[sdiy] PNP Blue questions

[aankrom]

So, I shouldn't just set up several patterns to fill the sheet of PNP 
and run it through the printer? I have a nice HP color laser printer 
that really lays on the toner. It has a pretty straight print path. I've 
seen the examples of using a small section of PNP stuck to paper and I 
thought that seemed like a chance for a jam. I can set my printer to run 
the stock slow for card stock or transparencies, but I will concede to 
the wisdom of experience. Especially since my $450 printer is not cheap 
to fix!

Has anyone had experience just running straight PNP through a printer?

The Smallbear how-to is really informative. I think I'll stick to that.

Thanks for all the tips!

AA


On Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:03:43 -0700, David G Dixon wrote:
>> Which side to print on?
>
> The side with the blue shit on it (not the shiny plastic side).
>
>> Which is best iron temp?
>
> I set my household iron to about half (permanent press?)
>
>> Time for ironing?
>
> I give it about two minutes.  I press down firmly, and move the iron 
> in a
> slow circular pattern, in both directions.
>
>> Should I put a piece of paper in between the iron and the
>> PNP?
>
> I do.  This protects the plastic sheet from buckling (and catching on 
> the
> iron).
>
>> Is the a good way to tell if the design is transferring
>> - that is, is there a good way to visually check if I've
>> ironed long enough?
>
> If only.  I never know until I quench (under a cold tap) and peel.
> Sometimes I get a nice surprise, sometimes a nasty one.  I almost 
> always
> have some minor fixing to do, particularly around the edges.  This I 
> do with
> a fine-point black Staedtler Lumo permanent marker (they work better 
> than
> Sharpies in my experience).
>
>> I plan on using FeCl3 for PC boards. Is this a good etchant
>> for die cast aluminum as well? I want to etch the cases for
>> the projects too.
>
> Don't know, as I use CuCl-HCl-H2O2.  This works great for me.
>
>> I've seen some examples and they look pretty cool. Some of
>> the techniques use electric etching,but I don't see the need
>> for this. Would peroxysulfate be a better etchant?
>
> Don't know.
>
>> I'm sure trial and error will help, but I don't want to waste
>> much PNP stock and I certainly don't want to mess up my nice
>> laser printer.
>
> I hear ya!
>
> DO NOT PUT PNP BLUE THROUGH YOUR LASER PRINTER WITHOUT A PAPER 
> BACKING !!!!!
> IT WILL MELT OR BUCKLE.
>
> Here's what I do: Print out the circuit on paper first, preferably so 
> it
> prints toward the bottom of the page.  Then cut the PNP out to the 
> proper
> size, leaving a bit extra in the vertical direction (which should be 
> shorter
> than the lateral direction -- this works better).  Place the PNP over 
> the
> printout (blue-shit side up, of course) and apply one strip of clear 
> plastic
> tape across the top edge, smoothing it down well with you finger.  
> Then run
> this through the printer using the external feed chute.  When it 
> comes out,
> quickly run your finger under the PNP blue to disattach it from the 
> paper
> (it will stick down by static electricity, and my get overly curved 
> if you
> don't lift it up quickly).  Then simply cut the PNP blue off just 
> below the
> tape strip, cut off some of the blank paper above to use as a cover 
> while
> ironing, and you're ready to rumble.