Daryl Owen wrote:
> I planning on purchasing a used printer on Ebay for toner transfer.
> I am currently using an Okidata 10EX with very poor results.
> The toner will not adhere to the PCB regardless of how much heat or
> pressure is used.
>
> So any feedback on printers for this application would be useful.
>
> Thanks
>
> Daryl Owen
I've had excellent results for both normal and toner transfer with my HP
LaserJet 6L. It's 600 DPI, a few models back so reasonably cheap, and has been
a good little printer for the past couple of years for me. They have a
multiple sheet feed problem from the vertical architecture and a rubber part
wearing out, so you may even get one for a song. HP has a simple user installed
fix kit for it, was free not sure if it still is, but even if not it'd only be
like $5 or $10. Fixed mine right up, but since I print PCB transfers and normal
paper stuff mixed, I rarely stock the paper tray anyway since I don't know
what's next, only when I have a few documents to get printed at once. Still,
I've gotten TSOP level PCBs out of it, although that's near the limits from
other factors so I'm not sure I'd guarantee that on large boards etc.
Definitely enough for small prototypes etc TSOP, and certainly normal surface
mount on larger boards. TSOP on a large board may be difficult or take notable
cleanup, may work perfectly, most lower level TSOP boards end up being small so
haven't tried a big one. Near the limits of what you can deal with soldering
anyway.
If we can get it printing well straight to copper I'll test a large TSOP
board, I'd expect it to be very close to perfect without the transfer step.
Just my own results, but for sure if mine dies I'll buy another just like it.
I still want to find a good vertical square one for the straight paper path
for doing a direct to board printer, but unless I find one of those that works
perfectly for both plain paper and PCB's I will not be without a 6L. Try and
find one where the memory is already up to 9 megs, it helps a lot for graphics
printing and the 8 MB expansion card likely costs 1/2 or 1/3 the cost of a used
printer.
All depends heavily on the exact printer you get though, since of course the
condition of the drum is critical for any laser. Best if you can check it out
yourself or at least get a good shot of a test page if off Ebay etc. And as the
others have said, earlier LJets are good too. But it's nice to have the 600
DPI, and I think the finer toner may be part of why good results seem to be a
bit easier for me sometimes. Even though I do the ironing by hand so I'm sure I
have a wide variation of pressure I get almost no smashing of the traces etc.
Difference between the 5L and 6L cost wise is very low too, get the 6L..
I think the 6P (I think thats the other HP 6 LJ) may be even better, but
don't have much direct experience with it. Vertical stack type and different
print engine, so be aware it's a very different animal from the 6L even though
it may be comparable in quality.
Alan