Alex,
Thanks!
I ∗can∗ put the press back together. All I did was lift the pad out of the base. The pad wasn't actually ∗attached∗ in any way.
I think that seeing the ebay prices of the 210M press was why I bought it, originally, even though I normally only bought test equipment (for resale; see my website). But if I can get it working well for making PCBs, it should (I ∗hope∗) be worth more to me, eventually, if I keep it and use it, than if I sold it now. But I am definitely open to using whatever is best for my needs.
How well does your HeatSeal H200 work for making PCBs with toner transfer? (Sorry. I am sure this has been discussed. But I am new to this group and haven't read much, if any, about them, yet.)
And, maybe this is asking too much, but how does your H200 seem to compare with other similar types, and with the adapted laser printer fuser/roller assemblies? (I have an old LaserJet III and an old LaserJet II that don't seem to work anymore, that I might be able to use the assemblies from. I think that they both have straight-through paper paths, too, which seems like it might make it easier to convert them. (Don't know. Just guessing.) [Now if we could just set up an automatic feeder that would run through a stack of patterns and a stack of board blanks...]
I don't ∗think∗ that I make quite enough boards, yet, to farm out their production, although I did have Bill Jenkins make some for me (He's GREAT. Search
http://groups.google.com to find him.). His price was really excellent. But I am still doing some design changes/enhancements, etc, which would probably mean too much in new setup fees, etc, for the time being.
Right now, I periodically have to make something like 30 boards at a whack, consisting of 10 each of 3 different board designs (two are 2.25x6 inches and one is 4x6 inches), for my Curve Tracer kits. Using the trusty "clothes iron with the broken handle", I can do it perfectly every single time, with maybe 3 or 4 minutes spent on printing the pattern, cutting out the pattern, and ironing, for each board. So it's not really ∗that∗ big of a deal, YET, except that I have to stand there the whole time, etc. Other parts of the process take more time that producing and applying the patterns (although I am simultaneously trying to automate or optimize most of those, too). But, IF I could use the laminating press, I could probably save some time and effort, especially since the press is already just sitting here, anyway. And it would then probably be more-or-less "idiotproof", so someone else COULD do it for me (like one of my teenage kids, hehe). Also, I could probably panelize the boards, which the iron can't do because of its small size, which might also speed things up a little more. [Disclaimer: "If you make it idiot-proof, someone will invent a better idiot."]
But I ∗hope∗ that I soon WILL be needing to make more boards than I can handle, alone. The rate of incoming orders for my kits is increasing. (And I also have several new pcb-containing products that I'm getting ready to release, "real soon now".) For now, I just want to make the pcb-fab process as quick and painless as possible, mainly because I have so much OTHER stuff that I also need to do. I'm hoping that if I can pull it all off this way (i.e. labor instead of cash), for a while longer, I might be able to reach some sort of "critical mass" and then be able to hire-out what I need, or maybe even turn the whole product over to some third party, or, whatever works. (That's "the dream", anyway, hehe...)
Thanks for the olimex and barebonespcb links!
Regards,
Tom Gootee
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg-----------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 06:00:48 -0700
From: "Alex Hay" <
alex@...>
Subject: RE: Anybody tried a large flatbed laminator for toner transfer?
Thomas,
If you can put your press back togther you can probably sell it on ebay for
enough to buy a few good hot roller laminators! The 210M is a great press
for artwork -- I used one in college for mounting photos, but could never
afford one of my own. The 210M sells for $250 - $800 on ebay.
I use a HeatSeal H200 for toner transfer -- you can get a brand new one
online for $85. It won't do the same size as the SEAL, but if you're doing
∗that∗ many boards, you may want to look at cheap offshore fabrication (e.g.
olimex.com) or something from barebonespcb.com.
Of course if you want to trade your 210M for my H200. . .
-Alex
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