Homebrew PCBs

--- Mark Mickelsen <mark.mickelsen@...> wrote:

> I'm new at this and I may be doing it all wrong.  I have my PCB software
> generate the layout as a PDF file so I can print it out on my laser printer.

very important: make absolutely sure the scale factor is right, or the holes
and pads will not match!

> Is there a better format that I should be using for the printout?  Also, the
> top layer, bottom layer, silkscreen, and other things all come out as
> separate files.  I would like to be able to combine them all on a single
> sheet of photo paper for printout.  Does anyone know of a piece of software
> that will let me combine the files together into a single file for printout?
> My boards are small enough that all these different things will fit on a
> single 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of photo paper and it would be nice to not have to
> print out several sheets for just one small board.  Or am I just going about
> this the wrong way in the first place?

sure:
don't print directly on the expensive paper. use standard heavy paper first to
get a draft. then cut a rectangle of your 'expensive' paper some 1/4 to 1/2"
larger than the net picture and tape (paper masking tape) it just over this
first image, coated face up.
overlap only 1/8" or less of the tape on the borders, both leading and
trailing, never the sides. best use 4 x 1/4" strips, one each corner.
re-run the print on this patched sheet (manual feed), this time with the
heaviest resolution/toner setting you have.
remove carefully the tape if you want to reuse the draft, and don't touch the
surface. 
you may even use 'spoiled' or 'failed' photographs you previously got from the
jetink printer. it's funny to see circuits printed on top of those mis-coloured
smiling faces... but TT is insensitive to previous ink printing unless you
damage the coating with fingerprints!

> Some help from the more experienced players would be greatly appreciated.
> Thank you.
> Mark 

remember to print each circuit on a different place of the sheet, so you ensure
to minimize the chance of damaging your printers drum. don't _center_ the
pictures.

use the best (most appropriate) paper YOU can find. don't search for 'exactly'
what others have used! 
the most important criteria is the quality of transfer obtained: how much black
lines or spots remain on paper after removal (if any=bad), ease of removing in
water (rubbing=bad, float off=ideal) and residues left (none=ideal). if a test
fails, try again, then use the remaining paper (you only 'lost' half a sheet)
for colour photographs and go buy another paper! loop until you succeed!
for your first try, tear out a page of that expensive shiny fashion catalog...
many of those glossy papers do work, mainly those that stick together when
getting wet.
Try this: dip the catalog in water, squeeze and let dry. if you cannot open it
again, then that 'was' the right paper type!

happy TTing


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