Homebrew PCBs

I have had great success with this process and making printed circuit 
"silkscreens" (also very easy) but instead of transparency paper (too 
expensive) I used a very light weight "onion skin" type writing paper (about 
$2.00 for 50 sheets) that took the ink very well but still let the UV from a 
sunlamp through. I placed this over very fine printing silk set in a frame 
that I had coated with silk screen emulsion (artshop) for about 9 minutes. 
After the screen was made I printed the image to circuit boards using a 
squeegee and black acrylic ink. Let it dry and etched it. washed the acrylic 
ink over with a scrubbee. I made a ton of boards and those that printed 
badly, I just washed the acrylic ink off and printed again. Good for all but 
very fine traces (like 5 mil). This method is cheaper than transfer paper or 
anything else (IMHO)

Bob


>From: "elsokwak" <elsokwak@...>
>Reply-To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Boardmaker  Output to HP DeskJet 920 or 960 
>Inkjetprinters
>Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2002 13:46:24 -0000
>
>Derek,
>It works!.
>I just made a very neat looking PCB with the HP DeskJet 960c!
>First I had to overcome HP's Commercial trick; I had to install the
>colorcartridge before the machine was willing to print in black and
>white.
>I am using transparencies made by Canon for Color BJ printer(CF-101)
>after almost getting
>a heardattack reading the price for the HP trannies ($ 45 for 50)
>There are thousends of microscopic little pinholes on the
>transparency but that proved not to be a problem. I am using Bunguard
>FR4 PCB material. The PCB's are exposed with UV light using contact
>printing method.
>Even with the slow output from the 286 computer I did not get white
>stripes as was always the problem with the old Olivetti.
>Thanks again!
>ELSO
>
>
>
>--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "High Tech" <hightechsystems@a...> wrote:
> >
> > Elso,
> > I am running my dos program on windows 98se right now but it did
>work
> > on a dos only computer too.
> > Derek
> >
> >
> > Hi Derek,
> > Thanks for the reply.
> > I don't understand the last sentence of your post stating that all
> > DOS programs are sending the printjob through Windows.
> > Boardmaker does not work under Windows; Windows should not even be
> > detected. Boardmaker is a pure DOS program and works on a PC
>without
> > Windows on it. The printerdriver is contained in the program and
>has
> > HP PCL3 language.
> > But if your old program can print to a HP970 I am confident it will
> > work with the HP960 DeskJet too.
> > ELSO
> >
> > --
> > >   All dos programs still send the print job through windows so
>the
> > HP
> > > program must be converting the file before it goes to the
> > >   printer.
> > >
> > >   Derek
> > >
> > >     I used the laserjetprinter output of the program. I
>understand
> > this
> > >     in in HP PCL3 language to the printer. The Boardmaker program
> > >     supports printers like HP LaserjetII.
> > >     The new HP Inkjet printers use HP PCL 3 IMPROVED language. So
>my
> > >     question is: is this new  language backwards compatible? Can
>I
> > use a
> > >     HP Deskjet 920 or 960 with my old Boardmaker PCB design
> > software?
> > >     The program runs under DOS; Windows should NOT be detected.
> > >     Any help greatly appreciated.
> > >     ELSO.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>




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Sounds interesting.  Does anyone know of a website discussing how to do silk
screening for pcbs and cost?  Also, for a doubled sided board, how are the
vias handled?  What do you fill the holes with such that both sides of the
board have a continuous connection?

Steve

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Stone" <spoothammer@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, June 07, 2002 10:09 AM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Boardmaker Output to HP DeskJet 920 or 960
Inkjetprinters


>
> I have had great success with this process and making printed circuit
> "silkscreens" (also very easy) but instead of transparency paper (too
> expensive) I used a very light weight "onion skin" type writing paper
(about
> $2.00 for 50 sheets) that took the ink very well but still let the UV from
a
> sunlamp through. I placed this over very fine printing silk set in a frame
> that I had coated with silk screen emulsion (artshop) for about 9 minutes.
> After the screen was made I printed the image to circuit boards using a
> squeegee and black acrylic ink. Let it dry and etched it. washed the
acrylic
> ink over with a scrubbee. I made a ton of boards and those that printed
> badly, I just washed the acrylic ink off and printed again. Good for all
but
> very fine traces (like 5 mil). This method is cheaper than transfer paper
or

> anything else (IMHO)
>
> Bob
>
>
> >From: "elsokwak" <elsokwak@...>
> >Reply-To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> >To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Boardmaker  Output to HP DeskJet 920 or 960
> >Inkjetprinters
> >Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2002 13:46:24 -0000
> >
> >Derek,
> >It works!.
> >I just made a very neat looking PCB with the HP DeskJet 960c!
> >First I had to overcome HP's Commercial trick; I had to install the
> >colorcartridge before the machine was willing to print in black and
> >white.
> >I am using transparencies made by Canon for Color BJ printer(CF-101)
> >after almost getting
> >a heardattack reading the price for the HP trannies ($ 45 for 50)
> >There are thousends of microscopic little pinholes on the
> >transparency but that proved not to be a problem. I am using Bunguard
> >FR4 PCB material. The PCB's are exposed with UV light using contact
> >printing method.
> >Even with the slow output from the 286 computer I did not get white
> >stripes as was always the problem with the old Olivetti.
> >Thanks again!
> >ELSO
> >
> >
> >
> >--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., "High Tech" <hightechsystems@a...> wrote:
> > >
> > > Elso,
> > > I am running my dos program on windows 98se right now but it did
> >work
> > > on a dos only computer too.
> > > Derek
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Derek,
> > > Thanks for the reply.
> > > I don't understand the last sentence of your post stating that all
> > > DOS programs are sending the printjob through Windows.
> > > Boardmaker does not work under Windows; Windows should not even be
> > > detected. Boardmaker is a pure DOS program and works on a PC
> >without
> > > Windows on it. The printerdriver is contained in the program and
> >has
> > > HP PCL3 language.
> > > But if your old program can print to a HP970 I am confident it will
> > > work with the HP960 DeskJet too.
> > > ELSO
> > >
> > > --
> > > >   All dos programs still send the print job through windows so
> >the
> > > HP
> > > > program must be converting the file before it goes to the
> > > >   printer.
> > > >
> > > >   Derek
> > > >
> > > >     I used the laserjetprinter output of the program. I
> >understand
> > > this
> > > >     in in HP PCL3 language to the printer. The Boardmaker program
> > > >     supports printers like HP LaserjetII.
> > > >     The new HP Inkjet printers use HP PCL 3 IMPROVED language. So
> >my
> > > >     question is: is this new  language backwards compatible? Can
> >I
> > > use a
> > > >     HP Deskjet 920 or 960 with my old Boardmaker PCB design
> > > software?
> > > >     The program runs under DOS; Windows should NOT be detected.
> > > >     Any help greatly appreciated.
> > > >     ELSO.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>
>
>
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>
>

Bob, so can you get down to 10 mil traces and spacing? I have thought about
silk-screening resist in the past, but have never had the guts to try it :)

A while back I ran into a craft type website that had a screen product that
one could run through a laserprinter directly instead of using a photimage
method to get the image onto the screen, but can't find the link in my
favorites right now.
I'll keep on looking.

Lukas Louw





>
> I have had great success with this process and making printed circuit
> "silkscreens" (also very easy) but instead of transparency paper (too
> expensive) I used a very light weight "onion skin" type writing paper
(about
> $2.00 for 50 sheets) that took the ink very well but still let the UV from
a
> sunlamp through. I placed this over very fine printing silk set in a frame
> that I had coated with silk screen emulsion (artshop) for about 9 minutes.
> After the screen was made I printed the image to circuit boards using a
> squeegee and black acrylic ink. Let it dry and etched it. washed the
acrylic
> ink over with a scrubbee. I made a ton of boards and those that printed
> badly, I just washed the acrylic ink off and printed again. Good for all
but
> very fine traces (like 5 mil). This method is cheaper than transfer paper
or
> anything else (IMHO)
>
> Bob



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Lukas,

<10 mil traces/spaces are touch-and-go. If you use a fine enough mesh 
(remember the silk screen layer on your board is created this same way) and 
print carefully (you get the feel after a while) you can get 10 mils. I 
gained alot of confidance doing this after silkscreening T-shirts as a 
hobby.

There may be a screen product available but coating your own is a piece of 
cake. 1.) buy the fabric from an art shop, etc. 2.) buy the 2-part emulsion 
(non-toxic, easy to mix & not too expensive) also from an art shop. 3.) coat 
the screen with a brush or squeegee and let air dry (in the dark) 4.)lay 
your artwork on top (cover with a piece of glass to hold it down) and expose 
to sunlamp or UV for 10 minutes. 5.) wash the screen and non-exposed 
portions rinse away. 6.) you now have a reusable screen good for many, many 
prints.

Bob

>Bob, so can you get down to 10 mil traces and spacing? I have thought about
>silk-screening resist in the past, but have never had the guts to try it :)
>
>A while back I ran into a craft type website that had a screen product that
>one could run through a laserprinter directly instead of using a photimage
>method to get the image onto the screen, but can't find the link in my
>favorites right now.
>I'll keep on looking.
>
>Lukas Louw
>
>
>
>
>
> >
> > I have had great success with this process and making printed circuit
> > "silkscreens" (also very easy) but instead of transparency paper (too
> > expensive) I used a very light weight "onion skin" type writing paper
>(about
> > $2.00 for 50 sheets) that took the ink very well but still let the UV 
>from
>a
> > sunlamp through. I placed this over very fine printing silk set in a 
>frame
> > that I had coated with silk screen emulsion (artshop) for about 9 
>minutes.
> > After the screen was made I printed the image to circuit boards using a
> > squeegee and black acrylic ink. Let it dry and etched it. washed the
>acrylic
> > ink over with a scrubbee. I made a ton of boards and those that printed
> > badly, I just washed the acrylic ink off and printed again. Good for all
>but
> > very fine traces (like 5 mil). This method is cheaper than transfer 
>paper
>or
> > anything else (IMHO)
> >
> > Bob
>
>
>
>---
>Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
>Version: 6.0.368 / Virus Database: 204 - Release Date: 5/29/02
>




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