Ken,
You're right, I was actually thinking about this product in my last post:
http://www.lpkfusa.com/boardfinish/promask.htmThe price point is targeting "small shop" more than "homebrew", but if the
marketing is to be believed, it produces fab-plant quality results. They've
posted a video of the kit in action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL1IuoUtVbwGetting set up with this thing runs you US$650 for the materials to run 20
boards, and you'll need to have a UV developer table to use it, since it
uses photo masking for the resist mask.
You might be able to get by with skipping their starter set and just buying
the consumables for $200 (look at their store on the website), but it's
still pretty steep if, like me, you just thought solder mask "would be
neat".
-Andrew
On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 3:39 PM, sailingto <sailingtoo@...> wrote:
>
>
> I did not realize Pulsar had any solder resist masking options. I have
> tried the green foil, but that's for sealing the toner, not to function as a
> solder resist - OR that is my understanding anyway. I've tried the green
> foil, and didn't work all that good for me. It's not really needed anyway as
> a good hot toner transfer seals the toner as well as needed for good
> etching.
>
> If you are referring to a different product, please provide a link - I'd
> like to look at it. A solder resist mask would be neat - look good anyway. I
> use oversized pads and traces with a tad of extra spacing so am able to get
> by without solder resist mask pretty good.
>
> Ken H.
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com>,
> Andrew Villeneuve <andrewmv@...> wrote:
> >
> > There are definitely cheaper alternatives to the printing and etching
> parts
> > of the product, but the solder resist masking seems to be thing that the
> > fab-in-a-box system has working really well, and I haven't seen any cheap
> > alternatives to that yet.
> >
> > -Andrew
> >
> > On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 11:55 AM, sailingto <sailingtoo@...> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Andrew, the "Fab-in-a-box" solution does give good results, and if yo
> > > purchase it from them, it is EXPENSIVE!!! BUT there are MUCH less
> expensive
> > > ways of going that route. The laminator can be ordered direct from
> MyBinding
> > > for $25 shipped, (used to be the same low/high setting heat laminator,
> but
> > > that version is sold out, so for $25 they only have a high heat version
> -
> > > all that's needed.
> > >
> > > The toner transfer paper can be ordered from DigiKey for about $17
> shipped,
> > > and that is enough paper to make hundreds of boards by reusing the same
> > > paper several times - that is my approach. There are other papers that
> work
> > > almost as well that are free - as in magazine paper, OR the well know
> HP
> > > Presentation paper - just a tad harder to get off before etching.
> > >
> > > Good luck and have fun.
> > >
> > > Ken H>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>
>
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