Homebrew PCBs

yes to all your questions.

Edge problems are common. There can be many reasons, like
contamination or bad surface preparation, which is tricky along the
edges. Also, the pull from the paper shrinkage under heat is greatest
on the edges.
I simply leave a solid copper border around the PCB (or around the
outside of several if i make more than one on a panel), and cut it
away later. It is the only sure way i have found. Apparently
pre-shrinking the paper by running it through the laminator before
printing has also brought relief to some.

Most papers release only with some effort involved. That is OK and you
can use a foam rubber sponge instead of your fingers. A paper that
sticks some even on the non-printed areas has advantages too, there is
less pull from the shrinkage on the toner.

I only pass it once through my homemade lamniator so i do not know if
the direction makes a difference.

Laquer thinner could be a bit hit-and-miss. Probably it is just fine
but i'm unsure of the exact composition and also i don't like the
required ventilation. I use acetone and the board is good to go after
a cleaning with that (since it is just the same as i would use for the
final cleaning on a fresh board). There is no need for renewed
abrasive cleaning, after all if you have many transfer failures you
would wear the copper through eventually.

Keep trying, eventually you'll find a good combination.

ST

On Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 7:47 AM, jerrytr2.com <jerry@...> wrote:
> Hello,
>
>   I spent about half a day experimenting with this today.  I had just
> obtained a box of HP gloss laser paper #Q2419A, which was well
> reviewed in the database.  Had my new GBC 9 1/2 inch laminator, ready
> to go to town.  It's not quite happening yet.
>
>    At first, I tried folding the paper over the copperclad and taping
> it on the back.  This resulted in massive bad transfer at the edges.
>
>    OK, I tried cutting the paper to the exact size of the copperclad
> and bending the tape around the edges.  A bit better, but still some
> edge problems.
>
>   Also, the paper does not release cleanly from the toner - I have to
> scrub it off piecemeal by rolling it off with my fingers.  Or does
> one scrub it with a toothbrush?  Maybe I should have done a cold
> water bath before putting it in the hot soapy water - will try that
> tomorrow.  Just like peeling a hardboiled egg.
>
>   Do you pass it through the laminator same direction every time?
> Or do you rotate the board, put it through this way then that way?
>
>   Do you make the board its final size, or is it better to make it
> somewhat bigger, then etch it, then cut it down to size?  That way,
> the crappy edges would all be unused.
>
>   I had better luck with some Epson photo paper I had laying around,
> and my wife's clothes iron. That released really clean, and gave me a
> usable board.  Unfortunately, I don't know what paper that was - it
> was part of a multi-tryit pack that came with a printer.
>
>   I find that failed experiments clean off easily with paper towels
> and lacquer thinner.  Is that good enough - "clean enough" to try
> again, or do I need to clean it some more?
>
>  Thanks in advance,
>
>                             - Jerry Kaidor
>
>
>
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