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Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Printer

From: Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...>
Date: 2017-02-02

On 02/02/17 03:57, lists Stuartlists@... [Homebrew_PCBs] wrote:
> I'm asking this on behalf of a friend
>
> I make my own PCBs by a 'photo' process, which involves printing a
> transparency from the PCB artwork I've created. Just plain black/clear.
>
> This used to work perfectly when I first did it in the '90s. Using an
> Epson Stylus printer - long since gone. The next printer - a Canon - was
> just about OK, but that's gone now too.
>
> I've now got an Epson XP-415 which simply doesn't print a dense enough
> black - despite playing with all the settings.
>
> I've kept some of those old transparencies from the older printers, and
> you can clearly see the difference holding them up to the light.
>
> I've also got a cheap mono laser printer - and that if anything is worse.
>
> Can anyone recommend a printer I can buy new and they know will work
> properly for this task?

I'm using the gutenprint driver in linux and can get high ink density on an
epson Artisan 1430.

Some types of settings can override each other preventing high density if you
don't do it right.