Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Robert Hedan <robert.hedan@...> 
wrote:
>
> Hmmmm, just tried the Staples inkjet glossy photo paper #471861, 
>mixed
> feelings, actually, I hate it.  The toner seems to have stuck to the 
>copper
> super well, only problem is the paper didn't come off nicely.  
>There's still
> at least a 50% thickness, even after I let it soak for a good 2 
>hours before
> peeling.
> 
> If the laser variety of paper is even thicker and harder to take 
>off, that
> ain't gonna be funny.  I see now why we pay more for the Pulsar 
>paper,
> excellent results with no fussing around.  The paper usually comes 
>off the
> toner with less than a minute.

Wow, I haven't heard any problems like this before, but I /have/ heard 
that Staples might have changed the paper. No, the HP photo paper is 
not as thick (in fact it's /far/ too thin to be used as photo paper 
and is more like brochure paper), and doesn't stand up to water too 
well. When I said 'longer', I meant 10-15 minutes rather than 5 
minutes.
 
> I don't have much choice now but to lightly scrub at this tomorrow, 
>after
> letting it soak all night.  Somehow I expect the finer traces to 
>take a hit,
> I doubt they will hold up.  And even if they do somehow stay intact, 
>this is
> too much mucking around.  At least with the Pulsar paper I know 
>right away
> if I messed up, for all I know my alignment might be off again.
> 
> Robert
> :(

With the HP Laser photo paper I could rub the paper off with my 
fingertips. This would, however, take forever, which is why I used a 
'Dobie' non-scratch sponge (safe for Teflon) and a little pressure. 
The printer I used was a commercial photocopier, a Xerox DocuColor 12. 
at Staples. I have been meaning to test it on other brands but haven't 
had a chance yet. Even the very finest parts of the pattern I used 
didn't come off unless I used a metal scraper.

I had been using Press'n'Peel before finding a laminator/paper 
combination that worked well. The laser paper is $20/100 sheets, 
20c/sheet; Press'n'peel is $30+shipping/20 sheets. Over $1 per sheet. 
To me, that's too expensive for 'experimenting' with. I checked out 
Pulsar's website quite awhile back and it looked like it might work 
better than P'n'P, but they wanted to charge outrageous shipping for 
it that would make it even more expensive than the P'n'P, so I never 
bought it. I don't know if this has changed.