Homebrew_PCBs

I finally assembled all the pieces necessary to try out printing pcbs
with the EPSN R220, printer, three kinds of yellow ink, spare
cartridges and cartridge resetter.

I set up the R220 using some aftermarket dye ink cartridges (12 carts
for $20) to get a feel for how it ran and to do some general print
tests before actually going to pcbs.

The first thing that I noticed was the cheap cartridges did not match
the EPSON ink colors, the greys were very green and overall the
brightness was lacking. You get wht you pay for.

I then started to try some CD printing using the tray. I tried to
print a word document onto a CD using the tray, but received and error
message to close the CD tray and try again. :(

I then loaded the CD print software and tried it out. It great for
printing CD's but has a slight problem, it leaves a hole in the center
of the image. You can adjust the hole size but there is a minimum
value. The software is just too smart to let you print on the hub. Not
very good, unless you want skinny pcbs.

I then bought and downloaded the Epson R220 service manual and looked
at the schematics for sensing the tray vs paper. There are a couple of
switches involved and it appears some timing issues from the error
messages. It still may be hackable and worth some more effort.

Ideally, there is some software that will let you print over the hole.
I'll be looking at a few packages next.

I'll keep you posted

Myc

> The first thing that I noticed was the cheap cartridges did not match
> the EPSON ink colors, the greys were very green and overall the
> brightness was lacking. You get wht you pay for.

same as my 900.

>
> I then started to try some CD printing using the tray. I tried to
> print a word document onto a CD using the tray, but received and error
> message to close the CD tray and try again. :(
>

The 900 is not that intelligent.

> I then loaded the CD print software and tried it out. It great for
> printing CD's but has a slight problem, it leaves a hole in the center
> of the image. You can adjust the hole size but there is a minimum
> value. The software is just too smart to let you print on the hub. Not
> very good, unless you want skinny pcbs.

Or pcb's with a DMZ in the middle, or space for a big mounting hole...

>
> Ideally, there is some software that will let you print over the hole.
> I'll be looking at a few packages next.
>

I use jasc PSP 7.04 and tell it the 900 has a4 in, then load the tray,
and for cd's I print in the top corner of the a4 onscreen image, I
have made up a two layer image, layer 2 just contains a circle that is
aligned for the cd, I then drop the image I want on the cd into layer
1 and print layer 1 only, printed pcb's the same way, but I only have
dye inks so its not staying on the pcb.

works evertime though, epson 900, ebay, nuff said.

The error message while using the tray was due to the tray not positioned
perfectly. The R220 seems fussy that way. so I tried again.

Your post beat me to the punch :)

I have just printed using Diptrace ( a pcb program) directly onto a cd. I'm
right now creating the mask to use on the printout almost exacltly as you
described..

Myc

On 8/7/06, Lez <lez.briddon@...> wrote:
>
> > The first thing that I noticed was the cheap cartridges did not match
> > the EPSON ink colors, the greys were very green and overall the
> > brightness was lacking. You get wht you pay for.
>
> same as my 900.
>
>
> >
> > I then started to try some CD printing using the tray. I tried to
> > print a word document onto a CD using the tray, but received and error
> > message to close the CD tray and try again. :(
> >
>
> The 900 is not that intelligent.
>
>
> > I then loaded the CD print software and tried it out. It great for
> > printing CD's but has a slight problem, it leaves a hole in the center
> > of the image. You can adjust the hole size but there is a minimum
> > value. The software is just too smart to let you print on the hub. Not
> > very good, unless you want skinny pcbs.
>
> Or pcb's with a DMZ in the middle, or space for a big mounting hole...
>
>
> >
> > Ideally, there is some software that will let you print over the hole.
> > I'll be looking at a few packages next.
> >
>
> I use jasc PSP 7.04 and tell it the 900 has a4 in, then load the tray,
> and for cd's I print in the top corner of the a4 onscreen image, I
> have made up a two layer image, layer 2 just contains a circle that is
> aligned for the cd, I then drop the image I want on the cd into layer
> 1 and print layer 1 only, printed pcb's the same way, but I only have
> dye inks so its not staying on the pcb.
>
> works evertime though, epson 900, ebay, nuff said.
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Yup these 200/220/900 seem to be an instant pcb printer waiting to be
converted.

I just wished I could make my own super ink from houshold chemicals from
asda(uk walmart without guns)


Lez


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Lez,

I've always thought that the R220 had possibilites.

It's been proven that the yellow MIS pigment ink when cured properly will
act as a resist on pcb's. Stefan managed to duplicate Volkan's work using a
highly modified C88.

The next step for me is to replace the black dye ink cartridge with one
filled with the Yellow MIS ink.

Myc

On 8/7/06, Lez <lez.briddon@...> wrote:
>
> Yup these 200/220/900 seem to be an instant pcb printer waiting to be
> converted.
>
> I just wished I could make my own super ink from houshold chemicals from
> asda(uk walmart without guns)
>
> Lez
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:26:14 +0200, Lez <lez.briddon@...> wrote:

> Yup these 200/220/900 seem to be an instant pcb printer waiting to be
> converted.
> I just wished I could make my own super ink from houshold chemicals from
> asda(uk walmart without guns)
> Lez

Or you could just change your buying habits this once ;-)

ST

On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:37:44 +0200, Myc Holmes <mycroft2152y@...>
wrote:

> Hi Lez,
> I've always thought that the R220 had possibilites.
> It's been proven that the yellow MIS pigment ink when cured properly will
> act as a resist on pcb's. Stefan managed to duplicate Volkan's work
> using a
> highly modified C88.
> The next step for me is to replace the black dye ink cartridge with one
> filled with the Yellow MIS ink.
> Myc

A C84, but yes, very highly modified.

I was thinking, the CD tray must have some depression for the CD in the
middle, no?
Could you just modify this tray so this depression is much larger, for a
PCB?

Maybe cut it out and add a thin backing sheet or something...

Can you make pictures of this tray?

ST

Pictire of the tray added to files.

Myc

On 8/7/06, Stefan Trethan <stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:37:44 +0200, Myc Holmes <mycroft2152y@...>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi Lez,
> > I've always thought that the R220 had possibilites.
> > It's been proven that the yellow MIS pigment ink when cured properly
> will
> > act as a resist on pcb's. Stefan managed to duplicate Volkan's work
> > using a
> > highly modified C88.
> > The next step for me is to replace the black dye ink cartridge with one
> > filled with the Yellow MIS ink.
> > Myc
>
>
> A C84, but yes, very highly modified.
>
> I was thinking, the CD tray must have some depression for the CD in the
> middle, no?
> Could you just modify this tray so this depression is much larger, for a
> PCB?
>
> Maybe cut it out and add a thin backing sheet or something...
>
> Can you make pictures of this tray?
>
> ST
>
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and
> Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>
> If Files or Photos are running short of space, post them here:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs_Archives/
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

In article <eb83ot+bf1k@...>,
lcdpublishing <lcdpublishing@...> wrote:

> DOn't worry about those guns, they won't hurt you unless you play
> with them ;-0

It's someone else "playing with them" that worries me.