Magazine paper transfers

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Thinking about doing some enclosure etches using magazine paper for the transfer. I found a good, heavy, medium gloss magazine at work and thought it would be a perfect candidate for the experiment.

I would like to pose some questions that have been on my mind since I decided to try this.

Has anyone had problems with transferring the magazine print and/or picture colors from the magazine paper ALONG WITH the toner onto the enclosure? How do I ensure that ONLY the toner is transferred?

Thanks 

[rockhorst]

Just used the magazine transfer method for a PCB etch. First time I tried and it worked perfectly; no articles to read in copper clad

[Beo]

I'm getting better results with magazine paper than photopaper. Early on I thought the thickness and gloss of the magazine paper mattered, but my problems ended up being the toner in my brother printer, I've switched now to a Canon laser. Thin magazine paper works fine, in fact it comes off even easier with just a little bit of warm water soaking. One issue with magazine paper on enclosures is that if you have fine lines and details, bits of paper residue can remain and block the etchant. You have to inspect really closely and make sure all the paper is gone.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I am used to using PnP Blue for PCB etches.

Do I need to adjust my ironing technique with the magazine paper? I have read about using a single sheet of paper between the iron and the magazine paper to avoid sticking.

Any other modifications? (i.e. lower heat, time for transfer, etc.)

EDIT: Sorry for the deviation. I am interested in using magazine transfers for enclosures AND pcbs 

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Just miserably failed my 3rd attempt today to transfer with magazine paper 

I have never had a transfer fail with PnP Blue. I have no idea what I am doing wrong 

Everytime I let the board soak for about 20 minutes and when the magazine paper slips off..... the resist comes right off with it!!! 

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

[theundeadelvis]

I'm wonder if you're not getting enough heat from the iron to get a good transfer of the toner to the copper? Just a guess on my part.

[Joe Hart]

I'm wonder if you're not getting enough heat from the iron to get a good transfer of the toner to the copper? Just a guess on my part.

That may be it because I think the OP is actually doing an enclosure, so you'd need quite a bit more heat.
-Joe Hart

[theundeadelvis]

I'm wonder if you're not getting enough heat from the iron to get a good transfer of the toner to the copper? Just a guess on my part.

That may be it because I think the OP is actually doing an enclosure, so you'd need quite a bit more heat.
-Joe Hart

Good point! An aluminum enclosure would probably act like a heatsink  and quickly dissipate the heat.

[boogietone]

You will probably need higher heat. With a copper clad piece of material the fr4 or whatever has a relatively low thermal conductivity. An Al enclosure's is much greater so a hotter iron is likely needed to obtain the proper thermal gradiant.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Unfortunately the three miserable failures was for a PCB transfer!!!

The board was a bit big but I used a bit more heat than I would with pnp blue.

Any other ideas? Should I Max out the iron's heat and retry? Anyone else experience this?

[theundeadelvis]

I use PnP and have to run my iron at near max. Haven't tried it with magazine paper yet.

[Beo]

I found that using a heat gun can help get everything up to a good hot temp. You can iron first to get the initial stick... heat gun for a while, and then finish with the iron working all the surface carefully with the iron edge/tip.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Just out of curiosity...

How long do you iron when you are doing a magazine transfer? I did it from 7 to 10 minutes and the transfer looked horrible.

I'm thinking I might need to heat it longer but going into 30 minute territory seems excessive.

How long do YOU iron for when using magazine paper?

[ACS]

Just out of curiosity...

How long do you iron when you are doing a magazine transfer? I did it from 7 to 10 minutes and the transfer looked horrible.

I'm thinking I might need to heat it longer but going into 30 minute territory seems excessive.

How long do YOU iron for when using magazine paper?

I've done dozens of pcb's with magazine paper and never ironed more than 3-4 minutes on high.  Something is definitely amiss...

My first guess would be the printer you are using.  Definitely a black and white printer only? Do you have access to another one to try? I have access to about 6 different laser printers at work - HP's, brother, Canon etc. There's no real trend as to which work and which don't - but only 4/6 give a satisfactory transfer.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I only have access to 3 laser printers. A Ricoh, Xerox, and Brother. I have not tried the Brother (my home black and white printer) because I have heard only bad results from Brother printers.
The 3 transfers that failed were printed from the Xerox printer. The Xerox & and Ricoh have never failed me with the PnP blue.

Maybe I ironed for TOO long! You mentioned 3-4 minutes and I ironed for almost 10 

I guess I will have to bite the bullet and print out multiple transfers from the different printers and try...try again 

Any other helpful tips are more than welcome though 

[alparent]

Dose the toner come off of the page but not stick to the PCB.......or dose is not even leave the page?

I use cooking parchment paper between the iron and the page.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Dose the toner come off of the page but not stick to the PCB.......or dose is not even leave the page?

I use cooking parchment paper between the iron and the page.

Actually, it looked like the toner transferred to the PCB but every trace looked like it had a light covering of the magazine. The transfer was not blackish/blue like with pnp blue. It almost looked like tissue paper on the copper. When I started to roll the magazine paper off with my fingers, EVERYTHING started rubbing right off of the PCB.

Hope that is a good explanation.

[alparent]

The same thing happened to me so I went back to my good reliable inkjet paper.
But I'm going to try again. (Magazine paper is free......and I like free!)
Don't know if there is a type of magazine paper that works better then others?

[GodSaveMetal]

Don't use the ink jet!!! the ironing you must do is whit toner!!!! the paper is good you must use the LASER PRINTER!!!!! I made my transfers with a magazine paper!!!!! look a this transfer it is make with IT!!:

It's a Flanger MISTRESS with MN3007!!! it bigger PCB made with a magazine transfer LASER toner!!!! I use the heat between cotton and wool!! please don't use more than that!! it takes 5 minutes!! and 20 minutes soaking in tap water you make the transfer good!! I have a hundred of PCB making that way!!!

[theundeadelvis]

Govmnt_Lacky  - The one time I experimented with magazine paper, I was left with paper residue stuck to the traces also. I just left it there and went ahead and etched it without any problems.