Homebrew PCBs

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "kilocycles" <kilocycles@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 5:23 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Board Image from Brother Laser printer on 
catalog paper


> Myc,
> I just did another one using a flyer from the paper.  This time I
> tested it for smudgability with my finger, and sure enough, they used
> the vegetable-based ink on that one.  It' currently soaking in the
> sink, but I pulled up a corner, and I did get a transfer.
>
> I'll have to try the flash technique.  I could actually use my Harbor
> Freight shrink tubing/paint removal gun, which is good for up to 650
> degrees F.  Nah, I'd probably burn my fingers.
>
> I tried my mother-in-law's tabletop Canon copier on a Press N Peel
> blue board, and I just ironed it on...disappointing...I used too much
> heat and pressure.  The image (3 x 4 inches) is skewed, and the pads
> are smeared in some places.  It's a double-sided board with a 40-pin
> IC socket on it, so it's probably unuseable.  Obviously, my 341 degree
> iron setting and pretty heavy pressure is needed only for the Brother
> images, not for copier toner.  I've had that problem occasionally with
> other P n P boards on big copiers, so the little Canon seems to be
> about in the same range as to fuser temperature and toner ingredients.
>
> I'm intrigued by your results with the muriatic acid.  The ferric
> chloride method typically takes me 20 minutes or so.  I'll look in the
> archives and get the exact percentages of muriatic acid.  I'm not sure
> the stuff you buy for swimming pool cleaning, etc, is 100 %.  I think
> Home Depot carries it as well, for cleaning garage floors prior to
> painting the concrete.

I use FeCl3 and etching only takes about 5-10 minutes, using continuous 
manual agitation (rocking) of the etchant container inside a larger 
container half-filled with hot water. I have it boiling when I put it in.

Leon