PCB making: Toner transfer method

[phase_accurate]

I don't know if this works well for etching purposes, but people transferring artwork sometimes use a special solvent to do this with ordinary photocopies, laser print on ordinary paper or even magazines. According to some info from the web it should even work with acetone for photocopies and laser printouts.

An example solven intended for image transfer is "Dylon Image Maker".

Regards

Charles

[geewhizbang]

What about using a laser printer to print on overhead tranparencies? You could then etch the plate in the normal way. Or is this a lot more expensive?

[markp]

Originally posted by geewhizbang
What about using a laser printer to print on overhead tranparencies? You could then etch the plate in the normal way. Or is this a lot more expensive?

That is basically what I have been talking about. It is cheap and easy to do.

[geewhizbang]

Can you explain the transparency process from beginning to end, if you have time?

For example, where do you purchase raw boards, chemicals, and the specific process for exposing the image to the PCB?

Assuming that I don't understand anything yet. I have never done this before.

But I'm tired of waiting for the bickering to stop on the Inverted Regulated Gainclone board. So I think I want to build my own board.

I want something I can post here before I build it and have some eyeballs check out to see if I translated the schematic correctly. I am too absent minded to get point to point building right.

[Peter Daniel]

How about this:
http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
http://www.mnsi.net/~boucher/makepcbs.htm
http://www.clarc.org/Articles/laserpcb.html
http://www.awrr.com/pcb.html

[Christer]

Originally posted by geewhizbang
Can you explain the transparency process from beginning to end, if you have time?

For example, where do you purchase raw boards, chemicals, and the specific process for exposing the image to the PCB?

Assuming that I don't understand anything yet. I have never done this before.

This thread is about the so called toner-transfer method, not
the more common photo exposure method. Although some
people have mentioned transparencies, they did so in the
context of toner-transfer, that is, using an iron to transfer the
pattern, not UV-light and photo resist. which is more common.

[getafix]

Originally posted by markp

I set the iron for cotton and iron directly on the transpearancy. The transpearancy is made for the high temps of a laser printer and a projector so there is no problem with melting it.

Thanks, I tried using paper but the transfer was not all that good... photopaper on the other hand, is prohibitively expensive here, I thought of using the backing for paper labels (which is slightly cheaper than photopaper) but transparencies are alot more cheaper.

[mpmarino]

Hmm, why am I always in an old thread??

I wonder how the toner transfer method would work if you passed the whole thing through one of those laminating machines instead of using an iron? They make lots of heat and certainly put the pressure on?!??

[nuppe]

Originally posted by mpmarino
I wonder how the toner transfer method would work if you passed the whole thing through one of those laminating machines instead of using an iron? They make lots of heat and certainly put the pressure on?!?? [/B]

I guess it would work, but there is a big risk the paper and board will slide out of position when you feed it through the laminator. Maybe a dab of super glue (or some other adhesive) in noncritical portions of the board would work? Do you have access to a laminating machine for testing? I'd be very interested in your results.

My mom once worked at a small printing shop, they had what would be the ideal tool for this kind of thing. It was a big hotplate (soft, i think) with a lever and spring for t-shirt transfer printing. I have no idea what that kind of thing would cost, but i'm guessing it won't come cheap. The process was very similar to toner transfer, but involved some kind of dyed powder that melted onto the t-shirt (can't remember exactly, this was a long time ago).

/Andreas

[mpmarino]

I'm pretty sure we have one back at the office at my company. It will take me a while to figure out how to do it without the ladies catching me messing with thier 'equipment'.