Homebrew PCBs

Grant,

I'm glad you mentioned the isue of PCBs exiting the laminator; I'll 
watch for it when I do my ocnversion.

Phil, you achieved 2 microns resolution? That is really great!

I've been using 0.032" PCBs so far.

Mike


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "grantfair2001" 
<grant.fair@s...> wrote:
> Phil - I too found the instructions without pictures frustrating, 
but
> did manage to get the conversion done - but not as quickly as Frank
> (Pulsar) predicted though.
> 
> I did have a problem Frank did not mention. The PCB's (64 thou) 
would
> not go through most of the time! I did some damage to the rollers
> though they seem to work ok in spite of that. Eventually I 
determined
> that the two plates at the rear of the roller were too close 
together
> and so were preventing the PCB's from passing. 
> 
> It was simple enough (when I finally figured it out) to shim the top
> plate up (closer to the roller) at a slight angle with some little
> pieces of 30 thou PCB, inserted at the two back retaining slots or
> whatever you call them. Since then there has been no problem. I 
wonder
> if some of your mechanical? problems might be related to that.
> 
> I have found that most of my PCB's only need one or two passes. 
Three
> is the most I have ever used. The biggest board I have done so far 
is
> about 2.7 by 5.2", so maybe that's a factor. Bigger boards will 
aborb
> more heat, or need more heat to reach a given temperature than 
smaller
> boards, right?
> 
> I know different toners have different melt/fuse temperatures. I am
> using a Panasonic KXP-6500 laser printer, and the prescribed 
Panasonic
> toner. I am using Pulsar (formerly Dyna-Art) paper. I am using 64 
thou
> PCB material (which is apparently only 60 thou, so maybe I did not
> need to modify the thing).
> 
> Another possible variable is the preparation of the PCB surface - I
> use SOS pads to remove oxidation, dirt and grease. They leave the
> surface clean and shiny but with some scratching though that's 
really
> not the right term, just that the copper is very slightly roughened.
> 
> I find that the laminator is much better than ironing for me, in 
terms
> of consistency, and complete, undistorted toner transfer to the PCB.
> It sounds like you are having a lot more frustration than I am. I 
hope
> the group can figure out some solutions to these difficulties.
> 
> Grant
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Phil" <phil1960us@y...> 
wrote:
> > Well, I finally broke down and bought one of these on sale from 
> > Staples  ($65 + tax).  
> > 
> > Overall, I like it but it did take some getting used to and its 
far 
> > from perfect.
> [snip]