Grant,
I'm glad you mentioned the isue of PCBs exiting the laminator; I'll
watch for it when I do my ocnversion.
Phil, you achieved 2 microns resolution? That is really great!
I've been using 0.032" PCBs so far.
Mike
--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "grantfair2001"
<grant.fair@s...> wrote:
> Phil - I too found the instructions without pictures frustrating,
but
> did manage to get the conversion done - but not as quickly as Frank
> (Pulsar) predicted though.
>
> I did have a problem Frank did not mention. The PCB's (64 thou)
would
> not go through most of the time! I did some damage to the rollers
> though they seem to work ok in spite of that. Eventually I
determined
> that the two plates at the rear of the roller were too close
together
> and so were preventing the PCB's from passing.
>
> It was simple enough (when I finally figured it out) to shim the top
> plate up (closer to the roller) at a slight angle with some little
> pieces of 30 thou PCB, inserted at the two back retaining slots or
> whatever you call them. Since then there has been no problem. I
wonder
> if some of your mechanical? problems might be related to that.
>
> I have found that most of my PCB's only need one or two passes.
Three
> is the most I have ever used. The biggest board I have done so far
is
> about 2.7 by 5.2", so maybe that's a factor. Bigger boards will
aborb
> more heat, or need more heat to reach a given temperature than
smaller
> boards, right?
>
> I know different toners have different melt/fuse temperatures. I am
> using a Panasonic KXP-6500 laser printer, and the prescribed
Panasonic
> toner. I am using Pulsar (formerly Dyna-Art) paper. I am using 64
thou
> PCB material (which is apparently only 60 thou, so maybe I did not
> need to modify the thing).
>
> Another possible variable is the preparation of the PCB surface - I
> use SOS pads to remove oxidation, dirt and grease. They leave the
> surface clean and shiny but with some scratching though that's
really
> not the right term, just that the copper is very slightly roughened.
>
> I find that the laminator is much better than ironing for me, in
terms
> of consistency, and complete, undistorted toner transfer to the PCB.
> It sounds like you are having a lot more frustration than I am. I
hope
> the group can figure out some solutions to these difficulties.
>
> Grant
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Phil" <phil1960us@y...>
wrote:
> > Well, I finally broke down and bought one of these on sale from
> > Staples ($65 + tax).
> >
> > Overall, I like it but it did take some getting used to and its
far
> > from perfect.
> [snip]