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[Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

[Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-03-31 by Mark Lerman

Hi All,

Many of you have commented on my series on Instructables detailing my
efforts to use a laser printer to directly print toner on copperclad
boards. Once printed the toner is "fixed" to the PCB with acetone
vapor and then etched as usual. My latest effort:

<http://www.instructables.com/id/Modification-of-the-Pantum-2502W-for-Direct-Laser-/>

uses a laser printer that is available new, with toner, for $25 USD!!
Add a handful of inexpensive parts and you can print DS PCBs for under $40 USD.

Mark

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-03-31 by John

 
From a quick search the Pantum P2502W doesn’t seem to be sold in the UK. 
Does anyone know whether it is available under a different brand name?
 
Thanks,
John
 

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-03-31 by Jeff Heiss

Very nice!  Can you test how it does with thin traces?  Can you print this test artwork .tif?

 

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:59 AM
To: homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

 

 


Hi All,

Many of you have commented on my series on Instructables detailing my
efforts to use a laser printer to directly print toner on copperclad
boards. Once printed the toner is "fixed" to the PCB with acetone
vapor and then etched as usual. My latest effort:

<http://www.instructables.com/id/Modification-of-the-Pantum-2502W-for-Direct-Laser-/>

uses a laser printer that is available new, with toner, for $25 USD!!
Add a handful of inexpensive parts and you can print DS PCBs for under $40 USD.

Mark

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-04-02 by Jeff Heiss

Mark, the Pantum P2502W is on Amazon for $36.99 as of April 1, 2016.  Where did you get yours for $25?  Still a great deal!

 

Have you tried the sample artwork I provided?  How is the experimenting?

 

Jeff

 

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:59 AM
To: homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

 

 


Hi All,

Many of you have commented on my series on Instructables detailing my
efforts to use a laser printer to directly print toner on copperclad
boards. Once printed the toner is "fixed" to the PCB with acetone
vapor and then etched as usual. My latest effort:

<http://www.instructables.com/id/Modification-of-the-Pantum-2502W-for-Direct-Laser-/>

uses a laser printer that is available new, with toner, for $25 USD!!
Add a handful of inexpensive parts and you can print DS PCBs for under $40 USD.

Mark

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-04-02 by gary burford

Hi all I live in the UK , looking for the Pantum 2502w , not known in the UK
but search gives Pantum 2050 , is this the same model & would it work for pcb making
thanks

Sent from my iPhone

On 2 Apr 2016, at 03:25, 'Jeff Heiss' jeff.heiss@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Mark, the Pantum P2502W is on Amazon for $36.99 as of April 1, 2016.  Where did you get yours for $25?  Still a great deal!

 

Have you tried the sample artwork I provided?  How is the experimenting?

 

Jeff

 

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:59 AM
To: homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

 

 


Hi All,

Many of you have commented on my series on Instructables detailing my
efforts to use a laser printer to directly print toner on copperclad
boards. Once printed the toner is "fixed" to the PCB with acetone
vapor and then etched as usual. My latest effort:

<http://www.instructables.com/id/Modification-of-the-Pantum-2502W-for-Direct-Laser-/>

uses a laser printer that is available new, with toner, for $25 USD!!
Add a handful of inexpensive parts and you can print DS PCBs for under $40 USD.

Mark

Re: $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-04-02 by AncelB

This is quite an achievement. Good job.
Don't think I'll go that way though as I have honed single pass, double
sided, registered toner transfers to a repeatable result.
I can do an etched double sided board in about 20 mins.
Ancel

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-04-02 by Mark Lerman

Hi Jeff,

I got them at Newegg, but it might have been a promotional price because I haven't seen them at that price since. Especially with free shipping. They are still available at MicroCenter for $29.95 plus tax. < http://cart.microcenter.com/cart.aspx?RedirectUrl=http://www.microcenter.com
>

I'm not remembering the artwork you refer to. Remind me, please.

What I've found is that most printers can print on copper, except probably HP ones. HP engines seem to print an "outline" of the traces, rather than solid traces. Perhaps changing the high voltage would help, but I haven't tried. There are a lot of inexpensive laser printers that are built like the Pantum, with the printing taking place as the paper moves up the rear of the printer, so I think my technique would probably work with most of them.

Mark

At 10:25 PM 4/1/2016, you wrote:


Mark, the Pantum P2502W is on Amazon for $36.99 as of April 1, 2016.  Where did you get yours for $25?  Still a great deal!
 
Have you tried the sample artwork I provided?  How is the experimenting?
 
Jeff
 
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [ mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:59 AM
To: homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing
 
 


Hi All,

Many of you have commented on my series on Instructables detailing my
efforts to use a laser printer to directly print toner on copperclad
boards. Once printed the toner is "fixed" to the PCB with acetone
vapor and then etched as usual. My latest effort:

< http://www.instructables.com/id/Modification-of-the-Pantum-2502W-for-Direct-Laser-/ >

uses a laser printer that is available new, with toner, for $25 USD!!
Add a handful of inexpensive parts and you can print DS PCBs for under $40 USD.

Mark


Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-04-02 by Mark Lerman

Many different ways of doing things. I have never done a toner
transfer, but I'm guessing I can do finer traces with my printers.
But it really doesn't matter if it does what you need.
I actually don't make many pcb's, so what I like is that I can pull
the printer off the shelf, print the board and etch it. Works first
time, every time, very little materials needed - acetone, peroxide,
muriatic acid.

Mark


At 07:02 AM 4/2/2016, you wrote:
>This is quite an achievement. Good job.
>Don't think I'll go that way though as I have honed single pass, double
>sided, registered toner transfers to a repeatable result.
>I can do an etched double sided board in about 20 mins.
>Ancel
>
>
>------------------------------------
>Posted by: AncelB <mosaicmerc@...>
>------------------------------------
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>------------------------------------
>
>Yahoo Groups Links
>
>
>

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-04-02 by Jeff Heiss

Mark,

 

This is test image .tif to test 3 mil through 12 mil line/spacing.  Can you take a picture of it when you print it? 

 

Jeff

 

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2016 8:30 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

 

 

Hi Jeff,

I got them at Newegg, but it might have been a promotional price because I haven't seen them at that price since. Especially with free shipping. They are still available at MicroCenter for $29.95 plus tax. < http://cart.microcenter.com/cart.aspx?RedirectUrl=http://www.microcenter.com >

I'm not remembering the artwork you refer to. Remind me, please.

What I've found is that most printers can print on copper, except probably HP ones. HP engines seem to print an "outline" of the traces, rather than solid traces. Perhaps changing the high voltage would help, but I haven't tried. There are a lot of inexpensive laser printers that are built like the Pantum, with the printing taking place as the paper moves up the rear of the printer, so I think my technique would probably work with most of them.

Mark

At 10:25 PM 4/1/2016, you wrote:

Mark, the Pantum P2502W is on Amazon for $36.99 as of April 1, 2016.  Where did you get yours for $25?  Still a great deal!
 
Have you tried the sample artwork I provided?  How is the experimenting?
 
Jeff
 
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [ mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:59 AM
To: homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing
 
 


Hi All,

Many of you have commented on my series on Instructables detailing my
efforts to use a laser printer to directly print toner on copperclad
boards. Once printed the toner is "fixed" to the PCB with acetone
vapor and then etched as usual. My latest effort:

< http://www.instructables.com/id/Modification-of-the-Pantum-2502W-for-Direct-Laser-/ >

uses a laser printer that is available new, with toner, for $25 USD!!
Add a handful of inexpensive parts and you can print DS PCBs for under $40 USD.

Mark

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

2016-04-02 by Mark Lerman

It is not the same as the p2502, but it probably would work, though the conversion might differ in detail. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 2, 2016, at 2:33 AM, gary burford gary.burford@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi all I live in the UK , looking for the Pantum 2502w , not known in the UK
but search gives Pantum 2050 , is this the same model & would it work for pcb making
thanks

Sent from my iPhone

On 2 Apr 2016, at 03:25, 'Jeff Heiss' jeff.heiss@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Mark, the Pantum P2502W is on Amazon for $36.99 as of April 1, 2016.  Where did you get yours for $25?  Still a great deal!

 

Have you tried the sample artwork I provided?  How is the experimenting?

 

Jeff

 

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:59 AM
To: homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing

 

 


Hi All,

Many of you have commented on my series on Instructables detailing my
efforts to use a laser printer to directly print toner on copperclad
boards. Once printed the toner is "fixed" to the PCB with acetone
vapor and then etched as usual. My latest effort:

<http://www.instructables.com/id/Modification-of-the-Pantum-2502W-for-Direct-Laser-/>

uses a laser printer that is available new, with toner, for $25 USD!!
Add a handful of inexpensive parts and you can print DS PCBs for under $40 USD.

Mark

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing [1 Attachment]

2016-04-03 by Boman33

Opening the picture and zooming in on the 3 mil one, the line width and spacing are not consistent.  I do not think that is caused by the Windows viewer.  The result is the same using Photoshop.  In other words, be careful and verify the dimensions before using the picture.

 

Here is a link to more resolution tests, both a standard resolution chart and a printer/PCB chart that includes angular tracks besides horizontal/vertical ones.

Do not use a web PDF viewer to check it out since the resolution is poor. Even an official viewer start to fail at the 1 mil track level.

For best accuracy use the CAD version or the Gerber version since they are accurate vector drawings.

http://vinland.com/USAF-1951.html

Bertho

 

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2016 13:56
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] $25 Direct Laser Printing [1 Attachment]

 

Mark,

 This is test image .tif to test 3 mil through 12 mil line/spacing.  Can you take a picture of it when you print it? 

 Jeff