Laminators rock for toner transfer!!!!

[therecordingart]

I thought I would post this to help out some of those that have issues with toner transfer methods. 

I used to make my PCBs with the photo method, but now that I moved into an apartment it is a royal pain.   I bought some TTS paper a while back and have not got one good PCB trying to use an iron.  Not even something that could be fixed with a Sharpie. 

Last night I went to Staples and bought the 9" GBC Laminator that is recommended on the Pulsar site.  Every single board that I've done so far with it has come out amazingly well.  Even better than the photo method! 

So to those that are pulling their hair out trying to get it right with an iron...do yourself a favor and get a laminator.  It is worth the month!

[axeman010]

Hi

not heard of this method before ! Please could you point me to the Pulsar site please.

regards

Axeman

[RedHouse]

Yeah, give us some links, and some pic's!

[puretube]

i googled...

[finkfloyd]

I found the method here : http://www.pulsar.gs/PCB/a_Pages/4_Products/4d_Toner_Applicator/Toner_Applicator.html

sounds like a very good idea! question is, will pnp blue work with a laminator?

[aloupos]

Here's the link at staples: 

http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StaplesProductDisplay?prodCatType=1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&productId=149490&cmArea=SEARCH

Another $59.00 dumped into this hobbie

Does it really transfer toner perfectly? 

[David]

Santa Baby, hurry down the chimney tonight...

Dang!  I gotta get me one of those!  QUICK!   

[axeman010]

Please can anybody get the spec of this laminator as they don't appear to be available in the UK.

Need to know how max microns it will accept.

Thanx

Axeman.

[John Lyons]

So were these greast results with the TTS paper or with the lazer or photocopied photo paper?
Will the Laminator work with lazer/photocopied photo paper?? Seems like the heat would not get high enough...

John

[jimbeaux]

A less expensive solution that I've been using - is to use a brayer ($6). These are normally used to spread ink for printings.

They're should be available at most art & craft supply companies.

The brayer that I'm using is made out of hard rubber (like a tire) - and I've been getting excellent results.
I recently make 4 pcb's and only had to retouch one trace.

This is the type of brayer to use:

http://www.flaxart.com/Art-Materials/Crafts/Paper-Crafts/Rollrite-Multi-Purpose-Brayer

Basically I pre-heat the iron
> then heat up the pnp/pcb for about 5 minutes
> then use brayer to roll over the pnp/pcb for about a minute or less (heavy pressure)
> cold water & separate.

[olcircuits]

I'm always looking for a faster, more reliable transfer, even if it costs more. In the end, that saves me the real money. So, I picked up the $59 laminator at Staples just to try this.

My take on it:
It worked with photo and PnP papers - I did not try paper Pulsar sells yet. However, I can tell I'll have more failed transfers with this method (again, I didn't try the Pulsar paper) and it wasn't really any faster than a clothes iron, either. I have the clothes iron method down to an art at this point, though, so others might find the laminator to work better for them.

Bottom line:
Getting small transfer sheets down on a pre-cut copper-clad board and getting it centered before the rollers grab it and pull it though - was a challenge. If I were making large boards, I think this method might be superior to the clothes iron. Contrary to what Pulsar says about the iron method, though, I don't put more than 10-15kg force on the iron, nor has it taken longer than 15 seconds to iron the transfer down.

I'm going to give the Pulsar paper a try, but my expectations with regards to time/money are low for this method.

[John Lyons]

And there you have it!
Thanks for the review olcircuits.

I was skeptical. I'm sure the Pular paper works fine with it, but then were back to more $ for paper 50+ for a laminator that will crap out long before the clothes iron. Shoot! my iron is probably 30 years old or more anyway!

John

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I seem to remember seeing an ad for a commercial heated roller press (much like a laminator!) specifically designed for PnP. But it was $$$...
Who knows what other industrial devices might be bent to our use?

[frequencycentral]

Necro-bump! I've seen reference to people using them - so what's the story? Any experts here? Can I just pick up a cheapie like this...

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/shredders+laminators/texet-personal-laminator-a4-lma4-v/invt/0240623/

...and make a few passes to get good results? Seems like a good way to go, but there's ben very little discussion, search results are minimal...

[deadastronaut]

looks like a good way to go , instead of getting the old iron out. ....whether it can handle pcb and paper thickness though...hmmmmm.....but interested too!..

[therecordingart]

Sorry for not responding, guys.

Five years later I'm still using the same GBC laminator. I've been using PnP and magazine paper. The few transfers that don't work out are always because the copper wasn't sufficiently cleaned before transfer or the laminator wasn't hot enough.

I can't get a irons to work to save my life. Clean the board well and pass it (with the PnP or magazine paper) through the laminator for three or four passes and you're done. Etch.

[chi_boy]

Pulsar also has a modification for the GBC H220 laminator to help things out.  It involves swapping 2 gears in the unit to Slow the transfer rate.    I did it to mine and it helped with some problems I was having. 

Also, the GBC is supposed to be best because of the arrangement of the rollers and heaters.   They have some explanations on the Pulsar web site about why they are better. 

This is the link to the modification page:
http://www.pulsarprofx.com/special/h-220/