Diy AMT

[Greebster]

Well count me impressed! Nicely executed, clean lines and all. Must sound like a million



Mike

 

[solhaga]

I guess that the bond between polyester and aluminium is far better than that of the 74 tape and aluminium foil.
Perfect for lower frequencies/higher excursions.

Now having a thicker aluminium (12 um instead of 10 or even 7) and the same thickness for the polyester as for the 74 tape but lacking the glue, the weight should be the about the same as for the old membranes.
So even for high frequency AMTs this method is better.

I hope to make 2 80x40mm

Based on the pictures above, that´s around 1 mm wide and 6 mm deep pleats then?

I haven´t tested the photo resist method yet, sorry.
The hard part of that method is to get an original artwork that has sufficent shading; printing a pattern on a photo paper would hardly suffice.
But I haven´t giving it much thought, perhaps one of these days...

 

[båndsei]

I have managed to make a double strip layout for 80mm amt:

Will print and etch it tomorrow.

Bernt

 

[Rewind]

Print speakers... What has the world come to? It takes me days to make one single horn. ^^,

 

[solhaga]

Looking really good!

Have you tested the re-bake after the folding yet?

Instead of using a laminator, could a hot iron be used (checking the temperature with a pyrometer before ironing)?
And/or perhaps instead of a laser printered photo paper an "Iron on transfer paper"?
More expensive for sure ($2 for one A4 sheet) but then an ordinary inkjet printer can be used.

But on the other hand, a Samsung ML-2165W laser printer only costs $100 and can be used for text documents as well.

 

[Greebster]

A sealing iron used for applying wing skin to R/C aircraft would work. We also use non contact IR thermometer (thermopile) for accuracte results.

450 Degree Sealing Iron from Hobby Lobby

 

[båndsei]

Others have tried to iron laserprintings and found it is better to use a laminator .Search at Youtube for:toner transfer pcb.
I have tried to etch the double layout,and had problem with remowing the paper.
It looks like that:

I have used semi glossy paper.It have to be glossy. Will try if I get more alu/mylar foil.
Have not tried to fold and bake it.
Have found another suplyer of alu/mylar:http://www.gapcable.com/aluminium-foil-al-pet-sy-pvc-technical-info.html

Bernt

 

[solhaga]

Get it. Transfer paper for fabrics will not work, it has to be laser toner.

Do you think a simple laser printer as the one I mentioned above will do?

Perhaps you haven´t wait long enough before trying to peel off the paper, more than 10 minutes as someone mentioned when I googled this?


I think this method also can be used with the alu/paper foil I´m using.
The 74-tape then has to be attached after the transferal but before the etching.

So possible steps are:

• Transfer toner to alu/paper´s alu side.
• Peel off paper of alu/paper (the alu still has the photo paper on the alu side, so the alu is still supported)
• Apply 74 tape
• Peel off photo paper while wet
• Let dry
• Etch

Comments please.

 

[båndsei]

I think it might be a problem to get small quantities of alu/mylar.
I will try to make my own like Solhaga suggested:
Apply the 74 tape to the alu/paper on the alu side.
Remove the paper.
Transfer print using photopaper and laminator.
Remove paper using Cold Water.
Etch .

Bernt.

 

[solhaga]

Why not apply the 74 tape AFTER the laminator?
Do you reckon that the matte side is better suited?

 

[solhaga]

Why not apply the 74 tape AFTER the laminator?

The rationale for this is that the 74 tape thermosetting glue (and polyester) doesn´t get heated twice (once in the laminator and once during baking).

 

[båndsei]

I have tried with 10my alu/paper and printed paper in laminator.
The paper in Alu/paper seperates at heating in laminator.
Beware of fingerprints ,and clean alu with cleaned benzin.
I have taped ,removed photopaper and etched,and got a decent result.
Have to use glossy photopaper.Buys a Samsung laserprinter and glossy laserprint paper tomorrow.

Bernt

 

[solhaga]

The paper in Alu/paper seperates at heating in laminator

So you applied the 74 tape after the laminator?

got a decent result

Have to use glossy photopaper

Laser photo paper or Inkjet photo paper?

 

[båndsei]

Yes,and I will buy laser Photo paper.

Bernt

 

[solhaga]

With ordinary aluminiumfoil and ordinary printer paper and 3M Display mount.

• Spray 3M Display mount on glossy side of the alu.
• Apply ordinary printer paper.
• Cut out A4.
• Print in laser printer on matte side of alu.
• Apply 3m tape.
• Remove paper.
• Etch.

I tried this using my ink jet. It didn´t work of course, the ink just floats on the alu.
The alu+paper did make it through the printer though.

But shouldn´t this work with a laser printer?
Or will the heat make the alu/paper stuck?

Perhaps it is better to print on the glossy side.

I think it worth a try.

 

[båndsei]

I have just recived a sample of 12my alu on 12my mylar. athe alu is not coated on one side
and can be etched.
I have tried to print with a laserprinter:

alu/paper is taped to a sheat of foto paper.I did not clean the alu before printing.The "ink" pattern can easy be damaged.

Bernt

I have tried it once but might try it Again.
I have bought a HP laserprinter.
This is with 10my alu/paper:

Here etched:

The alu wrinkeled thru the laminator.
There are almost no problem with wrinkles using 7my alu/paper.
Now I will try to tape the alu/paper first.

Bernt

 

[ticovski]

With ordinary aluminiumfoil and ordinary printer paper and 3M Display mount.

• Spray 3M Display mount on glossy side of the alu.
• Apply ordinary printer paper.
• Cut out A4.
• Print in laser printer on matte side of alu.
• Apply 3m tape.
• Remove paper.
• Etch.

I tried this using my ink jet. It didn´t work of course, the ink just floats on the alu.
The alu+paper did make it through the printer though.

But shouldn´t this work with a laser printer?
Or will the heat make the alu/paper stuck?

Perhaps it is better to print on the glossy side.

I think it worth a try.

Paper/foil passing through fuser assembly inside laser printer is exposed to temperature up to 200 degrees Celsius. Glue has to be able to withstand that temperature.

 

[solhaga]

Understood. Good point. Hard to get information what temperature Display Mount can endure.

I found these instead:
3M™ Hi-Tack 76 Spray can withstand 110 C
3M™ Rubber & Vinyl 80 Spray Adhesive withstands 93 C

Do you have any suggestion on which glue/spray to use?

 

[ticovski]

Understood. Good point. Hard to get information what temperature Display Mount can endure.

I found these instead:
3M™ Hi-Tack 76 Spray can withstand 110 C
3M™ Rubber & Vinyl 80 Spray Adhesive withstands 93 C

Do you have any suggestion on which glue/spray to use?

I'm sorry, don't have any glue to recommend. Try one with the best temp. tolerance. Be careful so glue/adhesive does not permeate into fuser assembly because it can destroy it that way.

 

[SEdwards]

Hey guys, just to chime in again. I had the same problem trying to laser print straight on Al - it was patchy and the toner chipped off very easily. Maybe it needed a better cleaning.

I'm also playing around with two other methods - one is to make a stencil mask and glue this on while etching to stop the liquid getting under the stencil. Another is to unwind the magnet wire from a headphone cable to use as individual strands. Maybe the enamel will stop them from cutting through a plastic backing when they heat up.

It's a good thing that I like my headphones, since I can't get around to heavy a fully functional stereo pair.