Homebrew PCBs

A while ago I tested various inkjets and transparency films for fining what gave 
the best quality phototmask. The Epson Stylus with epson ink and epson 
transparencies gave the best results. The HP-deskjet with HP black ink on any 
brand of transparency was not as dense due to millions of micro pinholes and has 
a bit of ink splattering. I also tried about 4 different refill brands for Epson 
and none gave the results as Epson ink. Calidad refill ink for epson was the 
best and found to be completely suitable,  the only difference I could see was a 
slight reduction in darkness. The three other refill brands (no name brands) I 
tried were either noticeably lighter, splattered ink or formed micro pinholes 
when printing on Epson transparencies.

The published DPI numbers of inkjet printers are meaningless for black and white 
printing. I can't remember how they define dpi but I know its not pixel 
resolution. From my tests, the Epson 720, 1440, and 2880 dpi modes all achieve a 
fixed 720 x 720 true resolution. Higher horizontal resolutions are simulated 
during photo printing by controlling drop size. The quantity of ink output for 
1440 and 2880 dpi mode is larger than 720 dpi mode.
The ink droplets land on the printing surface with a random direction causing 
line edge jaggedness. Line edge jaggedness is the major factor effecting how 
close tracks and spaces can be apart.

I started to write a web page of all my results of testing inkjets and 
phototmask. If people are still interest in creating phototmask from inkjet 
printers I can finish writing it and put it online.

Adam

nf1z wrote:

> On a similar note, I recently used two different inkjet printers, an 
> Epson 600 and an HP 625C, to print on decal paper.  The similarity is 
> that you want dense printing, as high resolution as possible, but the 
> difference is that decals are usually in color.
> 
> I found no discernible differnce between the two printers, and no 
> discernible increase in quality beyond 720 dpi.  Does this mean the 
> 1440 resolution is just hype?  Or maybe my software was not up to it.
> 
> I was using the cheapest of aftermarket ink in the Epson, but real HP 
> ink in the Deskjet - no discernible difference.  The only 
> disadvantage of the "clone" ink is that it tends to need cleaning of 
> the jets more often.  That's for color ink:  for black, the clone ink 
> isn't quite as dense, in my experience.
> 
> BTW, I had to get more ink for the HP in a hurry, so paid full price 
> for HP ink.  Two cartridges for about $32 + $26 = $58 (plus tax).  
> Epson is a little cheaper, but not much.  I noticed that CompUsa is 
> offering the HP Deskjet 3320 1200x600 dpi for $50, so I'm wondering 
> why I didn't buy another printer, instead of the ink.  To be honest, 
> the $50 deskjet ships with a single ink cartridge, so you don't get 
> true black without adding another cartridge ($22 additional).  Still, 
> and interesting situation for one who bought his first dot matrix 
> printer when they came down below $500...
> 
> Take it easy,
> Jed.
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Russell <rjshaw@i...> wrote:
> 
>>Les Newell wrote:
>>
>>>Hi all,
>>>Does anyone have a favourite make of inkjet film for printing 
>>
> artwork? It
> 
>>>looks to be expensive stuff so I would like to use a brand that 
>>
> others have
> 
>>>had success with. I am using a Lexmark Z25 printer if it makes any
>>>difference.
>>
>>I use epson over-head transparencies. They have a smooth coating 
> 
> that
> 
>>absorbs the ink, eliminating all pin-holes. It costs more than the 
> 
> printer
> 
>>($3 per sheet), but i can make 30 sheets last a year or more. 
> 
> First, print
> 
>>the pcb onto paper in economy mode (to save ink). Cut out some 
> 
> transparency
> 
>>and sticky-tape it over the paper printout area. Feed back into the 
> 
> printer
> 
>>and print using the highest resolution black ink setting. The 
> 
> transparency
> 
>>off-cuts can be used for other boards. Unfortunately, refill ink 
> 
> gives bad
> 
>>results, so i have to use the genuine epson stuff. With this 
> 
> combination,
> 
>>you can do ~5mil tracks at 720dpi. To minimize ink costs, i got two 
> 
> printers
> 
>>the same (epson stylus colour 400 which are really cheap in the 
> 
> trading post).
> 
>>One is only used for PCB printing using the expensive ink and the 
> 
> other does
> 
>>the usual day-to-day printing using crap refill ink.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Bookmarks and files:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
> 
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> 
>  
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
> 
>

Iwouldbe interested. Any information would be very welcome.

Thanks,
Les


> A while ago I tested various inkjets and transparency films for fining
what gave
> the best quality phototmask. The Epson Stylus with epson ink and epson
> transparencies gave the best results. The HP-deskjet with HP black ink on
any
> brand of transparency was not as dense due to millions of micro pinholes
and has
> a bit of ink splattering. I also tried about 4 different refill brands for
Epson
> and none gave the results as Epson ink. Calidad refill ink for epson was
the
> best and found to be completely suitable,  the only difference I could see
was a
> slight reduction in darkness. The three other refill brands (no name
brands) I
> tried were either noticeably lighter, splattered ink or formed micro
pinholes
> when printing on Epson transparencies.
>
> The published DPI numbers of inkjet printers are meaningless for black and
white
> printing. I can't remember how they define dpi but I know its not pixel
> resolution. From my tests, the Epson 720, 1440, and 2880 dpi modes all
achieve a
> fixed 720 x 720 true resolution. Higher horizontal resolutions are
simulated
> during photo printing by controlling drop size. The quantity of ink output
for
> 1440 and 2880 dpi mode is larger than 720 dpi mode.
> The ink droplets land on the printing surface with a random direction
causing
> line edge jaggedness. Line edge jaggedness is the major factor effecting
how
> close tracks and spaces can be apart.
>
> I started to write a web page of all my results of testing inkjets and
> phototmask. If people are still interest in creating phototmask from
inkjet
> printers I can finish writing it and put it online.
>
> Adam
>
> nf1z wrote:
> > On a similar note, I recently used two different inkjet printers, an
> > Epson 600 and an HP 625C, to print on decal paper.  The similarity is
> > that you want dense printing, as high resolution as possible, but the
> > difference is that decals are usually in color.
> >
> > I found no discernible differnce between the two printers, and no
> > discernible increase in quality beyond 720 dpi.  Does this mean the
> > 1440 resolution is just hype?  Or maybe my software was not up to it.
> >
> > I was using the cheapest of aftermarket ink in the Epson, but real HP
> > ink in the Deskjet - no discernible difference.  The only
> > disadvantage of the "clone" ink is that it tends to need cleaning of
> > the jets more often.  That's for color ink:  for black, the clone ink
> > isn't quite as dense, in my experience.
> >
> > BTW, I had to get more ink for the HP in a hurry, so paid full price
> > for HP ink.  Two cartridges for about $32 + $26 = $58 (plus tax).
> > Epson is a little cheaper, but not much.  I noticed that CompUsa is
> > offering the HP Deskjet 3320 1200x600 dpi for $50, so I'm wondering
> > why I didn't buy another printer, instead of the ink.  To be honest,
> > the $50 deskjet ships with a single ink cartridge, so you don't get
> > true black without adding another cartridge ($22 additional).  Still,
> > and interesting situation for one who bought his first dot matrix
> > printer when they came down below $500...
> >
> > Take it easy,
> > Jed.
> >
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Russell <rjshaw@i...> wrote:
> >
> >>Les Newell wrote:
> >>
> >>>Hi all,
> >>>Does anyone have a favourite make of inkjet film for printing
> >>
> > artwork? It
> >
> >>>looks to be expensive stuff so I would like to use a brand that
> >>
> > others have
> >
> >>>had success with. I am using a Lexmark Z25 printer if it makes any
> >>>difference.
> >>
> >>I use epson over-head transparencies. They have a smooth coating
> >
> > that
> >
> >>absorbs the ink, eliminating all pin-holes. It costs more than the
> >
> > printer
> >
> >>($3 per sheet), but i can make 30 sheets last a year or more.
> >
> > First, print
> >
> >>the pcb onto paper in economy mode (to save ink). Cut out some
> >
> > transparency
> >
> >>and sticky-tape it over the paper printout area. Feed back into the
> >
> > printer
> >
> >>and print using the highest resolution black ink setting. The
> >
> > transparency
> >
> >>off-cuts can be used for other boards. Unfortunately, refill ink
> >
> > gives bad
> >
> >>results, so i have to use the genuine epson stuff. With this
> >
> > combination,
> >
> >>you can do ~5mil tracks at 720dpi. To minimize ink costs, i got two
> >
> > printers
> >
> >>the same (epson stylus colour 400 which are really cheap in the
> >
> > trading post).
> >
> >>One is only used for PCB printing using the expensive ink and the
> >
> > other does
> >
> >>the usual day-to-day printing using crap refill ink.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Bookmarks and files:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

> >
> >
>
>
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Bookmarks and files:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>