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Subject: Re: Advice for first board - from another beginner

From: "Tom" <tom_corbet@...>
Date: 2005-01-08

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "twoube" <john.brewer@u...> wrote:
> ---snipped ----
> Can someone point me to, or recommend a best first process
> to try (along with materials?).

I'm just a beginner myself. A couple of months ago someone pointed me
to Tom Gootee's site http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm (that
was before I found this group) and I started making boards following
his instructions. (Except I use lemon juice and a pot scrubber to
clean the copper first). I've made 5 or 6 small boards with this
method and have a few more projects in progress.

There's no Staples anywhere near me for the recommended paper, so I
tried some types of paper I could get more easily and I've had the
best results with the JetPrint MultiProject paper from WallMart. Even
though my printer (LJ4) leaves pinholes in the toner (exactly as Tom
warns), I find it's easier to touch up the pinholes with a etch resist
pen than it is to remove the better printing papers from the board.
The Multiproject paper is the only one I tried that always transfers
toner to board perfectly and lifts off cleanly and easily with just 5
minutes of soaking in soapy water.

I am thinking about going back to Wallmart to get some of the other
JetPrint paper varieties, maybe there's one that will have fewer
pinholes, yet still transfer cleanly. (has anyone here tried them?)