I've found that feeding my thicker pcbs into the laminator at a slight angle
usually works.
Of course , the thinner pcbs are best.
There has been some discussion about paper shrinkage during laser printing
and laminating. The dimensional change is very apparent on large boards and
when they are drilled using a CNC machine.
Keep us posted.
Myc
On 7/24/06, sethkoster <sethkoster@...> wrote:
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com>,
> "Myc Holmes" <mycroft2152y@...>
>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Seth,
> >
> > One question, are the breaks always in one direction? In other
> words, are
> > they always in the traces that run in same direction, parallel to
> the way
> > the paper is printed?
>
> Hey Myc, thats a good question and I'm not sure of the answer. I am
> planning on waiting until the .032" boards I ordered from abcfab on
> ebay show up and then retrying everything using the laminator.
>
>
> >
> > The broken traces sound like the paper is changing dimensions under
> heat and
> > the toner is not "stretching" along with it. I suggest you first run the
> > paper through the laser printer without printing anything to give it
> a "heat
> > treatment" then reprint with the pcb pattern.
> >
>
> Hmm... It occurs to me that since I was moving the iron the very
> same problem could have happened during the re-fusing phase. Perhaps
> because the PCB is heating up and cooling down in areas as I move the
> iron around it is exacerbating this problem.
>
>
> > I'm using athe Samsung ML-2010, an earlier relabeld version, with great
> > success,. The toner needs higher temerprature to fuse. A few extra
> passes
> > through the laminator works for me. Or else, after running it
> through the
> > laminator giving it a few touch up strokes with a hot iron.
> >
>
> I went to the University of Michigan Property Disposition (I love that
> place, if I ever need a cheap used DNA sequencer or Gieger counter I
> know where to go) today and picked up a used HP LaserJet 5 in pretty
> good condition for $50, though its low on toner (yet it printed pretty
> nicely when I used the test menu). Luckily I was able to return the
> Brother HL-2040 and hopefully now that I have proven equipment I can
> focus on my technique problems.
>
>
> > Also. after removing the paper, flash fuse the toner using a a hair
> dryer
> > very close (1/8") to the pcb.
> >
>
> I'll give that a shot.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
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