Homebrew PCBs

I notice Canon isn't on your list. Most of the Canon printers are
built so that although you normally replace just the ink carts, you
can remove and replace the heads as easily as replacing a
cartridge. I don't expect the inks to hold up in water or etchant
any better.

However, it would mean 1. no flushing between carts, just have two
sets of heads and 2. remove and place in the holder you get with a
replacement head, perhaps with a drop of water in the part that
seals around the print nozzles to keep them from clogging.

My Canon BJC6000 has a straight through paper path. I doubt it
could handle 1/16th inch PCB, but I have some PCB that is as thin
as thick cardstock. The heads can be set for cardstock, too. I'm a
bit leary of testing this with my only inkjet, as you can imagine,
as I use it for photo printing. I'm going to keep my eyes open in
the thrift stores for another Canon with straight through paper
path.

Something I suggested before: what about those Alps-based CD
printers? The ones that print wax thermal directly onto a CD?
Modify it slightly to take a square PCB. Only concern is pinholes.
And if that occurs, it might be solved by a short bake cycle.

Those printers aren't cheap, but I can see many advantages over
other methods.

Steve Greenfield

--- Larry Edington <ledington@...> wrote:
> None of the standard Inkjet inks that I tried would even stand up
> to water much less etchant.
> 
> Epson 1520, Epson C80, HP 1000C, Lexmark Waterproof, Generic HP
> refill, Generic Epson refill.
> 
> None of these would withstand ferric chloride or ammonium
> persulfate etchant. 
> 
> A shocking thing I found out is that Sharpie ink which I've used
> for years to touch up boards when etched
> with ferric chloride just floated away in my ammonium persulfate
> etchant.
> 
> later,
> Larry E.


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