Homebrew PCBs

In a message dated 1/10/2006 4:38:52 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
onegammyleg@... writes:

Has  anyone had any success using toner transfer methods in printing
lettering  onto front panels of project boxes.?



I have never fiddled with this "toner transfer method", but I  DID make a 
couple of VERY professional-looking front-panels using "PCB  techniques" in 
another era.  I did the layout/lettering of the panels using  Lettraset, a very 
high-class "rub-on lettering" brand, both for the label-words,  numbers, and 
"pointers" (lines, etc.) on blue-grid paper, and then had a  negative-film made of 
that at the right % reduction for the correct final  dimensions.  Then I 
photo-sensitized the aluminum panel (after Scotch-Brite  finishing!) and then 
photo-etched the film on that in the usual "PCB  manner."  I used FeCl³ etchant in 
the usual manner, except I WATCHED very  closely to see if it "ate" at the 
right rate, etc., as the aluminum reacts  differently than copper.  
 
After I decided it was deep enough, I rinsed, removed resist,  sprayed with 
clear spray, and the etched panel looked like it came from an  instrument-maker 
factory!  Easy!  When I did this same process on a  later "one-each box," I 
VERY-carefully squeegied on some very thin black  lacquer, and 
thinner-wiped-off the smear, before the final clear-spray, and all  the lettering and lines 
were BLACK-clear.  A bit nicer than  "grey".        Jan  Rowland


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