Homebrew_PCBs

Hi,

I have been experimenting with inkjet printing and have come up with a
system that works for me. I recently printed 20 boards with 12 thou
track/gap and had no track breaks or shorts.
I have a Lexmark Z25 printer and a home-made light box using 4 x 12W tubes.

Print on to JetStar film with the printer set to maximum quality, photo
paper, using original ink. This puts on so much ink you can actually feel
the tracks if you run your finger over them.
Use Mega Electronics Microtrak board and expose for 5.5 minutes (this will
vary, depending on your light box).
Develop in a tray, tipping the tray backwards and forwards until there are
no more streaks of resist coming off the board. Rinse the board then dip it
in the etch tank tank, remove it immediately and rinse again. The areas to
be etched will now be stained by the etchant so it is easy to see if the
board has exposed correctly and all unwanted resist has been removed.

If all is well then etch the board.

The make of board is important. Microtrak seems to be very tolerant of poor
contrast artwork or incorrect exposure times. If you are having problems
getting a good result it may be worth trying a different make of board. The
quality of the resist seems to vary quite a bit between different makes.

The film came from Rapid electronics http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk Order
number 3041500 for a pack of 10
The board comes from Mega Electronics http://www.megauk.com I had trouble
using their Fotoboard2 but the Microtrak seems to work well.

I hope this info may be of some use to someone.

Les

>From: "Les Newell" <les@...>
>Reply-To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] My recipe for success
>Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 16:08:06 +0100
>
>Hi,
>
>I have been experimenting with inkjet printing and have come up with a
>system that works for me. I recently printed 20 boards with 12 thou
>track/gap and had no track breaks or shorts.
>I have a Lexmark Z25 printer and a home-made light box using 4 x 12W tubes.
>
>Print on to JetStar film with the printer set to maximum quality, photo
>paper, using original ink. This puts on so much ink you can actually feel
>the tracks if you run your finger over them.
>Use Mega Electronics Microtrak board and expose for 5.5 minutes (this will
>vary, depending on your light box).
>Develop in a tray, tipping the tray backwards and forwards until there are
>no more streaks of resist coming off the board. Rinse the board then dip it
>in the etch tank tank, remove it immediately and rinse again. The areas to
>be etched will now be stained by the etchant so it is easy to see if the
>board has exposed correctly and all unwanted resist has been removed.
>
>If all is well then etch the board.
>
>The make of board is important. Microtrak seems to be very tolerant of poor
>contrast artwork or incorrect exposure times. If you are having problems
>getting a good result it may be worth trying a different make of board. The
>quality of the resist seems to vary quite a bit between different makes.
>
>The film came from Rapid electronics http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk
>Order
>number 3041500 for a pack of 10
>The board comes from Mega Electronics http://www.megauk.com I had trouble
>using their Fotoboard2 but the Microtrak seems to work well.

I use Fotoboard and don't have any problems.


Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM Tel: +44 1424 423947
Email:leon_heller@...
My web page: http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

_________________________________________________________________
It's fast, it's easy and it's free. Get MSN Messenger today!
http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger

Hi Leon,
The biggest problem I had with Fotoboard was that the resist seemed to vary
a lot in thickness. I had one panel that was particularly bad. It had a
stripe down the middle that was nearly nonexistent. Paerhaps I got a bad
batch.

Les

>
>
>
> >From: "Les Newell" <les@...>
> >Reply-To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> >To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] My recipe for success
> >Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 16:08:06 +0100
> >
> >Hi,
> >
> >I have been experimenting with inkjet printing and have come up with a
> >system that works for me. I recently printed 20 boards with 12 thou
> >track/gap and had no track breaks or shorts.
> >I have a Lexmark Z25 printer and a home-made light box using 4 x 12W

tubes.

> >
> >Print on to JetStar film with the printer set to maximum quality, photo
> >paper, using original ink. This puts on so much ink you can actually feel
> >the tracks if you run your finger over them.
> >Use Mega Electronics Microtrak board and expose for 5.5 minutes (this

will

> >vary, depending on your light box).
> >Develop in a tray, tipping the tray backwards and forwards until there

are

> >no more streaks of resist coming off the board. Rinse the board then dip

it

> >in the etch tank tank, remove it immediately and rinse again. The areas

to

> >be etched will now be stained by the etchant so it is easy to see if the
> >board has exposed correctly and all unwanted resist has been removed.
> >
> >If all is well then etch the board.
> >
> >The make of board is important. Microtrak seems to be very tolerant of

poor

> >contrast artwork or incorrect exposure times. If you are having problems
> >getting a good result it may be worth trying a different make of board.

The

> >quality of the resist seems to vary quite a bit between different makes.
> >
> >The film came from Rapid electronics http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk
> >Order
> >number 3041500 for a pack of 10
> >The board comes from Mega Electronics http://www.megauk.com I had trouble
> >using their Fotoboard2 but the Microtrak seems to work well.
>
>
> I use Fotoboard and don't have any problems.
>
>
> Leon
> --
> Leon Heller, G1HSM Tel: +44 1424 423947
> Email:leon_heller@...
> My web page: http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> It's fast, it's easy and it's free. Get MSN Messenger today!
> http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger
>
>
>
> 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/
>
>

I use a HP 855 ink Jet with HP Transparencies (tried several other
brands but got best results with the HP Transparencies) Set the
printer settings to best and Transparencies and also set the
intensity to high. With normal setting I would have to put to
together. Also can not print to the HP 855 with my XP machine but
have to go back to my old machine with Win 98 due to the print
driver on the XP machine will not allow me to change these settings.

I use the M.G. Chemicals 600 series pos. resist boards, they seem to
be real consentient other than sometimes the corners are not exactly
SQ. Normally use the 8" x 12" and do several like boards at a time
and cut them apart on a table saw with a diamond blade.

Never use the Microtrack broads, might give them a try as that is
why I got on this group for new ideas. Might also take a look for
some of the JetStar film to see what it is like.

In the resist, it would be best to use a foam brush, and brush the
board lightly while in the resist.



Ben