first pcb etch with ordinay picture paper -- works great! (pics)

[MetalGod]

How much are you guys paying for PNP? - I get four A4 sheets from Maplins for around £12 if I remember rightly (not exactly expensive and it works like a treat once you get the hang of it).  That glossy paper method sounds like alot of extra work to save a few quid 

[Torchy]

I get 20 sheets of A4 Optijet paper for 79p, and its no more bother than PNP.

[zjokka]

How much are you guys paying for PNP? - I get four A4 sheets from Maplins for around £12 if I remember rightly (not exactly expensive and it works like a treat once you get the hang of it).  That glossy paper method sounds like alot of extra work to save a few quid 

what extra work? and is there any material that you could think of that is more expensive £3/sheet? In the US, I believe, you can get it at $1/sheet if you ordered 100 sheets. still very expensive and here in belgium i have to order from germany (banzaieffects).

I get 20 sheets of A4 Optijet paper for 79p, and its no more bother than PNP.

indeed, 4p/sheet vs 300p/sheet can count.

btw bought an iron. 1 EUR -- couln't be cheaper. very old school 



-can get as hot as you like without burning up
-it's very heavy for the needed pressure
-the bottom is (vs modern electric iron) absolutely flat without holes.
-comes without manual but you can ask the grandmother how it works.

zj

[MetalGod]

what extra work? and is there any material that you could think of that is more expensive £3/sheet?

there looks to be alot of soaking and scrubbing from the previous pictures that were posted.  if there isn't then maybe I need to give it a shot, could be ok for fairly simple PCBs.

btw, you can get lots of PCBs out of a single PNP A4 sheet - I print out the image then tape some PNP over the image and reprint it.  makes sure you use only the bare minimum of PNP.

[JimRayden]

Now that iron looks flat out funkaaay, zjokka! It looks like the one to be warmed up on a stove (no heating element). My granny had a similiar looking coal-powered iron somewhere. You open it up and put some hot coals in it.

Thank you for pushing my limit of how-far-back-can-I-remember. I think that's the new leader. I remember playing around with such a thing, although it was outdated technology back then too. Even in eastern Europe.

---------
Jimbo

[Torchy]

could be ok for fairly simple PCBs.

The chorus pcb I posted isnt the biggest you can do

btw, you can get lots of PCBs out of a single PNP A4 sheet - I print out the image then tape some PNP over the image and reprint it.  makes sure you use only the bare minimum of PNP.

I do the same with the photo paper

[Rafa]

In montevideo the pnp foil is  6US$ which for my country si expensive so yhis method looks great

[dmk]

made my first pcb with inkjet photopaper yesterday.
took 2 tries to get a good transfer. the first time i dont think i ironed for long enough. 2nd time i ironed for about 15 minutes.
worked great apart from 1 track break, nothing major.
heres the etched board.

really please with the results! and its a hell of a lot cheaper than PNP.

[zjokka]

made my first pcb with inkjet photopaper yesterday.
took 2 tries to get a good transfer. the first time i dont think i ironed for long enough. 2nd time i ironed for about 15 minutes.
worked great apart from 1 track break, nothing major.
...
really please with the results! and its a hell of a lot cheaper than PNP.

great job. really the heat is the factor in unequal transfers. remember the heat melts the toner so don't be afraid to overheat it.
you could have touched up the broken trace with a black sharpie marker or cd marker, then your etch would have been perfectly useable. that's pretty cool for first time.

i seemed to hear complaints from people losing the transfer even when using pnp.
zj

[MarcoMike]

Hi everyone, I've just tried this method with the less expensive glossy paper I found (epson glossy photo paper, or something similar). I haven't tried the etching step yet, but the transfer was perfect and complete after less than one minute ironing, and the paper came off just pouring water on it, no scratching at all. I was quite impressed, so just wanted to share it. no pictures available, but I will let you know after etching.

bye