Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Bob Macklin <rottenrobbie0@...>
wrote:
>
> I read something on a web page about transfering the
> image with a solvent pen. I tried it with acetone and
> the image transfered very nicely.

I have seen the results of color toner transfer from paper to a t-shirt
that was done with xylene to lift the toner off its substrate.  I have
not tried it with copper.  I presume that the solvent-paper reaction is
the important one and that the toner will preferentially deposit onto
the copper.  As the original poster mentioned, fusing may still be
required.

To save you the work, here's the Wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylene.

Xylene is probably the most hazardous of the over-the-counter solvents. 
This puts it into the moderately-hazardous category.  It's worse than
denatured alcohol but better than toluene or benzene.  If you can safely
work with lacquer thinner, you can safely work with xylene.  It causes
contact dermatitis (wear gloves) and is a CNS depressant (wear a
VOC-filtered mask).  Use adequate ventilation, etc., etc.  If you don't
know how to work with these kinds of chemicals, then don't work with
them.  I've used them over the years, always with safety gear.

Xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon, while acetone is a ketone.  They'll
have both similarities and differences; I can't say which is better.

I started a new thread to allow folks who would like to try this and
report their results to do so in a single place.