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

previous by date index next by date
previous in topic topic list next in topic

Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Staples #471861 as suggested by Thomas P. Gootee

From: Russell Shaw <rjshaw@...>
Date: 2004-07-02

Alex wrote:
>>>It is getting to the point that if you can draw it, you can etch it.
>>>
>>>Dave
>>
>>It's actually more like "if you can print it you can etch it".
>>
>>ST
>
> How many dpi must the printer be able to handle for 10mil tracks ?
>
> I tried to print out a 600dpi bitmap and even a1200dpi image of my board
> at the public library, and the area with fine tracks didn't look uniform:
> some of the 10mil tracks coming out from a microchip footprint with a pitch
>
> of 0.4mm were thinner than others, and also the spacing between those
> tracks was irregular.

A cheap old epson stylus 400 colour will do 8mil tracks/spacing smoothly in
600x720dpi mode. It's the printer technology and ink/transparency combination
that makes the most difference.