Homebrew PCBs

Steve wrote:
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Alan King <alan@n...> wrote:
> 
> 
>>   The Alps printers are full page, discontinued but plenty of them
> 
> kicking 
> 
>>around for decal use.  
> 
> 
> Someone already tried. The heads are only designed to print onto paper
> so they just don't put out enough heat, the copper sucks heat away to
> quickly.

   They do their metal foil well enough, but copper clad may be a bit much.

> 
> I figured a CD printer already has to handle a thick plastic CD, so
> perhaps preheating the PCB might work in a CD printer.
> 

   Thickness isn't so much the issue as the heat then, and CD's will still be 
much less conductive than the copper, so likely won't work.  Still shouldn't 
hurt to try it though.

   Still I've just got to take some time and pull one of my lasers apart. 
What's been discussed earlier has some reasonable chance of working, and the 
results with a $100 or less used printer will be so good as to make worrying 
with a different type printer a bit of a stretch.  Nothing ink jet is likely to 
work, the etchant will solve most anything water soluable and the non-water 
based stuff will be too thick for the jets.  And even if it works the wax ribbon 
types tend to have rather high costs.

Alan