RM (and everyone),
It looks like all of the problems are solved and the big Seal " Commercial
210M " laminating press can now make perfect toner transfers!
I went to a local machine shop and purchased a rectangular steel plate,
1/4-inch thick, to place between the press's heated lid's underside and the
pcb pattern and board (which sit on a smooth piece of "chipboard" with some
plywood under it, to get the correct height for creating the amount of
pressure needed when the lid is clamped down with the handle).
I also discovered that the temperature-control knob DOES go up past the 350
degF setting, to about 400 degF (although the knob's scale-markings don't
go that high). I cranked it all the way up and, assuming that the
thermometer's scale remains linear past the scale-markings that are printed
on it, the press's temp went to about 400 degF.
And I found out that the two large bolts and nuts that the lid is suspended
from needed a slight adjustment, to make the lid level, which looks like it
probably also makes the distribution of the pressure more uniform, when the
lid is closed.
I also removed two sheets of 5/32"-thick plywood that I had earlier placed
underneath the chipboard, to make room for the 1/4"-thick steel plate and
to lower the pressure, somewhat, when the lid was latched down.
I lowered the lid onto the steel plate, without latching it down but with
good contact, and let the press heat up to between 375 degF and 400 degF.
Then I opened the lid and carefully moved the steel plate, using kitchen
potholders, and placed the pcb and pattern on the wood, and laid the hot
steel plate on top of it. Then I latched the press down and waited for two
minutes before removing the pcb, which I then dropped into a dish of hot
tap water.
Later, when I removed the "Staples Picture Paper", the pattern was
essentially perfect, and was adhering VERY well, everywhere (which had been
the main problem, before). Using a stiff toothbrush, vigorously, to remove
the paper remnants from the 0.02" square drill-hole marks, there was
absolutely zero damage. No trace edges, nor anything else, were affected at
all.
The only adjustment that I think I need to make is to further-reduce the
pressure that's applied to the pcb, since, on the test boards, some of the
tiny 4-point text was deformed a little bit, e.g. with the center openings
of 4's and 0's basically closed up.
I didn't get a steel plate that is as large as the press is (22" x 18"),
yet. I paid $3 for one that's roughly 8" x 12" x 1/4" and weighs 6 pounds,
just to test it. But I definitely want to have a much larger steel plate,
and want it to be attached to the lid, somehow, so I don't have to handle
it by hand. However, I also don't want to modify or damage the press
itself, in any way. So I'm thinking I will probably get a steel plate that
is a little larger than the lid and support it from the outside. I'll
probably drill a couple of holes in each edge of the plate, fairly near the
corners, and then run steel wires or cables across the top of the lid from
one hole to another (probably in two "X" patterns so they can't slip off
the lid), to suspend the plate under the lid. It doesn't need to be a very
tight fit, since it will always be tight when the press is closed. Any
other ideas that anyone might have are welcome.
Regards,
Tom Gootee
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg-----------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 20:47:58 +0000
From:
rmustakos@...Subject: RE: Anybody tried a large flatbed laminator for toner transfer?
Tom
It's good to have a lot of pressure, to some extent. I think the
problem you are hitting now is that you are applying so much pressure
that you are distorting the top plate and lossing contact as the top
deforms. So increasing force on the plate may be decreasing the
pressure where you want it.
I would try (as others have talked about)
1) Increase the temp, 300F is about 150 C, which is low end of good.
Crank it up, 350 is still less than 180 C.
2) Back off on the pressure, and put more, stiffer, heat conducting
plate (Al for steel) on the top and bottom (I say both because I'm
not sure where your heater is).
As an experiment, you might try laying out a grid of dots on paper
and fuse it to one of the sheets of aluminun you are using, try it
with a lot of pressure, and also on the other side with less
pressure. Check to see if it holds better on the edges than in
middle. If it does, you might want to look at some type of curved
surface, convex up, highest in the center, with which to support
your boards. I bet laminate glue is much more forgiving of
pressure than the toner is.
Good luck,
RM
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