PCB toner transfer paper in Aus? ditto laminators?

I've finally gotten around to DIY PCB etching, so far using the laser printer toner transfer method (using a Brother HL-2040, works well other than stinking something awful when paper jams, damned cheap: $98 @ BigW, replacement toner cartridges are ~$60 (recycled) - $80 (new retail) for supposedly 2.5k pages).

I tried a few different paper types: plain paper, some HP inkjet photo paper I've had for ages (forget the name, it was a runout at the local office store), and I'm currently using paper from one of my wife's glossy mags which easily works the best of these. The printer has a "thin paper" setting you have to use to avoid jams with this paper. The photo paper "shrank" and crumpled as it hit the fuser and jammed, as did the glossy mag's back cover (though it looked very arty).

The only problem with the mag paper is it's pretty easy to tear when ironing - can anyone recommend an effective photo paper?

On a related note has anyone tried a laminator? If so, and it's available in Aus, which one?

Thanks in advance, Ben

Reply to
af3556
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If you aren't doing heaps you could try the Press'n'Peel film from Jaycar. It's bloody expensive but works very well when done right. At ~$30 for 5 LT sized sheets you don't want to be using a sheet for one small PCB. When you iron it onto the PCB it leaves a film sort of glued onto the copper by the toner. The trick is to keep the iron on it even after you think its done :). I've used it down to .02" tracks and imagine .01" should be easily acheivable.

As for using a laminator, you'd have to use a good one. Most of the cheapies probably wouldn't melt the toner, you'd need full heat and a very slow feed speed to heat the board properly.

James

Reply to
James

Hi Ben, I saw a recommendation a little while ago for a particular paper which I now use with quite good results. It doesn't stick in the laser printers I have tried. It is from Officeworks and is called Photopaper 150gsm A4 Matte Finish item code OWPMMW. Print on the shiny plasticy side. I use a piece of plain paper on top of it when I iron to stop the iron sticking to it. Turn the iron up full, and iron over it evenly for two minutes. It seems best to let it cool fully before peeling off. Make sure you clean your copper with coarse steel wool or emery paper to improve the adhesion. I also use it to print a black silk screen on the top side. I etch with dilute Hydrochloric acid with a few drops of strong Hydrogen peroxide...cleaner and cheaper than FeCl2 and persulphate.

regards Russell

Reply to
rverdon

Laser print artwork onto tracing paper - no, not overhead film. Place toner side down onto pre-sensitised pcb. Use sunlight to expose it if you're a real cheapo. Otherwise get a UV fluoro. Develop with drain cleaner. Etch in real ferric chloride if you can get it. 100% professional results.

Any other method and you're wasting both time and MONEY.

Reply to
Trespasser

Last week some time I saw a mob selling Press-N-Peel for about $15-00 per pack, somewhere on either internet or EBAY. I'll see if I can find them and send a link. I've used the stuff and love it. Rob.

Reply to
Fonz

Found one link on ebay.

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It's from the US at $2 per page ($2.25au), which is cheaper than $6-00 per page at Jaycar. Don't know about shipping prices though. There are others locally, but I'll keep looking. Rob

Reply to
Fonz

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Thanks....that does seem pretty cheap. Do you know if the seller regularly sells it on Ebay or a one off? I don't know that I'd want to take the chance of it turning up and being creased badly due to inadequate packaging though. Large boards (150x150mm +)seem difficult to get right if you have even a slight crease in the film, due to bubbles forming, and require a great deal of patience and luck to iron flat.

James

Reply to
James

Thanks all for the suggestions. I've considered the P&P before, but at the local prices dismissed it pretty quickly. At $US2 a sheet, might give it a go sometime just to compare (postage will probably double the cost, but it's still better than local prices...)

On Oct 6, 11:06 pm, snipped-for-privacy@etherwave.com.au wrote: ...

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I couldn't find 'OWPMMW' at my local officeworks, the only non-water- resistant paper they had was "100gsm Matte Photo Quality Paper" (100 sheets for $18) (product AUOW410?). It works well, takes a little longer to soak but conversely is resilient to enthusiastic ironing. It doesn't have a "plasticy" surface and runs through the HL-2040 printer no troubles.

Ben

Reply to
af3556

Do you know the trick to save usage of P&P?

In case you don't, you first print your board on ordinary paper, then cut out where the board is and place a piece of P&P the same size in the hole and put a single piece of paper correction tape on the back across the top to hold it in place. Then you run it through the laser.

Reply to
Poxy

Try this one:

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Rob

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Reply to
Fonz

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