Homebrew PCBs

I have a design jet 5000 here - the 42" 6
colour (CcYMmK) version.  I can print on
small single sheets of paper - however
loading them is a pain - so I always just
leave the A0 (36") rolls installed.

With ours at least I don't think the inks
are UV cured.  They smell like they have a
solvent in them rather than just water
based though.  We did not get any special
options with it for printing on anything
but paper/vinyl - so the UV curing must be
special.

The carts for this one are a box about 1-2
liters in volume.  Don't think they are
all ink inside though as they dont weight
2 kilograms.  The light Cyan cart is 95%
empty so I will investigate further when
I swap it in the next few weeks.








--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "lcdpublishing"
<lcdpublishing@...> wrote:
>
> This printer is the DesignJet 500.  I think the ink tanks are around 
> $30.00 or so.  That's the funny part about this printer. It doesn't 
> get much use at all. I only print about 30 line drawings on about 5 
> times a year. So, most of the ink it's used has leaked out or is 
> sitting in that ink well :-(
> 
> The ink tanks are big, much bigger than the ones we use on desktop 
> printers. So, it it isn't leaking, they last a long time - I can't 
> remember the last time I bought some.
> 
> Seeing as this printer is 24" wide, and I don't know the minimum 
> size it can print on (I am always printing from a 24" roll), I don't 
> know if I can feed a small sheet through it.  How big of a sheet of 
> that PCB material do you have?
> 
> Chris
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Myc Holmes" 
> <mycroft2152y@> wrote:
> >
> > I think almost any UV source would work, probably not LEDs. 
> Exposure time
> > will be dependant on the source and the thickness of the ink. Put 
> it out on
> > a sunny day. :)
> > 
> > What is the model # and how much are the cartridges. What do you 
> use to
> > clean up the mes? Just curious.
> > 
> > If you really get annoyed one day, I can send you some paper thin 
> pcb
> > material. It feeds through an regular inkjet and laser printer 
> just fine.
> > 
> > Myc
> > 
> > On 7/25/06, lcdpublishing <lcdpublishing@> wrote:
> > >
> > >   Mycroft,
> > >
> > > I am not certain of the INK, my only exposure with it is when I 
> have
> > > problems with that printer and usually it's a messy problem!!!!!!
> > >
> > > That printer has a problem that i have yet to figure out. When
> > > printing some drawings, it seems as though it is pissing out ink
> > > like a race horse. I end up with drops of black ink everywhere.
> > > The ink-well where I think the head goes for cleaning is now so 
> full
> > > it is leaking onto the floor - just noticed that this morning.
> > >
> > > HP says it has a leaking hose - hogwash I say. I think something
> > > else is wrong based on my observations. HP also wants $170.00 for
> > > the stupid hoses so that I can replace them to "See if that 
> corrects
> > > the problem".
> > >
> > > Anyway, what I am getting to is this. Usually the mess I find is
> > > large drops of ink. Just guessing, I would say it is thicker than
> > > Epson ink - just a hunch though. Furthermore, the spilled ink 
> never
> > > seems to dry - it's just a big ole mess.
> > >
> > > If the printer acts up on a day when I am in a really bad mood 
> (like
> > > what has been happening lately alot), I may end up running a PCB
> > > through that damn thing just to see if it will work for our 
> process.
> > >
> > > I really don't know much more about that printer. It's big, it's
> > > expensive, it makes big messes, it annoys the heck out of me, 
> but I
> > > need it for business.
> > >
> > > The next time it "Leaks ink from the hose", I will try to scoop 
> some
> > > up and put it on a PCB to test. However, how would I cure the 
> ink?
> > > What would I use for a UV light source for something like that?
> > >
> > > Chris
> > >
> > > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%
> 40yahoogroups.com>,
> > > "Myc Holmes"
> > >
> > > <mycroft2152y@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I would think a UV cure system would be they way to go. You 
> could
> > > even
> > > > 'cure' the board outside the printer. Unless your are very
> > > careful, light
> > > > 'spillage" in the printer will cure the ink on the head or glue
> > > the head to
> > > > excess ink pad.
> > > >
> > > > The high solids UV cure systems are used to reduce VOC 
> (Volatile
> > > Organic
> > > > compounds) emissions in industry to meet air quality standards.
> > > These still
> > > > do have minor amounts of solvents and tend to be very viscous
> > > (thick).
> > > >
> > > > Chris, have you ever looked at the ink used in the HP? how 
> does it
> > > compare
> > > > to the MIS or Epson ink as far as viscosity (flow
> > > characteristics)? Is the
> > > > inkjet head heated? What kind of cleaning cycle does it use?
> > > >
> > > > So what is needed? Starting with an Epson piezo print head, you
> > > need a
> > > > fluid that has the same flow and drying characteristics as the
> > > pigment ink.
> > > > That means, water based, small particle size, and 'slow' 
> drying.
> > > Also it has
> > > > to have the proper wetting out characteristics and adhesion to 
> the
> > > prepared
> > > > copper pcb, both before and after the cure step. Of course it 
> has
> > > to be
> > > > applied in a layer thick enough and durable to survive the 
> etching
> > > bath.
> > > >
> > > > Finally, it has to be KISS simple, inexpensive and easily
> > > available.
> > > >
> > > > I've been thinking about this for quite a while, and the only
> > > possibility
> > > > that I have been able to come up with, short of specially
> > > compounding, is
> > > > the spray-on photo sensitizing liquid for pcbs. It has the 
> proper
> > > after
> > > > printer characteristics. the question is what needs to be done 
> to
> > > get it
> > > > through the EPSON print head successfully.
> > > >
> > > > Up until just recently, I have not had an Epson printer to
> > > experiment with,
> > > > only the Lexmarks's that use the vaporized droplet method. 
> Since
> > > there are 6
> > > > separate heads on the R220, I think a few could be sacrificed 
> to
> > > try this.
> > > >
> > > > Myc
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 7/25/06, Leon Heller <leon.heller@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "lcdpublishing" <lcdpublishing@ <lcdpublishing%
> > > 40yahoo.com>
> > > > > >
> > > > > To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%
> 40yahoogroups.com><Homebrew_PCBs%
> > > 40yahoogroups.com>>
> > > > > Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 1:12 PM
> > > > > Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Epson R220 PCB printing Report 
> #1
> > > > >
> > > > > >I would suspect that you would be better off finding/using 
> a UV
> > > > > > cured Ink. My large HP Printer (24" wide) uses UV cured 
> ink but
> > > > > > being a big and expensive printer, I have not yet had the
> > > courage to
> > > > > > try and run a PCB through it.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > With that system, if I understand it correctly, the print 
> head
> > > puts
> > > > > > the ink on the paper, and next to the print head is a UV 
> light
> > > > > > source that cures it instantly.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Some day I would like get the guts up to run a PCB through 
> it,
> > > but
> > > > > > that won't happen anytime soon I am afraid.
> > > > >
> > > > > That's how industrial ink jet printers work, for printing on 
> all
> > > sorts of
> > > > > materials, including PCBs.
> > > > >
> > > > > Leon
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > >
> > >
> > >  
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>