Two methods of making PCBs using an inkjet

[RobB]

Folks around here seem to have very complex and intricate ways of doing them. All I do is print the design up, copy it onto clear transparency with a copy machine, iron and etch. Seems too simple.

Craig, do you mean to say you iron an ordinary plastic transparency to your copper clad board?  Doesn’t the plastic melt?  What happens when you peal the transparency off, does it come off cleanly?

I'll give this a try if you can clarrify this for me.  Simple is good but I'm worried about ending up with molten plastic mess.

[gez]

Well it appears that WD40 does indeed work as a 'transparent' spray!

Just print off your artwork onto normal paper, spray, slap it on some photo board and you're ready to go.  I had to develop it a minute longer than I did with the spray I bought, but big deal - the results are just the same.

[gez]

One method I came across that you can do with a laser printer is print off your artwork onto glossy paper, lay it on a board and rub the back with acetone (use cotton wool soaked in the stuff).  Leave till dry then soak in warm water till the paper peels off.  This transfers the toner, but doesn’t expand the copper like ironing does so you don’t get shrinkage when the metal cools down.

I tried this with a photocopy and some nail polish remover.  It works but the paper wasn’t glossy and ‘chips’ stuck to the board (plus not all the toner transferred).  I should imagine that with the right paper (it has to be ‘coated’ for high resolution printing - apparently HP premium works even though it’s intended for inkjet) this method would work well, many swear by it!

[Gringo]

Craig, do you mean to say you iron an ordinary plastic transparency to your copper clad board?  Doesn?t the plastic melt?  What happens when you peal the transparency off, does it come off cleanly?

I do it this way:

- Brush coppper with iron wool
- clean copper with mineral spirit
- pre-heat copper
- stick carefully (whatch out for air bubbles) transparency to copper
- put a paper sheet between iron and transparency
- iron at hight temp, without pressing hard (the toner gets "blurry") for 1-3 min (watch from time to time for zones not sticked to the board)
- allow board to cool off
- peel (watch for parts not attached to copper, you can re-iron, let cool, and peel).

Works better with smaller boards, but i've just done just a few, so my method is still developing.

Hope it helps.

[Gringo]

One method I came across that you can do with a laser printer is print off your artwork onto glossy paper, lay it on a board and rub the back with acetone (use cotton wool soaked in the stuff).  Leave till dry then soak in warm water till the paper peels off.  This transfers the toner, but doesn?t expand the copper like ironing does so you don?t get shrinkage when the metal cools down.

I tried this with a photocopy and some nail polish remover.  It works but the paper wasn?t glossy and ?chips? stuck to the board (plus not all the toner transferred).  I should imagine that with the right paper (it has to be ?coated? for high resolution printing - apparently HP premium works even though it?s intended for inkjet) this method would work well, many swear by it!

I used to do it the way you describe, but with photocopies in regular paper sheets, and the results where not as good as with the transparencies. If you are lucky/careful ALL the toner sticks to the copper, and you can etch it "as is". With the acetone/solvent method, i always had to retouch (redraw) the whole layout before etching.

Maybe i shoud try with glossy paper sheets, but as i said, the transparencies have done the "miracle" for me.

Have fun!

[gez]

Maybe i shoud try with glossy paper sheets, but as i said, the transparencies have done the "miracle" for me.

All the stuff I read said that the results are poor with normal paper, it has to be 'coated'.

Here's some of what I read:

"Coated paper means that it is coated with a very fine layer of clay powder - this makes the paper smoother (no paper grain). It also allows the toner to be removed as it is not actually bonded to the paper, just the clay.

Note that many coated papers are only coated on one side, you must print on this coated side, otherwise it will not work."

I've read of a number of people using this method and all swear by it.  You have to scrub the board first, along the lines of what you mentioned in your post.