Homebrew PCBs

...so to clean up the problem, and not to argue...

I can make small board with toner transfer metod. Fine traces aren't 
problem.
I can make small board with sensitived board and printed transparency on 
laser Fine traces aren't problem.

... But I have problem with accuarcy. If I draw rectangle 200mm x 200mm 
and then print that and then measure that, the dimennsion is not right. 
With few prints made with same settings I measure the side from 199.5mm 
up to 201.3mm. I tested 3 printers I own, and LaserJet 1018 and 1020 
works identicaly. The Brother HL2030 is little better (from 200mm to 201.1)

So If I pick some big SOIC or TQFP with side of 20mm the error is aprox 
aprox 0.1mm. It's bare visible with naked eye. So no problem with that.

Then I pick some chip in DIL40. The last pin is aprox 0.4mm off the 
hole. If holes are drilled oversized then package should fit, else wil NOT.

Now I have terminal blocks on the edge of board. I have 20 pins stacked 
(200 mils) and in last pin the difference can be 1mm and it's not 
possible to fit that component.

And other thing is that I drill with CNC. And of course if one side of 
board is ok the other is not.

Why the print's isnt consistent I don't know.
For toner transfer (printing on paper) It can be humidity, but when 
printing on plastic transparency I think the humidity can't be problem. 
As image is more distorted in height I assume that it's printer 
mechanics problem.

As I know that my CNC is way under 0.1mm precission It's logical for me 
to try to use it as photoploter.
The process is slower but got accuracy. So If I need accuracy (large 
board) I should go with photoploter style, for small board's the toner 
transfer is better choice...

I know that my english isn't perfect, but think that majority of people 
will understand me.  ...ker ne govorim kitajsko.


Slavko.