Homebrew PCBs

Stefan Trethan wrote:

>Ok, so now i have this printer firing on all nozzles according to the  
>nozzle test pattern.
>
>I filled black with mostly yellow and a small amount of black MISPRO ink  
>mixed in.
>
>Even with all nozzles firing according to nozzle test i still see the  
>lines of the nozzles, even on paper. So on a PCB this basically causes  
>lotsa little gaps between the individual lines.
>
>After baking the color resists sufficiently, i can get a pcb with many  
>parallel very fine lines.
>
>It seems the distance between the lines (or missing lines?) is not the  
>same, when i print a block of color it looks like some lines are simply  
>missing, periodically. How is this possible when according to the nozzle  
>check pattern all nozzles are firing?
>
>  
>
  Air inside the cart?  I think some Epson carts are problematic with 
that.  Or try to reseat the cable at the head and the board, maybe just 
bad contact as it's moving around.



>So what now? Any ideas? Does this mean one needs a printer with higher  
>resolution such as Volkan used?
>  
>
  Is it on the highest setting?  Photo or whatever may be the only time 
it fills in, it's slower and does multiple passes.  That and heaviest 
ink..  There are definitely differences, some may just have poorer 
coverage or resolution..


>BTW Steve, thanks for your instructions! Your cleaning mix and the method  
>of putting it on the parking station cleaned the two stubborn nozzles  
>right up!
>
>So what now? what about the gaps, and what do we do about the puddling?
>Any ideas?
>
>This printer would take small strips of PCBs no problem, no modification  
>needed. I just drop them in on the moving sheet of paper. But the strips  
>must be narrow enough to fit around the bend of the paper feeder (a bit  
>over an inch does still fit fine). Would be easy to cut up for larger PCBs  
>though.
>
>
>  
>
  Haven't even looked at the one I got last night, and maybe just 
snagged another Epson to go along with it..  For everyone not on 
Freecycle get on it, and check your inbox often.  Have to set up an 
autoresponder for printer and a few other words..  Non-functional, so I 
don't feel too bad about getting them either, most wouldn't mess with 
them enough to get them back into running condition.  Get the impression 
half of the stuff just goes somewhere else to sit around, many things 
get put back up.

Alan