Homebrew PCBs

--- Brian Pitt <bfp@...> wrote:
> > instead of transfers from laser printer to copper.
> > how about just buying a thin copper sheet say 3mil
> or so.
> > then run the copper through the laser printer and
> print your art work.
> 
> just tested this and it dosent work so well
> 
> I used 'Slug & Snail' tape its an adhesive backed
> copper foil
> sold in the garden dept at some stores (Seattle
> area)
> placed a small strip on a sheet of regular paper and
> ran a
> test page on an HP laserjet 1200 (nice printer for
> toner transfers BTW)
> 
> got some of the letters,but many dropouts and the
> toner lifted off onto
> the rolls and re-deposited itself further down the
> page (smear)
> a second test page without the tape came 
> out clean and sharp ,so no damage done :-)

Very brave, foolish, or got an old cheap laser
printer. ;')

Foreseeable, I suppose, as the fuser roller is only
sized to heat up at most a thick sheet of paper, and
paper has very little heat capacity so it doesn't take
much to heat it to 400F. Copper, on the other hand,
takes a lot to heat up. Think about how long you have
to hold the iron or heat press on the board, and some
recommend preheating the board. I can only send thin
boards through my non-modified laminator.

I suspect my friend's laser printer directly on PCB
worked because it was very old and likely overpowered.

Steve Greenfield

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