Homebrew PCBs

Chris, 

Thickness of the board is another issue I didn't want to add  it to 
my answer to simplify the matteer. I am using 40 and 60 mills 
fiberglass and 60 mills phenolic crap, that is 45 years old. I am 
also using 10 mills flex. All of them work fine but only AS LONG AS I 
am using that secret paper. The minute I switch to something else I 
get results all over teh map. In fact I can use common laser bond 
paper and get the same results as any other paper except for that 
secret Staples paper.

I tried making my own dextrine paper, I tried printing on aluminum, 
wax paper, baking  paper, lables backing paper (whose idea was that? 
That was insane!), I tried tracing paper, photographic paper, I tried 
plotting on copper directly, I sacrificed my laser printer to laser 
print on copper directly, I tried making my own ink for inkjet *hello 
a new inkjest printer...), I tried machinists paint and scratch and 
etch... and many variations. Now, steam iron works but on small POCBs 
with heavy (to be defined ;) tracks...

All methods produced ok to good results some of the time to most of 
the time. I do not believe in using a pen to correct a laminated PCB.

Once I run out of my secret paper supply I will switch to the PMS 
paper.

What works (FOR ME) is this combination...ok, I won't mention it 
agin, I mentioned it in a previous email.  Mike