Homebrew PCBs

Thanks Paul .. 
Think it would be worth giving the laminator a try ? 
Do must people on here use a laminator?
Should I preheat the board before feeding it thru?
Or just go with multiple passes?

Randy



----- Original Message ----
From: Paul Mateer <paul.aa9gg@...>
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, February 16, 2011 4:26:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: traces running together

Sounds like to much pressure to me

On Wed, Feb 16, 2011 at 3:16 PM, Randy S. <rj3819@...> wrote:

>
>
> Hi Andrew .. thanks for the reply.. apologies for not providing enough info
> up
> front.
> Using an iron .. though I do have a laminator ..
> Have a piece of aluminum on my waffle maker..
> I let that heat up .. reading the temp .. doesn't go  over 350 ish ..
> PCB ..I use steel wool .. acetone ..
> I read something about wanting small scratches  from like a
> scotch scoring pad so the toner will attach better .. ??
> First one I pressed down hard .. and worked the iron n forth..
> Second one pressed down, but didn't work the iron back n forth ..
> heated the PCB for several minutes... the board sizzled when I quenched it
> ..
> The iron doesn't get hotter than about 400 degrees from what I can
> tell with the laser thermometer.. I'm not at home and don't remember the
> exact temp. I can try to record more exact temps if need. But the all the
> toner
> does transfer, and is on the board good .. just spread out .. for example
> the traces on a 8 PIN DIP are all touching after..
> Again .. its like a copy of a copy to the final kind of thing ..
> That may be bad news .. I will know later tonite..
> When I get a chance to make fresh copies and compare.
>
> I was looking at the copy I used to making the final version to transfer.
> I can see where the gap between the traces is less ..
> SO ... it may be an accumulation of errors stacked against me ..
>
> I am going reprint the original images straight to the paper and compare
> and try those .. is it possible that I have the darkness setting too high?
> That HP laserjet copier / printer does put a lot of toner on the paper on
> the
> darkest setting ..
>
> That's about all I can think of ..
>
> 1.  Should I try the laminator? Suggestions on multiple passes?
> 2.  Lighter setting on the printer / copier?
> 3.  Less pressure, heat or time?
>
> all ideas appreciated .. was wondering if anyone was going to reply .. ;)
> Thanks ..
>
> Randy
>
> ________________________________
> From: Andrew <a_wake@...>
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, February 16, 2011 3:05:35 PM
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: traces running together
>
>
> Randy,
>
> Are you using a laminator or an iron to transfer the image to the board?
> How are
> you prepping the board?
>
> If using an iron, how hot, how long, how hard are you pressing, using the
> flat
> or an edge, etc.?
>
> If using a laminator, how hot, how many passes?
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Randy S." <rj3819@...> wrote:
> >
> > ok .. the glossy laser paper is working fine I think ..
> > however, my pads and traces are running together..
> > Am I pressing too hard ? Is it a product of that
> > toner perhaps? Now.. It is a copy of a copy kind of a thing..
> > Perhaps a fresh print directly to the paper is better ?
> > Help please ?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Randy - N2CUA
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>



-- 
Paul Mateer, AA9GG
Elan Engineering Corp.
www.elanengr.com
NAQCC 3123, SKCC 4628, FPQRP 2003


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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