You can try running your paper through the laser printer with a document with a period (.) printed in the upper left corner, This will pre-shrink your paper! Then run it through with the toner image.
I found that you will have little problem with up to 24 pin Dip without pre shrinking.
I did a board recently that had a forty pin Dip. and It only had a minor misallignment error. I did not preskrink that paper!
regards
mike
--- On Wed, 4/21/10, w6mikk <group78@...> wrote:
> From: w6mikk <group78@...>
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Laser Printer shrinks pcb size
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 7:54 PM
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> My old trusty HP LaserJet 5P printer slightly
> shrinks the printed pcb image on paper when I printed a pcb
> image from a PDF file. On screen pbc measures 5.2 cm (2
> inch) on paper is 5.0. On screen measures 8.1 cm (3inch)
> and 7.7 cm on paper.
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> Does KICAD software contain a method to compensate Laser
> printers so the printed image is almost identical to the
> image size on screen?
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> I have not installed KICAD but have studied a tutorial.
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> The printed image size differing from screen size concerns
> me since I will be using Toner Transfer. For 2 by 3 inch
> pcbs is this shrinkage going to cause SIGNIFICANT errors
> when drilling holes for IC sockets? For slightly larger
> pcbs, is error going to be more severe?
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> Do other LASER PRINTER users have this same problem?
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> How are you compensating? Does software like Paintshop Pro
> X10
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> provide small size adjustments when printing jpg files?
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> This my first post. Thanks for any help.
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> Dave_s
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