The fuser might work for very thin boards, but it won't have time to heat a thicker board enough for the tiner to fuse. Although, I must say that I haven't actually tried it much. I assumed this to be true because laminators take multiple passes at a slower speed than the fuser to fuse the toner to the copper.
The other advantage of doing it separately is that if the image is defective, you can quickly wipe the toner off woith a paper towel, clean with alcohol and do another run.
Mark
-----Original Message-----
>From: "sdlgj;slk ;slgksl;gs;fdq1" <crazycasta@...>
>Sent: Aug 25, 2011 6:56 PM
>To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: DLP - getting better!
>
>Could you just reuse the fuser to harden the toner, or is there something I'm missing (smudging, not hot enough, etc.). Ofc it would require some means of mechanical rebuild, so I'm not suggesting it would be easy, but would it work?
>
>--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Mark Lerman <mlerman@...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I't been a while since I modified this machine, but I think the only
>> real mods were removing the fuser and putting in a new steel roller
>> (same as my original mod). The exit sensor also.has to be relocated
>> (or a microprocessor added to simulate it). This mod was described to
>> me by Jim. Using a 10 mil carrier - I use a piece of 10 mil fr4 from
>> McMaster-Carr - I can pass .032 pcb through. To use .064 pcb, Jim
>> used a wood chisel to cut off the "ribs" on the paper platform. I
>> haven't done this because I usually use .032 board. I'll look the
>> machine over tomorrow when I have more time.
>>
>> If you look through the archives of this group you will see various
>> posts by Jim that describe his mod in some detail, including either
>> grounding the pcb as it goes through the printer or putting a
>> positive voltage on it. I just modified the flash circuit of a
>> disposable camera to make a variable supply (85-450 vdc) for this
>> purpose. I also used his "acetone fix" technique on the pcb shown - no oven!
>>
>> I hope to drag out my HP 2200 and see if I can get it to work. It is
>> easier to feed the pcb's and considerably less expensive in the used
>> (ebay) market.
>>
>> DLP has a lot of advantages:
>>
>> 1 - A "run" just takes a few seconds to do. Put the pcb on a carrier
>> into the printer and press "print". No transfer necessary!
>> 2 - If the "run" doesn't give an acceptable print, it takes just
>> seconds to clean the pcb and try again.
>> 3 - No laminator necessary.
>> 4 - No heat necessary if you use acetone fixing.
>>
>> It's disadvantages:
>> 1 - Harder to do double sided boards. It is probably possible to
>> register the sides, but is easier to make two separate sides and glue
>> them together.
>>
>>
>> At 06:35 PM 8/22/2011, you wrote:
>> >Mark,
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Excellent that you were able to achieve 5 mil! Can you describe in the
>> >details to follow what you did to modify the E260. I know one advantage the
>> >E260 already has over other laser printers is the 1200 dpi resolution.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Jeff
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _____
>> >
>> >From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
>> >On Behalf Of Mark Lerman
>> >Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 6:28 PM
>> >To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>> >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] DLP - getting better!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Last February I suspended my dlp (direct laser printing) experiments
>> >to try to get a modified Epson inkjet to reliably print resist
>> >directly on pcbs. After 6 very frustrating months I decided that I
>> >cannot make it work in any simple reliable manner, though several
>> >people on the inkjet list do seem to be successfully making it work.
>> >For me, the constant effort keep the nozzles clear coupled with the
>> >printer's firmware that required a lot of wasted time and ink and
>> >numerous software issues involving the print drivers made it just too
>> >much "work" for my "one board every so often" needs.
>> >
>> >So I've gone back to my attempt to use a laser printer to print toner
>> >directly on pcbs. Here is a link to my latest test board. All the
>> >traces you see ate 10 mil, except for the small group on the right,
>> >which are 5 mil. The scan is not very good, but all of the traces are
>> >intact and full width, except for one small break in one of the 5 mil
>> >traces. <http://www.pbase.com/mark10970/image/137444500>
>> >
>> >This board was done with a modified Lexmark E260, but it is NOT
>> >modified as per my earlier documentation. I have incorporated many of
>> >the suggestions made by Jim <jhutch17@...
>> ><mailto:jhutch17%40adelphia.net> > in both this list
>> >and via private communication, and I think his method is much simpler
>> >and easier to implement than mine. More details to follow.
>> >
>> >Mark
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >------------------------------------
>> >
>> >Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>> >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>