Homebrew PCBs

Wyane,

I've been dying to try a copper cleaner like you did. It's sounds like
a great solution. Thanks for reporting the results.

Mike



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Wayne Topa <linuxone@...> wrote:
>
>   I have followed the suggestions of those more experienced then me in
>   precleaning the pcb, and found that I 'must have' been doing
>   something wrong.
> 
>   My first 2 boards were cleaned using the scotch brite pad and dish
>   detergent and failed when I ran the board through the laminator.
>   By failed, I mean the toner did not adhere to the board.  I had to
>   repeat the cleaning/transfer 3-4 times before I got good adhesion.
>   Wasted a lot of TTS paper that way.
> 
>   I recently ordered some pcb's from abcfab, and on on the EBay page
>   describing the boards, Bill mentioned that there were a number of
>   cleaning solutions that would clean the copper, and that the
>   scotch brite scrub wasn't necessary.
> 
>   One of the cleaners mentioned was Tarn-X.  I went out and bought a
>   new bottle (the bottle we had must have been 5-6 years old) and
>   tried it on 4 boards last night.  I pre-washed the boards with soap
>   and water using a cotton ball, dried with a paper towel then using a
>   cotton ball soaked with Tarn-X , simply applied it to the the boards.
>   I then washed off the boards with water only and dried them,
laminated 
>   them and after 5-6 passes through the laminator I dropped 
>   the boards into cold tap water and, in 2-3 minutes, the paper floated
>   off and there was no toner on the carrier at all (I use Pulsar TTS)
>   and the boards were perfect.  I had a hard time believing it could
>   be that easy.
>   
>   The boards from abcfab were not tarnished in any way so this may be
>   why this worked so well.  Even so I did see a change in the color of
>   the copper as I applied the Tarn-X.  I am so pleased with the
>   results, I though I better pass it on.
> 
>   This Pulsar TTS paper, though somewhat expensive, is a dream to work
>   with.  The paper floats off and does not require any work at all.  I
>   have tried other medium but it is just too much work getting the
>   paper layers off the toner. As I am only making boards for my own
>   use, I find the Pulsar TTS is the way to go.  Using the Pulsar, 1
>   minute etch method, I can go from printer to finished board in about
>   15-20 minutes.  
> 
>   Good Transferring!
> 
>   Wayne
>