Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

I'm getting frustrated. I've tried all night (for several nights)
to perfect my toner transfer process. I keep getting marginal
results. I started with an iron. Eventually, I got a laminator,
albeit a cheesy, low grade one.
My results are not production grade, and it's frustrating me.
Every time I think I have something, I get traces that have little
tiny holes or cuts that I have to fill in with a pen, whether I use
photo paper or magazine paper. The iron seems to work for melting
the toner, but the lines get blotchy. The laminator works well for
accurate lines, but there are usually chunks missing, or little
hairline divides that need to be re-drawn. There has to be a
better way.
I really liked someone's idea about the process used to make
raised business cards...offset thermography, it's called. While the
ink from an inkjet or press is still wet, you sprinkle a dry resin
(toner?) over it, and it sticks to it before it dries. Then heat it
to melt. It's said not to do well with detailed areas...but I'm
thinking of trying it. Anyone else have any results with this
process? Any suggestions for making the toner transfer process more
reliable or higher quality?

Thanks
Josh