For the record I tried and had usable-but-demanding results with
noncoated ("plain-but-glossy") 140gsm paper - I had to basically hand-
scrape the last layer of paper out of the clear areas with a skewer,
but I do have a ∗working∗ SMD USB mini-B socket coming off an iPod
connector, which I feel a little pride in.
But it has become clear in that the paper path in our venerable 5MP
has become compromised (I guess I'm the prime suspect) and the low-
toner situation so low that I'm just out of the zone where I can do or
learn much that is useful.
With this thinner paper I thought I had "squashed" the toner when
ironing - it "grew" - but I now think that my have been the side with
almost no toner on it (later attempts not squashed, but toner not
sticking as well as with the other paper). I also did a small "delorie-
inspired" 6mil spiral, which looked like it might have worked with non-
fibrous paper, but I didn't even attempt to clear it off
I'm lucky enough to work where there's quite a bit of orphaned
specialty paper around, so if I can fix whatever roller I've buggered
and get some toner, there's some 150 gsm A4 "gloss coated" Tektronix
paper I might give a go. They don't say what it's coated with, could
be yoghurt ...
PG
On 27/03/2009, at 4:37 AM, Ted Bruce KX4OM wrote:
> I used paper from the Harbor Freight mailers for a few years with my
> Brother laser printer (ugh!). The Press 'n Peel Blue tech rep told
> me that some of the newer printers used hotter temperatures that
> might cause problems with that product. The catalog paper worked
> pretty well scotch-taped taped to a sheet of printer paper.
>
> KC
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Piers Goodhew <piers@...> wrote:
> >
> > This is probably something in the 10% range. What I failed to
> clearly
> > express is that is only vertical (i.e. along the length of the
> paper)
> > horizontally, it seems pretty perfect (I can only hold a draft print
> > on normal paper above it with bright light - they line up well
> across
> > but not up and down. Which is why I assume it's due to drag.
> >
> > Plus the PCB's I have made ∗do∗ line up with the iPod connector
> which
> > is a series of 15, 16mil traces, which is very obviously wrong on
> this
> > one. (Though, I was almost certainly printing it at 90° to the
> current
> > arrangement in the past)
> >
> > I just got my other half to check the stock's weight and it's 210
> gsm,
> > so the total was 290, which is 3.6 x the standard weight here ... HP
> > sez that 158 is the max (42lbs) so I was almost double.
> >
> > Didn't somebody say they were using pages out of some catalogue?
> >
> > PG
> >
> > On 24/03/2009, at 12:38 PM, DJ Delorie wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > I've stuck the thick Pulsar paper to regular paper and sent it
> through
> > > my laser printers in the past. However, even on just bond paper my
> > > printers shrink the print a little, about 0.5% to 1%. Are you
> seeing
> > > a small even shrinkage, or random major shrinkage? Can you
> measure a
> > > reference print and compensate? (assuming your software has that
> > > feature, gEDA's pcb does). Oh - and measure the toner on the
> pcb, not
> > > the toner on the printer, as the rest of the process changes the
> size
> > > a little also.
> > >
> > > However, I have had cases where "card stock" (100lb, 5x thicker
> than
> > > standard bond) has problems getting through my current laser
> printer.
> > > It depends.
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>