I just picked up one of these printers off Craigslist for $40.
It needed Cyan ink but it's running well.
I wasn't planning to rebuild it, I just wanted to ask, who's tried straightforward toner transfer with it?
The way I figure it, run the print through twice to get a thicker layer of wax.
If I can print on silicone-treated label stock, the wax should just pop off.
But an alternative I've seen is printing on regular paper, and leaving it in place after ironing. Either soak the paper in warm water to loosen the wood pulp, or put the whole thing in the etchant.
The etchant should soak into the wood pulp and still do the job. I can scrub the wood pulp off later.
Any thoughts?
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Mark Lerman <mlerman@...> wrote:
>
> A final update:
> It probably is possible to feed .062 pcbs through this printer, but
> even if you are able to do so, the machine would be cumbersome to use
> and not worth the effort. The machine has a mind of its own that
> requires cleaning pages any time there is a paper jam, has timing
> issues that are hard to emulate because the image is completely
> printed on a large diameter aluminum drum BEFORE the paper is
> engaged, and even if you do get everything working perfectly, you
> would still have a huge, heavy machine sitting somewhere in your
> workspace. Not recommended!
>
> Mark
>
>
> At 06:30 PM 3/25/2011, you wrote:
> >I'm still investigating this machine, and I think I can modify it,
> >but it is going to take a lot of work and thought. The plan is to
> >make it possible for the average hobbiest to modify one of these
> >relatively easily and relatively quickly, following the directions I
> >hope to provide. Since I do not have much of a machine shop, the mod
> >will either be simple to do once I figure it out, or I can't do it
> >at all. It certainly will need a microprocessor to emulate some of
> >the sensors, but I would like to do the mod with essentially no machining.
> >
> >A straight path is, indeed, possible. I am currently logging and
> >evaluating all the sensors in the paper and media path, but there
> >are a lot of them. For instance, Tray 2 must be loaded with 8.5x11
> >inch paper during the initialization sequence. There are sensors
> >that determine the length and width of the paper you have loaded as
> >well as whether there is paper loaded and whether the tray is
> >present. So if you want to run the printer without this tray
> >present, you have to emulate a lot of sensors!
> >
> >Mark
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: tda7000 <Tda7000@...>
> > >Sent: Mar 25, 2011 5:14 PM
> > >To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> > >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Phaser solid ink printers
> > >
> > >Given the right equipment and resources I reckon it would be
> > better to produce a direct-to-PCB-printing ..printer.. from the ground up.
> > >
> > >Toner might be best, or some kind of inkjet which prints with
> > proper etch resist. From your description of the Solid Ink printer
> > it sounds like a very complex device, with all the checking,
> > preheating, and constant cleaning etc. Replicating something like
> > that would be difficult...
> > >
> > >Of course this all assumes someone has access to a good workshop,
> > essentially a factory... could sell them to hobbyists\small
> > businesses.. no doubt you'd need a fair bit of money to start up though..
> > >
> > >--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Mark Lerman <mlerman@> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Well, there is not enough space between the drum and the Transfix
> > >> Roller to pass a thick pcb. I would have to replace the cams that
> > >> raise and lower the Transfix Roller with smaller ones to make it
> > >> work. Coupled with all the other problems, I am not sure it is worth
> > >> the effort.
> > >>
> > >> Mark
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> At 05:48 PM 3/24/2011, you wrote:
> > >> >A couple of people on the list have mentioned using Xerox solid ink
> > >> >printers to make pcbs, so I thought I'd take a look. These machines
> > >> >print by depositing melted wax on a large rotating aluminum drum then
> > >> >rolling heated paper over the drum to transfer the image. This would
> > >> >seem ideal because the wax is an excellent etch resist so that you
> > >> >should be able to just print and etch. I bought a used Xerox Phaser
> > >> >8400 for $100 on ebay. My preliminary thoughts/observations:
> > >> >
> > >> >1 - These are big, heavy machines, 65# (30Kg). They take up a
> > lot of space.
> > >> >2 - They take 20 minute or so to warm up and use (waste) a lot of ink
> > >> >when they start up.
> > >> >3 - There is an incredible amount of system and component checking
> > >> >during the warm up period.
> > >> >4 - There are a LOT of sensors, making it hard to force this machine
> > >> >to do things it wasn't designed to do.
> > >> >
> > >> >That said, one simple way to use them is to print on thin pcb board.
> > >> >I ran a piece of ss .009 mil board through and got an excellent print
> > >> >right off the bat. I could simply glue this to a thicker piece of FR4
> > >> >and I would have a very simple method of making pcbs. I haven't
> > >> >etched a board yet, but others have said this is no problem. Since I
> > >> >don't have a lot of this thin pcb material, I don't want to etch
> > >> >right now, but I'll let you know.
> > >> >
> > >> >After taking the paper path apart, I ∗think∗ I can straighten the
> > >> >path enough to run .062 board through, but I'm not 100% sure. There
> > >> >would certainly have to be a microprocessor to simulate a number of
> > >> >the sensors because there are quite a few paper sensors. In fact, the
> > >> >paper trays even have sensors that tell the printer how wide and how
> > >> >long the paper is as well as when the tray is empty! Another problem
> > >> >is that when the printer is first powered up it prints this very full
> > >> >page that must come from tray 2. Since the paper stops for awhile in
> > >> >the paper preheater before moving onward, the preheater (which has
> > >> >both entrance and exit sensors) has to be emulated in software.
> > >> >
> > >> >Other problems are that every 50 pages the transfer roller is oiled,
> > >> >and every time there is an error the printer prints 'Chase" pages to
> > >> >clean off the drum.
> > >> >
> > >> >Finally, there is the problem of preheating the board. A .062 pcb
> > >> >can fit through the preheater, but I have no idea whether it can heat
> > >> >the copper fast enough for the wax ink to transfer properly.
> > >> >
> > >> >Lots of engineering challenges. I have put a data logger on the
> > >> >relevant sensors and will now try to make the printer print with
> > >> >emulated sensors. If that works, I can then see if full thickness
> > >> >boards can pass. I'll let you know!
> > >> >
> > >> >Mark
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> >------------------------------------
> > >> >
> > >> >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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >------------------------------------
> >
> >Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
> >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>