Best method of making PCB .. Toner tarnsfer or Photoresist or what .. help?

[pl4tonas]

Hello bbarney,
Thanks for your reply.
I am using an HP Laserjet1000 printer.  I tryied tracing paper and magazine glossy paper. 
Today I will make some more tests since yesterday I haven't enough time to play.

With an iron, the magazine paper worked but only for small PCB.  For larger PCBs it does not work very well.
I will carry some more experiments during the next days to find out the correct/proper combination.
Press&Peel is not available lockally so I have to order it from internet.  I will give it a try as a last resort.

Upon success, I will post my results.
Regards
P.

[TigerX]

A few years ago I used serigraphy method. It is cheap and serially producing PCB is possible. Photoresist methos  think may be same. I am not sure exatly.

[bbarney]

pl4tonas I'am sure it's probably the paper you are using as the printer and laminator are both perfect to do it HERE'S LINK IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
http://www.pulsarprofx.com/PCB/a_Pages/4_Products/4d_Toner_Applicator/Toner_Applicator.html

Hello bbarney,
Thanks for your reply.
I am using an HP Laserjet1000 printer.  I tryied tracing paper and magazine glossy paper. 
Today I will make some more tests since yesterday I haven't enough time to play.

With an iron, the magazine paper worked but only for small PCB.  For larger PCBs it does not work very well.
I will carry some more experiments during the next days to find out the correct/proper combination.
Press&Peel is not available lockally so I have to order it from internet.  I will give it a try as a last resort.

Upon success, I will post my results.
Regards
P.

[avralam]

Remember! 
 Glossary paper and laser printer method is better than press_n peel from internet shop
 1$ A4 sheet!

[luigipolyp]

i made some pcb's with my router milling machine and use eagle software. i use a plugin to generate g-code
to mill a pcb. After that i can drill the holes in my pcb using my milling machine

[bbarney]

I disagree with that,I've used glossy paper and my results were not worth the effort and $1 per sheet is cheap if it works everytime not to mention that I would probably make 4 or 5 different pcb out of that one sheet so $1 a sheet is pretty cheap for what I get which are good boards the first time and not frustrated making it over and over till it comes out right. 

Remember! 
 Glossary paper and laser printer method is better than press_n peel from internet shop
 1$ A4 sheet!

[jader]

ive done toner transfer and it worked really well. the trick is to keep the iron pressed on for the right amount of time. touch up anyparts with a felt tip pen

[tuvoj]

We use a "Sherline"  type small CNC machine with a conical carbide engraving bit on FR4 clad PCB. This works VERY WELL for everything BUT multi=layer boards...

We create artwork/gerbers in Protel, then use a prog called "DeskPCB" to do isolation cutting (like LPKF or most other prototyping PCB systems).

Saves time and $ when doing small-run or single protoyping

Cheers-TuvoJ

[vovchik02]

Photoresist give good result (SO 1.27mm is OK ), but for little number PCB take more time then toner, more chemikal operation and spetial light(be caraful may eyes damage). But toner give more unstable result in chemikal protekt. I like use photoresist.

[tronicgr]

I have made a small guide (with lots of photos) on how to expose an etch your own PCB's using a homemade UV exposure chamber:

http://ptyxiouxos.net//greekbotics/user_projects/Flight_Simulator/electronics/ThanosPCBmaking/PCBmakingGuide.htm


I hope that helps

Regards, Thanos
Greece

[esomarmara]

I use fine quality asetat transparent surface and controlled iron for lines uncorrupt

[mkarim]

I use fine quality asetat transparent surface and controlled iron for lines uncorrupt

Posted on: March 03, 2008, 11:26:36 11:26 - Automerged
Toner transfer method is very cheap,and photo resist method is costly but it profetional quality.

mkarim

[MAXPAYNE]

Alternative PCB......

http://europa.spaceports.com/~fishbake/acb.html

[Vid4r]

I got my best results by using an adopted CNC with a minimum 200 microns milling cutter... It gave me the best registration for 2 Layer boards (top layer <-> bottom layer) due to automatic registration of the bore holes

[tek]

Hello
I met someone recently this method I get a manual?
Thanks

[heroinb]

best method is using laser printer. I suggest..

[marianqt]

Hello everyone!

I hope this short movie are very useful for toner transfer & etching & very cheap method !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTxPnZLpp_8

[frasenci]

I got my best results by using an adopted CNC with a minimum 200 microns milling cutter... It gave me the best registration for 2 Layer boards (top layer <-> bottom layer) due to automatic registration of the bore holes

How interesting !
I have seen pictures of that work .
Would you share what combination of software for PCB design and then for CNC you use ? An links for them ?

Thank you

[edi14_10]

Hi... does anyone have a good idea to make a precission double layer PCb using toner transfer?

[Vid4r]

How interesting !
I have seen pictures of that work .
Would you share what combination of software for PCB design and then for CNC you use ? An links for them ?

Thank you

I'm using Altium Designer (available on this board) for circuit simulation and pcb layout.
The layout of Altium is exported into extended Gerber files. These files can be read
by IsoCAM.
I use IsoCAM to determine wether I want to do isolation milling or remove unwanted
copper completely (both modes may be combined by selecting copper areas to be
milled). Again I export gerber files which our cnc @work
is able to use...

[cooperharris]

personaly  I am not a expert in pcb , but I can tell you about my experiences, I tried the first time I made  one  with a tone transfer and  I think I did heat too much  the  iron and  the pcb was a mess! I lost the copper!, so  the next time I tried I did  it by  using a fine point permanent marker  and  after make the tracks I gave  it a acid bath, and  It worked perfectly, so ..so far I  have not tried  with the toner transfer again , but I have heard that some people got to work with it  very nicely I think it is  just about practice, regarts.

[sisar]

I use press-n-peel sheets, http://www.techniks.com/index.htm , they give a very good result, check their website, they have nice tutorial

[puta]

I have developed few interface PCB boards using toner transfer (laser printer + iron) successfully after few trial & error for my Explorer-16 dev board.

But the problem is copper strips on the PCB connector is getting oxidised after few days. I have seen many professionally made PCBs have gold plated connector edges, even in Explorer-16 board.

Any one would know whether we could develop that type of gold plated, or other suitable mathod which we could use in home/ hobby environment to stop oxide in the copper PCB connectors.

[cooperharris]

To everybody who is using the iron on method
DO YOURSELF'S A BIG FAVOUR AND BUY A LAMINATOR!
you can't beat the consistent heat and pressure the lamintator gives you over manually ironing,I used an iron for years and had good results but the laminator makes it way easier and with way better results and if you use press & peel blue with a laminator I get 100% RESULTS 100% OF THE TIME.
And by the way I never could get good result's with press & peel blue using an iron but excellant results using it with a laminator.

where  could  w buy  a Lamlinator?, or  maybe we could  build  it? , thansk for your answer. regards.

[forter]

I have used iron method to transfer toner.
A few week ago I try to use Laminator - the results is very nice!
All is very accurately, no more sticking together tracks.
But I think a temperature needs to be enlage a litle.