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Subject: People still using toner transfer??? was Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] First attempt at toner transfer

From: Chris Tofu <indiscreetlogic@...>
Date: 2016-06-05

I didn't even think you could buy it.

Been lurking for a while.

Anyway, I attended a informal discussion of a new fandangled method of, technically I guess, toner transfer. Utilizing Knox brand gelatine. Like Jello, but no flava. Let me see if I can remember the procedure.

Whatever the recipe is for plain gelative, use 3x as much water. IIRC one packet requires dissolving in 1/4 cup of cold water, with 1 3/4 cups of boiling subsequently added. So therefore to 1 packet add 3/4 cup cold water, dissolve, then 5 1/4 cups of water, for a total of 6 cups. Now that's a lot of gelatine, so you may want to "cut" the packet into portions w/a razor like a coca cola dealer :). Use your discretion. Just don't snort the stuff.

 Um while still a liquid (presumably it'll stay a liquid, too thin to gel but what do I know), paint with a cheap paint brush on to sheet/s of printer paper. Maybe let it cool a bit before painting? Let dry. When dry, print your artwork onto these sheets (on the Knox side obviously) using a copy machine (I don't remember inkjet printers being acceptable). Then you would iron those sheets onto copper board (using a cloth between iron and sheet), with steam IIRC. I think you could also bake it in the oven for a while to harden it, can't remember the details, maybe 100 degrees for an hour? Most ovens don't go down that low, so improvise I guess.

 I haven't tried it yet, but was told it's basically fool proof. Unlike the standard commercial toner transfer sheets which is so error prone to make it unacceptable. Give it a shot, let the group know. Any questions, feel free to ask, I'll do what I can to answer them.