Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Phil" <phil1960us@y...> wrote:

Thank you,

   now what exactly is inkjet paper. Is that the regular white paper?

  Another important question. Onced I finished I put the leftover 
FerricCloride back in the bottle. However there was a little bit left 
in the container I did the etching. I watch it out with lots of 
water. My question is should I neutralize that little leftover with 
something. I mean I want to do things right and protect the 
enviroment. I found out that in my area all I have to do is take my 
ferric cloride bottle to a collection facility and since is for non 
comercial use then its free.

> Congrats on progress.  It is very satisfying to see that pattern 
come 
> out on the copper.
> 
> You really dont need to use PnP.  Try, instead, using a decent 
> quality inkjet paper (not glossy, no special coatings, ...).  Use a 
> very hot iron (cotton, highest setting) and lots of pressure.  I 
use 
> kids construction paper between the iron and the transfer paper to 
> even out the irregularities.   Once you are done with the ironing, 
> turn off the iron but leave it sitting on the board/paper until it 
> cools down a bit (below the fusing point) to ensure good toner 
> adhesion to the copper.  this process is highly reliable for me and 
> the last few boards I did required NO touching up.
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mr_gees100_peas" 
> <geovar13@h...> wrote:
> > 
> > 
> >    Ok, today I did my first PCB. It tuen out pretty good. I 
though 
> it 
> > would be a little bit more complicated. I follow most people 
advice 
> > and drilled at after the etching procees. The hole in the pads 
did 
> > worked as a guide plus it was eaier to drill because there is no 
> > copper there.
> > 
> >    Before I did the etching I was at a dilema. I found out that 
my 
> > pads where too small. My options where to enlarge the pads with a 
> > Sharpie or redo the drawing. I only have 3 PnP sheets left. So 
> after 
> > a little bit of search I found a website that saud you can use 
> staple 
> > photo paper.
> > 
> > http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
> > 
> >   Now I tried using this process on another blank PCB. I dodn't 
> know 
> > but I can't make it work. I can transfer some of the toner but a 
> lot 
> > of the traces did not stick. I did this process at least 5 times 
> > maybe more. The results where not satifactory for me. I would 
like 
> to 
> > hear from somebody about this because at staples you can get 200 
> > sheets for $30. That is cheap. On the other hand if I cant make 
it 
> > work then is no good to me. Here is what I did
> > 
> >    I made the print out on the glossy side. I preheated the 
copper 
> > board then I put the printout. I but a black piece of paper on 
top 
> of 
> > the printout because the photo paper sticks to the iron.I Iron 
that 
> > thing left and right and any which way possible aplying various 
> > pressures. When I was done I ran it under cold water then I gave 
it 
> a 
> > hot water bath. Now  the hot water was not boiling just as hot as 
I 
> > could get it from the faucet. I tried peeling the paper off and 
> only 
> > a few traces stuck.
> > 
> >   In the end I just filled in the pads with a Sharpie in my board 
> > that I did using the PnP paper. It only took me 3 tries to get 
the 
> > PnP to work right. The first one it did not stick too well. The 
> > second one was a an aligment problem. or maybe it was a mirror 
> > problem. Unless someone can tell me whats wrong with the photo 
> paper 
> > technique I'm sticking with the PnP even though is expensive.