Homebrew PCBs

Yes, Kenny, I am definitely interested in seeing the pics of the PCBs
your working on.   It would be great if you could post them on the web
with a brief writeup.

Somewhere on the web, I read about a process for transferring toner
from paper to copper that sounds even better than a laminating machine.

It involves getting two fairly thick rectangular slabs or "boards" of
aluminum, putting bolts through the four corners, and wingnuts on the
bolts.  Then you can sandwich your copper board with toner paper on it
in between the two aluminum boards and crank the wingnuts down to
apply constant pressure to the sandwich.   Then you put the whole
thing in the oven and bake it until the toner transfers successfully
to the copper.    Aluminum is a very good conductor of heat, as well
as of electrons.    Fry bacon in an iron skillet; then fry bacon in an
aluminum skillet, and you'll see what I mean.

This way sounds easier.   Once you figure out the time and
temperature, you should be able to get consistency.      Sorry, I
don't remember the URL where I saw it.   For my first time, I am going
to just use the iron.  Maybe somebody else here has tried this method
and can enlighten me.

Alan

I would expect trouble from uneven pressure with this setup.
If you bake long enough iron plates should work the same.

ST

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 17:14:18 +0100, alan00463 <alan00463@...> wrote:

> Yes, Kenny, I am definitely interested in seeing the pics of the PCBs
>
> your working on.   It would be great if you could post them on the web
>
> with a brief writeup.
>
>
> Somewhere on the web, I read about a process for transferring toner
>
> from paper to copper that sounds even better than a laminating machine.
>
>
> It involves getting two fairly thick rectangular slabs or "boards" of
>
> aluminum, putting bolts through the four corners, and wingnuts on the
>
> bolts.  Then you can sandwich your copper board with toner paper on it
>
> in between the two aluminum boards and crank the wingnuts down to
>
> apply constant pressure to the sandwich.   Then you put the whole
>
> thing in the oven and bake it until the toner transfers successfully
>
> to the copper.    Aluminum is a very good conductor of heat, as well
>
> as of electrons.    Fry bacon in an iron skillet; then fry bacon in an
>
> aluminum skillet, and you'll see what I mean.
>
>
> This way sounds easier.   Once you figure out the time and
>
> temperature, you should be able to get consistency.      Sorry, I
>
> don't remember the URL where I saw it.   For my first time, I am going
>
> to just use the iron.  Maybe somebody else here has tried this method
>
> and can enlighten me.
>
>
> Alan

That is an interesting idea, nonetheless. I was looking at laminators 
in an Office Depot catalog. They talk about up to 7 mils thick... I 
read an article in Circuit Cellar magazine where the author mentioned 
he used a "modified" laminating machine. I've got to find info on what 
machine to buy, what to modify, etc. I'm sure it is in these posts 
somewhere. I just haven't found time to read search through the old 
posts yet. Until then, I'll keep ironing...

kennytrussell(kenneth.trussell@...) is reported to have said:
> That is an interesting idea, nonetheless. I was looking at laminators 
> in an Office Depot catalog. They talk about up to 7 mils thick... I 
> read an article in Circuit Cellar magazine where the author mentioned 
> he used a "modified" laminating machine. I've got to find info on what 
> machine to buy, what to modify, etc. I'm sure it is in these posts 
> somewhere. I just haven't found time to read search through the old 
> posts yet. Until then, I'll keep ironing...
> 
I think I read the same article.  You might want to look at 
<http://www.pulsar.gs/PCB/>  for info on the "modified" laminating
machine.

I just got one but have yet to try it out.  Seems ok at $49.95 but
uses only the .32" pc board material.  Lots of info there anyway.

Happy New Year

Wayne

Don't forget to check the Links section of the list. That's what it's
there for.

And if you have a good link and don't see it, add it. If you can't
decide on a suitable folder, put it in the root Links and I'll find it
and move it or create a new folder.

Steve Greenfield
Listowner

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "kennytrussell"
<kenneth.trussell@t...> wrote:

>
> That is an interesting idea, nonetheless. I was looking at laminators 
> in an Office Depot catalog. They talk about up to 7 mils thick... I 
> read an article in Circuit Cellar magazine where the author mentioned 
> he used a "modified" laminating machine. I've got to find info on what 
> machine to buy, what to modify, etc. I'm sure it is in these posts 
> somewhere. I just haven't found time to read search through the old 
> posts yet. Until then, I'll keep ironing...
>

Wayne,
That looks like a very good site for information. I might have to try 
their laminating machine. I just made the 1st board using 1/32" 
material. I certainly don't like it as well as the 1/16" but I can 
live with it. Let us know how the machine works for you.
36 minuts to New Year!

Kenny

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Wayne Topa <linuxone@i...> wrote:

> I think I read the same article.  You might want to look at 
> <http://www.pulsar.gs/PCB/>  for info on the "modified" laminating
> machine.
> 
> I just got one but have yet to try it out.  Seems ok at $49.95 but
> uses only the .32" pc board material.  Lots of info there anyway.
> 
> Happy New Year
> 
> Wayne
>

Thanks, Steve. I just discovered this list a couple of weeks ago. I 
have been hesitant to post because I just haven't had the time to look 
over the links and other archived items. I hate to start asking or 
saying things that have already been said. When I saw the questions by 
Alan, for some reason, I just jumped in and now have posted a lot!! I 
look forward to more time to browse the info you have collected.  I 
wish I had discovered this group a long time ago!
Thanks!
Kenny

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <alienrelics@y...> wrote:
>
> Don't forget to check the Links section of the list. That's what it's
> there for.
> 
> And if you have a good link and don't see it, add it. If you can't
> decide on a suitable folder, put it in the root Links and I'll find 
it

> and move it or create a new folder.
> 
> Steve Greenfield
> Listowner

Do any of you guys have any trouble with the thick photo paper trying 
to bubble or lift from the hot PCB or substrate when you stop ironing? 
If so, have you figured out any solutions. I think the aluminum panel 
labels I've been messing with are the worst, maybe because the metal 
heats so well, and the paper cools off quicker.(?)

I've still got my new roll of Reynolds release, and have noted down 
two papers people were using here that I haven't tried, so maybe a 
different one won't be as bad. I'm usually using Staples photo paper 
and JetPrint for labels sometimes (no residue wanted).

I've also gotten my toner technique down to where I'm not really too 
interested in moving to anything else, but I'm always interested in 
improvements or tips. I'd really like to get it to the point where I 
can do decent transfers to lots of different stuff without too many 
test runs.

BTW- I noticed a big difference after JBWelding an eighth inch 
aluminum base to my iron. I think the holes and the inconsistency of 
the iron's heating element can really screw some stuff up. I was 
wondering once about squashing boards into a modded George Foreman 
type thing or an electric waffle maker, but anything small enough to 
do that with isn't much trouble with the iron.

On the bolted plates- I do a bunch of cabinetry and have to rig up 
weird clamp arrangements like that sometimes. I've gotten wary of 
hold-downs which overlap the item(s) being clamped. I usually try to 
shim the center up a bit thicker, to make sure that pulling down on 
the edges doesn't loosen up all the clamp pressure there. That would 
be too much of a "crap shoot" solution for PCB work, but with thick 
enough clamp material, it would probably stay relatively flat on it's 
own anyway.

Happy New Year!

George