Homebrew PCBs

Well, I learned a few things today. The most important lesson was that parchment paper does work but I had to use a roller after running it through the laminator 10 times. I also learned that 15 minutes in the freezer was enough.

Using some used ferric chloride, I etched a small copper plate for 12 minutes. It took off maybe 0.001" of metal which is certainly enough to see the raised letters. Maybe of more surprise was that the toner did not break down. The solution was at ambient temperature which is about 106° since I was outside here in Phoenix.

Without using the roller, the toner would not transfer from parchment paper to copper plate. I also had zero luck with Avery label backing paper. I used a single piece of 3M magic tape over the 1/4" x 3/4" piece of artwork and that worked fine. Maybe a lower quality tape would fall off in the freezer. That would be nice.

Rick

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rick Sparber
Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 7:58 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Easy Fast Laser Print DIY Circuit Boards - Dave's toner-transfer freezing technique

The test has begun. I printed out some artwork using Microsoft Word and my HP laser printer. I'm using silicone based parchment paper. The artwork is mostly black with white letters so the letters should etch out. I used the "WordArt" feature inside Word to mirror image the text.

I cut out one of the four test coupons and taped it at the ends on a piece of thin copper plate. I'm using 3M Matte Finish Magic Tape.

I then ran it through my laminator 10 times. It is now in the freezer with 21 minutes to go. 

One mistake I think I made was to not tape it all the way around. Before placing in the freezer, I saw places on the side where the artwork lifted up. If this is a show stopper, I will clean off the copper and use another coupon. 

Using the laminator is pure genus!

Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David Pickering
Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 1:07 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Easy Fast Laser Print DIY Circuit Boards - Dave's toner-transfer freezing technique

That's the one Robin
As I said it does come in rolls and its quite thin so you will need to flatten it out, if in no rush just put it between some books for a couple of days, if urgent just run it through the laminator a couple of times


________________________________
 From: Robin Whittle <rw@firstpr.com.au>
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Tuesday, 30 July 2013, 8:05
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Easy Fast Laser Print DIY Circuit Boards - Dave's toner-transfer freezing technique
 


  
Hi Dave,

Thanks - I ordered this material:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170900415631

A4 10Pcs Sheets Heat Toner Transfer Paper For DIY
PCB Electronic Prototype

1,677 sold.  It cost AUD$2.21 including shipping from Hong Kong from
seller http://myworld.ebay.com/shcfstore.

- Robin

On 2013-07-30 4:39 PM, David Pickering wrote:

> The paper and supplier that I have been using is on the page you 
> sent marked dib-bid and the suppliers name is shcfstore.


 

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



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