--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, michael tenore <wb2lcw@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi!
>
> I ran my Staples paper thru the printer a second time by printing
just a period (.) so the fuser turns on!
>
> The The image transfered very well to the board. The white residue
was only on top of the toner.But I did not etech it as that was only
> a test run. but the traces were beautifully done..I cleaned the
paper off the traces with a old tooth brush..
>
> Regards
>
> mike..
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: peripherin <peripherin@...>
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 9:23:47 PM
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Epson R285
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@ yahoogroups. com, "peripherin"
<peripherin@ ...>
> wrote:
> >
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@ yahoogroups. com, "peripherin" <peripherin@
>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Over the last 10 years I have been producing home PCB's with
> > varying
> > > degrees of complexity useing the traditional photo exposure
> method
> > > with my local print shop providing 2400dpi negatives. I can
> > reliabley
> > > turn out boards with 35 micron tracks in 1oz copper which seems
> to
> > be
> > > the minimum width that most manufacturers can achieve reliably.
> > > However I have noticed that Direct resist printing seems to be
> > giving
> > > some very good results with the mispro inks.
> > > My question is what inks are availble in the UK as I can not
seem
> > to
> > > find MISpro over here? Also has anybody looked at the Epson
R285
> > > printer as it prints CD's DVD which means the feed rollers must
> be
> > > far enough apart to accept PCB's. I am going to look at one
this
> > > afternoon so will post a comment if it is suitable.
> > > Going back to the inks has anyone tryed the Acrylic inks as I
> > > understand they can be made inkjet compatible? and should also
be
> > > etch resistant.
> > > I have tryed the laser toner tranfer method several times but I
> > have
> > > found it does not work to well with ground planned boards due
to
> > > toner density which after trying on several different media
types
> > and
> > > printers I can not improve. It however gives some impressive
> > results
> > > with tracks down to 17 microns reliabley and cleanly being
> etched.
> > I
> > > have ordered a negative from my local print shop just to try
> useing
> > > the best media I have found which they say will have uniform
> toner
> > > density so we will see how this turns out.
> > >
> > > Anyhow if anybody has tryed an Epson R285 I like to know what
the
> > > results were like and what ink you have use?
> > >
> >
> > Update: Ok spent the afternoon really upsetting the sales person
in
> > PC world by making him demonstrate two laser printers HP1018 and
> 1022.
> >
> > I also got a demonstration of the CD printing facility on the
R285
> > and all I can say is that it is that the way the feed mechnism
> works
> > is slightly different from what i expected yes the rollers are
> > further apart but because of the issues over board size I did not
> go
> > any further with this mainly because if I was to use this for
> > production boards it would use to many processes and again prove
as
> > complex to fix the ink as a normal UV method. If someone has the
> time
> > then it may be a great printer to modify. I have however been
told
> by
> > our by someone I trust that photoresist can be printed from a
> normal
> > inkjet cartridge but because the liquid is to viscous it produces
> to
> > larger droplet size. Aparently thier is a company who is
> researching
> > into produceing a Piezoelectric print head for PCB's.
> >
> http://www.electron icsweekly. com/Articles/ 2005/04/14/ 34905/pcb+
maker+p
> > lans+ink-jet+ printing. htm?
> > Unfortunately I do not know what has become of this company
anybody
> > know ?
> > Getting back to the laser printers I followed this up again as
> > talking to the salesman some of the modern lasers printers
increase
> > toner density in large areas of Mono. If you look at the
resulting
> > prints from different printers you can see more matt areas within
> the
> > large areas of ground plans which I have found porous when
> etching.
> > With the HP's this does not seem to be the case and remember I am
> not
> > using special paper I am talking about printing onto standard
90gsm
> > paper.
> > Anyhow I have taken the sample prints on three types of paper
home
> to
> > etch. I have used 90 GSM laser paper Xerox, Epson photo matt
paper
> > and staples photo basic glossy.
> > I also asked about life of the printer by useing non reccommended
> > papers they said that it would wear the fuser and tonner drum
> faster
> > and possibley the rollers but considering the printers are sub
£100
> > thats not really an issue.
> > Anyhow I will comment on the results latter.
> >
> Okay have now etched the test board the results vary a little.
> Admittedly the etchant is used and cold so probably the worst way
to
> etch. The xerox paper gave results which were acceptable with
slight
> bleed thru on tracks around 35 Microns and small pin holes on the
> larger areas of tonner. Admittedly this would not have been a
problem
> if the acid was new and I had the heater on. The staples paper I
> suspect has changes recently as after striping back the paper I
> noticed it had left a nasty white residue perhapes something the
> treat the paper evapourating while I ironed it onto the board. This
> rendered the board un etchable as it turned it to resist all over.
By
> far the epson paper has given the better results the tracks are
clean
> all the way down to 25 Microns. The larger areas again were a bit
> disapointing the echant had bled thru. I am sure the result could
be
> improved. I am however going to empty the etching tank and mix up a
> new batch of ferric clorid and heat it to 50deg c on the next
attempt
> I am also going to try Epson Gloss Paper. I understand that because
> of the coating on the photopapers the tonner takes to the paper
> better because of the smoother surface and the coating applied to
the
> paper.
> Out of the printers the HP 1022 seems to give better results which
is
> no surprise as the DPI count is higher.
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
A quick update have now bought a HP1022 and I am going to give the
staples paper a 2nd go and try and etch it as the only way to get
around the toner being porous is to use a TRF film. Which then makes
the process nearly the same as the press and peel packs you can buy
form Maplin Electronics.
Mike are you buying your paper in the UK from staples ?