Making My Own PCBs - Page 3

rwaudio · 15th March 2004, 12:22 PM

The only paper I've had "melt" is the inkjet iron on stuff for making t-shirts and that sort of thing.. didn't do any harm to the printer, just under heat the toner didn't stick to the paper, so I had to run a bunch of normal paper through after to pickup the toner.. but this inkjet coated semigloss works great.. there maybe better paper, as I haven't tried much..

jmar · 15th March 2004, 02:06 PM

I've made many homebrew PCB's.

I've recently gone from the Kepro negative DF boards to a positive
process with fantastic results.

Get the material and chemicals from Parts Express....inkjet a film pos on transparency film at 2880 dpi....

and that's it.

Kermit · 15th March 2004, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by soundNERD

Also, that quote ppfred linked to said about making silkscreens with that paper. Is that true? After the etching can I print the silkscreen onto a piece of photo paper and iron it onto the top of the pcb? Would that stay?

Yes, works very well, but the silkscreen will obviously be black, and doesn’t look very pro. But it makes populating complex boards a bit easier.
Here’s an example of silkscreen I have done this way, except I use plain paper for this, as quality of the silkscreen isn’t of that big importance to me.

soundNERD · 16th March 2004, 01:32 AM

hey, black looks more pro-er (don't laugh) than nothin...

can everybody please give me their opinions on the absolute best paper to use?? How about the hp or epson i talked about earlier???

Also, can this work for surface mount chips? I am designing a surface mount headphone amp using the lm4881M, so I need to be able to make small traces perfectly.

i picked up a couple sheets of transparency from kinkos, is it worth trying at least?

thx,
mike

soundNERD · 16th March 2004, 01:34 AM

oh and what about the protective/nice looking coating?

Optical · 16th March 2004, 10:36 AM

My old method involved printing onto a sheet of sticker backing, when heated up the ink would come right off the waxy like surface and stick to the pcb!
worked like a charm..

now i have access to a mill

adx · 16th March 2004, 12:58 PM

My 2c:

I know you're not looking for a "photo" process, but I find the positive photoresist boards very easy to work with. DSE in NZ have or at least had a green spray (aerosol) that you can paint copper with - or buy presensitised Kinsten board which is cheap enough. I have settled on using an inkjet printer (better accuracy, better contrast, very fine tracks) onto thin photo quality paper (not transparency), lining up and taping print side together against a window (for 2 sided boards). This goes in the UV exposure box (the tricky part - vaccum bag hold down and UV lamps top and bottom) for 5 minutes. Develop in solution of NaOH 5g/L lukewarm water. Etch as usual (hot ammonium persulphate in a bubble tank). I think the fastest I've done this part from print to ready to drill is 20 minutes or maybe that even included drilling (we used to have races). Drilling is the horrible part for me - I've got a DIY CNC router but it's a pain to set up. If drilling manually I like to use worn (throwaway) carbide drill bits because they self centre easier in pad holes. All hell breaks loose when you break your last drill bit on a weekend.

As for protecting the boards, I either leave the photoresist on, or spray with plasti-kote clear acrylic spray.

soundNERD · 17th March 2004, 01:32 AM

ok, thanks, but i am sticking with the toner method, nothing is going to change my mind.

the sticker thing sounds interesting. can i use ordinary wax paper?

soundNERD · 17th March 2004, 01:37 AM

o can i get rid of the toner except on the pads, spray it with the protector stuff, then remove the toner on the pads so everything is protected except the pads?

hopefully this makes sense

jmar · 17th March 2004, 11:39 AM

Your wasting your time with ANY method other than a photo process.

Why?
Because any other method gives INFERIOR results.

Been there....done that.

FYI.

(You're welcome).

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
FS: Aleph-X PCBs , NIGC PCBs , OPA541AM OpAmps	e.lectronick	Swap Meet	25	6th March 2013 07:40 PM
Making PCBs - Silicate Developer	Devil_H@ck	Parts	15	22nd April 2012 06:23 AM
Making pcbs, another guide	takeda	Everything Else	1	31st March 2007 09:01 PM
Trade Aleph X PCBs for Aleph P 1.7 PCBs	highbias	Pass Labs	0	27th September 2004 05:59 PM
Tutorial: Making PCBs	Devil_H@ck	Parts	19	10th May 2004 05:51 PM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

15th March 2004, 12:22 PM	#21
rwaudio diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: calgary	The only paper I've had "melt" is the inkjet iron on stuff for making t-shirts and that sort of thing.. didn't do any harm to the printer, just under heat the toner didn't stick to the paper, so I had to run a bunch of normal paper through after to pickup the toner.. but this inkjet coated semigloss works great.. there maybe better paper, as I haven't tried much..

15th March 2004, 02:06 PM	#22
jmar diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Indiana	I've made many homebrew PCB's. I've recently gone from the Kepro negative DF boards to a positive process with fantastic results. Get the material and chemicals from Parts Express....inkjet a film pos on transparency film at 2880 dpi.... and that's it.

16th March 2004, 01:32 AM	#24
soundNERD diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Illinois	hey, black looks more pro-er (don't laugh) than nothin... can everybody please give me their opinions on the absolute best paper to use?? How about the hp or epson i talked about earlier??? Also, can this work for surface mount chips? I am designing a surface mount headphone amp using the lm4881M, so I need to be able to make small traces perfectly. i picked up a couple sheets of transparency from kinkos, is it worth trying at least? thx, mike

16th March 2004, 01:34 AM	#25
soundNERD diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Illinois	oh and what about the protective/nice looking coating?

16th March 2004, 10:36 AM	#26
Optical diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Auckland, New Zealand	My old method involved printing onto a sheet of sticker backing, when heated up the ink would come right off the waxy like surface and stick to the pcb! worked like a charm.. now i have access to a mill

16th March 2004, 12:58 PM	#27
adx diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Christchurch	My 2c: I know you're not looking for a "photo" process, but I find the positive photoresist boards very easy to work with. DSE in NZ have or at least had a green spray (aerosol) that you can paint copper with - or buy presensitised Kinsten board which is cheap enough. I have settled on using an inkjet printer (better accuracy, better contrast, very fine tracks) onto thin photo quality paper (not transparency), lining up and taping print side together against a window (for 2 sided boards). This goes in the UV exposure box (the tricky part - vaccum bag hold down and UV lamps top and bottom) for 5 minutes. Develop in solution of NaOH 5g/L lukewarm water. Etch as usual (hot ammonium persulphate in a bubble tank). I think the fastest I've done this part from print to ready to drill is 20 minutes or maybe that even included drilling (we used to have races). Drilling is the horrible part for me - I've got a DIY CNC router but it's a pain to set up. If drilling manually I like to use worn (throwaway) carbide drill bits because they self centre easier in pad holes. All hell breaks loose when you break your last drill bit on a weekend. As for protecting the boards, I either leave the photoresist on, or spray with plasti-kote clear acrylic spray.

17th March 2004, 01:32 AM	#28
soundNERD diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Illinois	ok, thanks, but i am sticking with the toner method, nothing is going to change my mind. the sticker thing sounds interesting. can i use ordinary wax paper?

17th March 2004, 01:37 AM	#29
soundNERD diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Illinois	o can i get rid of the toner except on the pads, spray it with the protector stuff, then remove the toner on the pads so everything is protected except the pads? hopefully this makes sense

17th March 2004, 11:39 AM	#30
jmar diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Indiana	Your wasting your time with ANY method other than a photo process. Why? Because any other method gives INFERIOR results. Been there....done that. FYI. (You're welcome).