Homebrew PCBs

Hi Lee

I dont see you as rude. 

I just know so little I wasn't sure how to start looking. No problem though, you have given me a good head start and some great
ideas, tnx for the reply.

Bob AD5VJ 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com 
> [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Lee
> Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2009 9:28 AM
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Laser Printer
> 
> Bob AD5VJ,
> 
> Not to be rude, but its hard to imagine that a person that is 
> too lazy to use google or do even a little searching through 
> the archives of this or similar groups will be successful.
> 
> Look in the files (and on google) there are numerous step by 
> step writeups for laser toner-transfer based pcbs - I've had 
> the best luck printing onto Staples Photo Glossy paper and 
> also onto used(ripped out) magazine pages.  The real 
> challenge is that there are very few single sided designs out 
> there so you'll either have to design your own using Eagle or 
> some other eda tool none of which are particularly easy and 
> or you'll need a drill press that allows you to drill the 
> vias and in through-holes you'll need for through hole 
> components.     Also, If you have a cnc mill its also 
> possible to mill the traces rather than printing them - do a 
> search for pcb-gcode which is an open source plugin to eagle 
> that produces gcode output that can be run on mach3 (or other 
> cnc controller software) to produce traces.  For any DIY 
> process, getting the two sides to line up and drilling vias 
> is sufficiently complicated and error prone to reduce the 
> success rate, at least in my experience, to well below 50%.  
> 
> Realistically, imo, printing your own pcb's is more for fun 
> and for understanding the process than any real money you'll 
> save.  There are inexpensive pcb manufacturing services for 
> small runs, most notably batchpcb run by sparkfun, which are 
> probably worth considering if you actually need a board that 
> works.  i've been messing with this for a couple of years and 
> my success rate on boards is still probably less than 50% - 
> by that I mean that the board comes out of the chemical bath 
> and/or after routing and all traces are in the right place 
> and work properly.  In most cases you can manually repair a 
> bad pcb by soldering wire in to replace a bad trace but again 
> it takes time to find and manually repair these things.  
> 
> Hth.
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "AD5VJ  Bob" <rtnmi@...> wrote:
> >
> > I am wanting information on using a Laser printer process 
> for making 
> > homebrew pcb's. I have a Dell 1700 laser printer and 
> understand that it will work well for printed circuit board 
> prints for board etching.
> > 
> > But what type and weight paper do I use, ect?
> > 
> > Can anyone point me to a good process description on the 
> web that tells step by step how to use this method? 
> > 
> > I am also wondering with all the different choices out 
> there, how do you know how thick the layer of copper should 
> be on the board.
> > I am finding .060 and .090, but not sure what to choose.
> > 
> > I think I may purchase a Radio Shack kit for etching the 
> board. It is 
> > Radio Shack cat no. 276-1576, is there anything bad about 
> that choice?
> > 
> > I really dont have a lot of money to spend on mistakes, I 
> need something that works first time out of the chute.
> > 
> > Bob AD5VJ
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
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