is most permenant marking pen inks are sufficient for etch resist in feric cloride. The procedure, I use an A3 flat bed plotter ( Roland DXY-880 ) very similar to the one pictured in this thread a few posts back by Dinges. 1: Tape down a sheet of paper and "check" plot out the circuit with a standard pen. 2: Clean your blank PCB with abrasive cleaner like Ajax paste. 3: Tape down your clean PCB over the printed plot , locating it corectly over the plot. 4: Remove the pens from the plotter 5: Start the plot from the PC with your finger hovering on the plotter pause button. 6: As soon as it completes the pen pick up (which is not there any way) hit Pause. 7: Where the pen arm runs along the bottom egde of the plotter lift it up and slide in a 2mmx 10mm strip of aluminum the width of the plotter. This adjusts the height of the pen for the thickness of the PCB material. 8: Insert the etch resistant pen into the arm gripper (being carefull not to move it from its currect position) 9: Un pause the plotter and watch the PCB plot unfold. When it finishes the pen useually gets dropped instead of being put away as the gripper and holder dosn't line up with the aluminum strip under the bottom arm guide. Next drop the PCB in the etchant or continue below for a double sided PCB. 11: Drill your corner locating holes on the PCB. 12: place a new sheet of paper down on the plotter and insert a normal pen in the holder. 13: Plot your top layer observing the correct flip. 14: Place the PCB down on this plot locating the drilled holes directly over the locating holes on the plotted paper below. 15: go through steps 4 to 9 above. Then drop the PCB in the etchant To print the component overlay. A: Place the etched PCB back on the board useing the locating holes generated in steps 11 to 14. B: Plot the overlay by going through steps 4 to 9 again. Notes: I've been useing Stadler old fiber & ceramic tipped plotter pens and also off the shelf 0.1 nicko pens jamed into a roland plotter pen holder to success. As for refilling the plotter pens I use Niko or Stadler permenant pen ink ( cut the end off and then squeeze the ink out of the fiberous material inside. Drill a hole in the top of the plotter pen and seal it with hot melt glue after filling. This procedure copes well down to 20 thou tracks . Also for those contemplating useing the Iron on type of Laser transfer paper, well bakers paper works just as well for a lott less $. Rock. I have a photographic memory, -- its just not developed yet. |
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Dingdoc Regular Member  Joined: 23/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 76 |
Hi All Haven't been on for a while - the usual lack of time. Sorry to drag up an old post but wanted comment on my latest efforts with making PC boards as its proven very easy & reliable for 1-offs. After having experimented with various methods over the years including photo resist, resist pens, modified inkjet printers and plotters I thought I'd give a commercial product a try & bought some Pulsar toner transfer paper & green toner resist foil and must say I'm most impressed. It produces excellent quality boards with a minimum of time & effort. For anyone who hasn't seen the system, it involves photocopying the foil pattern onto the tt paper (laser printer or photocopier but brand is important as not all toners melt easily), transferring it to the pc board (hotted up laminator recommended), a quick dip in water to remove the tt paper, re-inforcing the toner with the green foil (really makes it etch proof) & then etching. Won't go into too much detail here but there's an excellent tutorial & lots of other detail on the Ultrakeet website - ultrakeet.com.au (bugger, forgotten how to insert link!!) Also, their trick to speed up etching by lightly wiping board in the FeCl3 with a brush works so well - about 1-2 mins to etch!! -forget bubblers, rocking trays etc. I certainly won't be bothering with any other method after using this. Hope this info helps Trev |
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vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Then, it would be easy for you to take some photos? Thank you. Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| Alasdair Regular Member Joined: 12/01/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 62 |
Great aticle on a perpetually difficult but rewarding side to electronics. Long live discreet components. As a note to trimming boards, some time ago, I purchased a Chinese sliproll/panbrake bender/guillotine for not much money. It is available in three sizes, appx 400mm, 750mm and 1060mm (mine) the little one is only a few hundred dollars and the biggest about a grand. The guillotine cuts pcb material (phenolic, fibreglass etc) perfectly and very accurately, and allows the tiniest trimming to be taken off. The best part of this machine is it's ability to make boxes from steel up to 1mm or aluminium up to two millimeters thick. Being a combination machine, you can bend, cut and roll ( to flatten or curve ) just about any sheet material. It's hard to buy good enclosures these days without spending a fortune, this way you can recycle (old whitegoods are a great source) for sheet metal, make boxes exactly the size required, and trim plastic front covers, pcbs and internal frames with perfect accuracy and ease. I also use a little sandblast cabinet to finish off pre paint, and this ensures a great result. Regards Aladdair. Amc-elec |
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