Homebrew PCBs

I'm getting frustrated.  I've tried all night (for several nights) 
to perfect my toner transfer process.  I keep getting marginal 
results.  I started with an iron.  Eventually, I got a laminator, 
albeit a cheesy, low grade one.
  My results are not production grade, and it's frustrating me.  
Every time I think I have something, I get traces that have little 
tiny holes or cuts that I have to fill in with a pen, whether I use 
photo paper or magazine paper.  The iron seems to work for melting 
the toner, but the lines get blotchy.  The laminator works well for 
accurate lines, but there are usually chunks missing, or little 
hairline divides that need to be re-drawn.   There has to be a 
better way.
  I really liked someone's idea about the process used to make 
raised business cards...offset thermography, it's called.  While the 
ink from an inkjet or press is still wet, you sprinkle a dry resin 
(toner?) over it, and it sticks to it before it dries.  Then heat it 
to melt.  It's said not to do well with detailed areas...but I'm 
thinking of trying it.  Anyone else have any results with this 
process?  Any suggestions for making the toner transfer process more 
reliable or higher quality?

Thanks
Josh

On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 17:35:49 -0000, joshdewinter <joshdewinter@...> 
wrote:

>   I'm getting frustrated.  I've tried all night (for several nights)
> to perfect my toner transfer process.  I keep getting marginal
> results.  I started with an iron.  Eventually, I got a laminator,
> albeit a cheesy, low grade one.
>   My results are not production grade, and it's frustrating me.
> Every time I think I have something, I get traces that have little
> tiny holes or cuts that I have to fill in with a pen, whether I use
> photo paper or magazine paper.  The iron seems to work for melting
> the toner, but the lines get blotchy.  The laminator works well for
> accurate lines, but there are usually chunks missing, or little
> hairline divides that need to be re-drawn.   There has to be a
> better way.
>   I really liked someone's idea about the process used to make
> raised business cards...offset thermography, it's called.  While the
> ink from an inkjet or press is still wet, you sprinkle a dry resin
> (toner?) over it, and it sticks to it before it dries.  Then heat it
> to melt.  It's said not to do well with detailed areas...but I'm
> thinking of trying it.  Anyone else have any results with this
> process?  Any suggestions for making the toner transfer process more
> reliable or higher quality?
>
> Thanks
> Josh
>
>

You should describe more exactly what you do.
so far i can only say for me the fuser works better than the iron.
i today made the second board with it and it was perfect.
there is some widening of the tracks, but i have not tried to use less
toner or less strong springs to prevent that.

photos of your failtures may help us to recoginze it.
give all times too, and describe the process step by step.


ST