Scotch TL902 Laminator Mod

[bloxstompboxes]

Hello, all. I know some of us here use laminators to do toner transfer. I myself have been using an iron with magazine paper. I recently got some of that HP presentation paper and tried it with a cheap laminator last night. Well it didn't get hot enough and I ended up using the iron to finish it. The paper still stuck but I got most of it off except for in the pads but it etched away anyway and turned out pretty awesome.

Well, last week I saw a video on youtube on how to modify a cheap laminator from walmart to make it run hotter and be used for pcb transfer. Well, I think it's safe to say it works! I did about 6 passes of the board through it as opposed to the 15 last night and it came out great!. I had to touch up one spot but that was it. Everything is much more even than when using an iron. Holes are spot on round and centered. Traces are straight and even. Oh, and I used magazine paper and it didn't stick to the board at all after I ran it through water either.

I bought the Scotch TL902 for just around $20. The video shows a TL901 but the process was the same give or take a screw and the wires were white on mine. The video states a 1.2k resistor if I remember correctly. I used a 1.1k. It doesn't get as hot as the iron and it seems like it doesn't need to. My result:



The video:

[PRR]

If you go a little too high on that resistor, it is possible the heater will NEVER shut-off.

A proper re-calibration is a LOT more effort though.

And at $20, it isn't a major loss.

Do your initial experiments outside, and keep your nose alert for the smell of cooking plastic.

I do wish that video had the Power Plug *clearly* in-sight. For all I know he may be hot-wiring it *live*. Now, I know better (with scars), but not everybody who can work You-Tube does.

[bloxstompboxes]

I smelled burning plastic when first turning in on unmodded. Well, maybe not burning plastic but there must be a "burn in" period because it did stink a little. It seems safe how it's modded now, but definitely would not leave it unattended.