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

I am a complete newbie at this, trying to learn enough to do it right-
ish the first time...

I'll be doing a toner-transfer from a photocopier. Does it need to be
a laser copier or will a regular copier do?

I don't plan on using ferric chloride. That leaves, as I understand
it, sodium persulphate and ammonium persulphate. Are both these going
to work OK with the Sharpie I plan to use for touch-up? I read in the
archives of muriatic acid being used, which frankly is not somewhere
I plan to go, but if I ever do, does toner transfer work with it?

The strong peroxide in wood bleaching kits-- I read of someone using
this in the archives, but don't know if it needs thinning, or whether
it even works with toner transfer.

Is there anywhere I can buy just an ounce or so of each of the
persulphates, to try them out, see which one works for me? Hate to
buy a kilogram of something and find out it is no good for my
purposes... and since all I have right now to do is one photoetch
pattern I've made for some brass detailing parts I want to make, I
don't need a huge amount of anything.

TIA for any helpful advice!