RE: Re: [OT] Have you made your own pcb's?

["Phil Harris" <phil@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

...but you could buy one of the cheap Samsung laser printers for the cost
o=
f
about 3 sheets of the proper laser PCB paper going by Ians posting. :-D

Phil

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> Gary
> Sent: 16 December 2005 20:38
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [ukha_d] Re: [OT] Have you made your own pcb's?
>=20
> Thanks Ian,
>=20
> I have an inkjet printer so i doubt if i could do it that way, but
> your ideas sent me looking and found this http://www.5bears.com/pcb.htm
>=20
> Have a look at the paper they mention, as i assume its even cheaper
> and i think you can get it here in UK.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Regards
>=20
>=20
> Gary
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> --- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Ian Lowe" <ianlowe@x...>
wrote:
> >
> > Firstly... It's cheaper than you think!
> >
> > There have been a few good service posted over the years,
including one
> > recently in response to one of my posts.
> >
> > I have made a few PCBs of late using a cool technique - here's
what I
> > posted:
> >
> > Okay, I had one of those little discoveries tonight that just has
to be
> > shared...
> >
> > I know that a fair few folks on the list do some electronics
dabbling a=
t
> > various levels - and like myself make up simple PCBs in house.
> >
> > Previously, the best and easiest way that I have found to make
PCBs
> reliably
> > was using a special blue paper/film that Maplin sell - you make
your PC=
B
> > layout in something like Eagle CAD (the freeware version is
pretty
> good for
> > small stuff) then print it on your Laser printer.
> >
> > The pattern of the PCB is transferred onto the film, which you
then iro=
n
> > onto a blank copper board (which are buttons from Maplin - a huge
> one that I
> > managed to get a good ten or so circuits out of only cost
=A32.50). I
> prefer
> > these blank boards to the UK sensitised ones, as they are a fair
bit
> > cheaper!
> >
> > Once the pattern is fully burnt onto the board (the toner melts,
and
> > re-fuses onto the copper), you can etch the board - again, the
> chemical to
> > do it (Ferric Chloride) is sold pretty cheaply from Maplin.
> >
> > The expensive bit of the process is the film - it's =A315 for
three
> sheets...
> > So you end up running it through the laser lots of times, with
the PCB
> > design aligned a different way each time.. Which means that the
quality
> > drops etc.
> >
> > So.. Tonight, I bolloxed up my last bit of film - there was a
print job
> > waiting as the printer had run out of paper, and I printed a
generic
> letter
> > out onto =A35 a page PCB film! :(
> >
> > I spotted a pile of Photo paper beside the printer, and thought -
> what the
> > heck, it's a shiny surface.. It *might* work...
> >
> > Surprise surprise... The cheaptastic kodak inkjet photo paper
does
> the job
> > just as well as the proper PCB film - I printer my design onto
it,
> and the
> > stuff came out of the laser printer seriously hot, and a bit
> tacky... Cut
> > out the PCB shape, ironed it onto the blank copper (it smelt a
bit
> funky,
> > and melted the backing paper a bit)... Gave it 2-3 minutes on
high heat=
,
> > then stuck the copper under the cold tap.
> >
> > Sure enough, as the paper started to peel back (you have to be
gentle
> > obviously) it left a perfect impression on the copper. The effect
> was a bit
> > like those "tatoos" you used to get in kids sweets that
transferred
> to the
> > skin when wet.
> >
> > I etched the board up, and sure enough - perfect result! Except,
of
> course,
> > that the photo paper was about =A35 for 25 sheets - much cheaper!
> >
> > I'm guessing that it wouldn't work on "proper" laser
photo paper, as th=
e
> > inkjet stuff seems to have a plastic skin for the ink to stick to
> without
> > beading.
> >
> > Ian.
> >
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20