Homebrew_PCBs

I have been reading that some of you are interested in doing PCB's
from vinyl masking cut on plotters. And about converting plotters to
vinyl cutting plotters.

We have been doing vinyl cutting for PCB prototypes for over 15 years
now, using pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) vinyl, masking films and
papers.

We also repair and modify many brands of plotters for vinyl cutting.
Some are easy to do and others cannot be done at all.

If you have a specific HP plotter that you want some info on
modifying to vinyl cutting, contact me offboard at info@grs-
systems.com and I can help steer you in the right direction with some
free help.

Most of our designs are done in CorelDRAW or done in CAD programs
then imported into CorelDRAW. Then we use SIgnTools3 software to cut
the resist patterns. Very simple and the software is less that $200.

Glad to help anyone on or off board with help getting you started. We
have some info on our website at www.grs-systems.com There is a
whole section on designing with software and the books to use, etc.

Regards,
Ted Jolly
www.grs-systems.com

You would be more than welcome to join the Signmaker list, too.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/signmaker

A similar discussion is going on their right now. I have an old
Calgraph plotter, a 1043GT. Another person here has an HP 7475 he'd
like to convert.

Does the $200 version of your software correct for blade offset?

How find are the traces you can get reliably using vinyl, and what
kind (brand, make) of vinyl are you using for this?

Your website is displaying kind of funky in both IE 6 and NS 7.

And if you add http:// to your website address, it becomes a clickable
link in most email readers.
http://www.grs-systems.com

Steve

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "T. W. Jolly" <grsystem@a...> wrote:
>
> I have been reading that some of you are interested in doing PCB's
> from vinyl masking cut on plotters. And about converting plotters to
> vinyl cutting plotters.
>
> We have been doing vinyl cutting for PCB prototypes for over 15 years
> now, using pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) vinyl, masking films and
> papers.
>
> We also repair and modify many brands of plotters for vinyl cutting.
> Some are easy to do and others cannot be done at all.
>
> If you have a specific HP plotter that you want some info on
> modifying to vinyl cutting, contact me offboard at info@grs-
> systems.com and I can help steer you in the right direction with some
> free help.
>
> Most of our designs are done in CorelDRAW or done in CAD programs
> then imported into CorelDRAW. Then we use SIgnTools3 software to cut
> the resist patterns. Very simple and the software is less that $200.
>
> Glad to help anyone on or off board with help getting you started. We
> have some info on our website at www.grs-systems.com There is a
> whole section on designing with software and the books to use, etc.
>
> Regards,
> Ted Jolly
> www.grs-systems.com

Sorry for the delay in answering. I have been traveling
internationally.

The blades and holders are available at www.gapusa.com the last time
I looked. Swivel knives and specialized toolholders (blade holders)
for various systems.

We have customers using vinyl manufactured by Arlon Adhesives & Films
Div. in Santa Ana, CA http://www.arlon.com The most popular for PCB
designing is either the Calon 2mil or Calon CalPlus 4mil vinyl.

Go to the Arlon website and click on Dealers to find a local source
to your location.

I am not sure what the min width traces that can be achieved with the
above since I do not personally make PCB's but have heard that the
Calon vinyl works very well.

Blade offset is usually set on the plotter to acomodate the "pen"
width or the "blade" point setback. This can usually be set from the
plotter menu or by dip switches.

Can't seem to see or view any problem with website at http://www.grs-
systems.com in IE6 or IE5 nor in NS7 in 480 x 680 & above resolutions.

There is a SignTools DEMO SOFTWARE available on the above website
that is fully functionable. You can download it and try it for your
application. Just click on the SignTools Logo once you arrive at the
site. http://www.grs-systems.com

I hope this helps.

Regards,
TW


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <alienrelics@y...>
wrote:

> You would be more than welcome to join the Signmaker list, too.
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/signmaker
>
> A similar discussion is going on their right now. I have an old
> Calgraph plotter, a 1043GT. Another person here has an HP 7475 he'd
> like to convert.
>
> Does the $200 version of your software correct for blade offset?
>
> How find are the traces you can get reliably using vinyl, and what
> kind (brand, make) of vinyl are you using for this?
>
> Your website is displaying kind of funky in both IE 6 and NS 7.
>
> And if you add http:// to your website address, it becomes a

clickable

> link in most email readers.
> http://www.grs-systems.com
>
> Steve
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "T. W. Jolly" <grsystem@a...>

wrote:

> >
> > I have been reading that some of you are interested in doing

PCB's

> > from vinyl masking cut on plotters. And about converting plotters

to

> > vinyl cutting plotters.
> >
> > We have been doing vinyl cutting for PCB prototypes for over 15

years

> > now, using pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) vinyl, masking films

and

> > papers.
> >
> > We also repair and modify many brands of plotters for vinyl

cutting.

> > Some are easy to do and others cannot be done at all.
> >
> > If you have a specific HP plotter that you want some info on
> > modifying to vinyl cutting, contact me offboard at info@grs-
> > systems.com and I can help steer you in the right direction with

some

> > free help.
> >
> > Most of our designs are done in CorelDRAW or done in CAD programs
> > then imported into CorelDRAW. Then we use SIgnTools3 software to

cut

> > the resist patterns. Very simple and the software is less that

$200.

> >
> > Glad to help anyone on or off board with help getting you

started. We

> > have some info on our website at www.grs-systems.com There is a
> > whole section on designing with software and the books to use,

etc.

> >
> > Regards,
> > Ted Jolly
> > www.grs-systems.com

Your website stretches way to the right in IE 6 and NS 7.1. The menu
along the top has huge spaces between the buttons.

Anyway... if you read what I asked, it was about using your software
with a pen plotter with a cutting blade adapter installed. There -is-
no blade offset available on a pen plotter because it was never meant
to be used with a blade.

If the answer is no, the answer is no. Just say so.

I'll try your trial version when I get a chance. Kinda low on
priorities as no one seems to carry the blade holder for my CalGraph
plotter any more.

Steve Greenfield

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "T. W. Jolly" <grsystem@a...> wrote:
> Sorry for the delay in answering. I have been traveling
> internationally.
>
> The blades and holders are available at www.gapusa.com the last time
> I looked. Swivel knives and specialized toolholders (blade holders)
> for various systems.
>
> We have customers using vinyl manufactured by Arlon Adhesives & Films
> Div. in Santa Ana, CA http://www.arlon.com The most popular for PCB
> designing is either the Calon 2mil or Calon CalPlus 4mil vinyl.
>
> Go to the Arlon website and click on Dealers to find a local source
> to your location.
>
> I am not sure what the min width traces that can be achieved with the
> above since I do not personally make PCB's but have heard that the
> Calon vinyl works very well.
>
> Blade offset is usually set on the plotter to acomodate the "pen"
> width or the "blade" point setback. This can usually be set from the
> plotter menu or by dip switches.
>
> Can't seem to see or view any problem with website at http://www.grs-
> systems.com in IE6 or IE5 nor in NS7 in 480 x 680 & above resolutions.
>
> There is a SignTools DEMO SOFTWARE available on the above website
> that is fully functionable. You can download it and try it for your
> application. Just click on the SignTools Logo once you arrive at the
> site. http://www.grs-systems.com
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Regards,
> TW
>
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <alienrelics@y...>
> wrote:
> > You would be more than welcome to join the Signmaker list, too.
> >
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/signmaker
> >
> > A similar discussion is going on their right now. I have an old
> > Calgraph plotter, a 1043GT. Another person here has an HP 7475 he'd
> > like to convert.
> >
> > Does the $200 version of your software correct for blade offset?
> >
> > How find are the traces you can get reliably using vinyl, and what
> > kind (brand, make) of vinyl are you using for this?
> >
> > Your website is displaying kind of funky in both IE 6 and NS 7.
> >
> > And if you add http:// to your website address, it becomes a
> clickable
> > link in most email readers.
> > http://www.grs-systems.com
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "T. W. Jolly" <grsystem@a...>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > I have been reading that some of you are interested in doing
> PCB's
> > > from vinyl masking cut on plotters. And about converting plotters
> to
> > > vinyl cutting plotters.
> > >
> > > We have been doing vinyl cutting for PCB prototypes for over 15
> years
> > > now, using pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) vinyl, masking films
> and
> > > papers.
> > >
> > > We also repair and modify many brands of plotters for vinyl
> cutting.
> > > Some are easy to do and others cannot be done at all.
> > >
> > > If you have a specific HP plotter that you want some info on
> > > modifying to vinyl cutting, contact me offboard at info@grs-
> > > systems.com and I can help steer you in the right direction with
> some
> > > free help.
> > >
> > > Most of our designs are done in CorelDRAW or done in CAD programs
> > > then imported into CorelDRAW. Then we use SIgnTools3 software to
> cut
> > > the resist patterns. Very simple and the software is less that
> $200.
> > >
> > > Glad to help anyone on or off board with help getting you
> started. We
> > > have some info on our website at www.grs-systems.com There is a
> > > whole section on designing with software and the books to use,
> etc.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Ted Jolly
> > > www.grs-systems.com