Homebrew PCBs

I managed to replicate Volkan's success with direct inkjet printing.

First i had to deal with the ink chips. I ended up soldering them together  
in a stack (they are connected all parallel in the printer). I simply  
stuck wires through the vias and made a stack out of them, also connecting  
them to the little PCB carrying the contacts for them. This PCB is  
attached to a section of ribbon cable that can be cut from the rest of the  
head cable (don't slip with the knife!).

The really neat thing is one can simply pull the ribbon cable out of the  
PCB now, and take the whole stack of chips to a resetter like  
<http://www.eddiem.com/photo/printer/chipreset/resetchip.html> (make a  
blind reset to reset the whole stack at once).

Now the the bloody printer shuts up about the chips being empty i could  
find out why it would no longer print.

I found there was no ink whatsoever in the black cart. The whole fill must  
have gotten out somehow. I have no idea how it managed that feat, looking  
at the waste ink absorber i think it may have gone there, may... I  
wouldn't know where else.

Anyway, i put a small amount of MISPRO ink into the black cart and the  
head started to work just fine again.
I can feed a strip of PCB through, if stuck to a page horizontally so it  
will go around the paper path bend.

Then i started to experiment with printer settings and got something that  
worked after a while.
I must play with the settings some more since i still have some puddling,  
and i must modify the paper path for PCBs and raise the head (currently it  
is too close). But the pattern i printed could be etched just fine and  
everything, just like Volkan says.

The vanishing ink problem must be resolved - maybe it is the "dry sponge"  
refill method that is the problem. I should get a spongeless cart for this  
printer.

When i'm confident the printer is no longer losing vast amounts of ink i  
can fiddle with the settings some more to get things just perfect. I  
noticed the different settings will affect resolution (too low and you see  
banding just like with a old printer), ink amount (too much and you see  
puddling), and color mixture. Some settings will use vast amounts of blue  
color even though i print something black.

Anyway, i'm confident everyone can do it. The key is just a modern printer  
with enough resolution to prevent the banding. The old models i tried  
before had the nozzles too far apart they would form individual lines on  
the (not wicking) copper.
I expect i can soon put the fuser for TT into long term storage. I hope to  
find the usb cable later to do a scan.

ST

That's very good news. Expecting some images. Congratulations once again.

Volkan

..... find the usb cable later to do a scan.

ST



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Stefan,

Be careful the "But the pattern i printed could be etched just fine" 
may come back and haunt you.

Why not go ahead an etch the board to actually duplicate Voltan's 
success.

Remember based on Voltan's work, some inks are less stable in the 
etchant than lhters

Myc
 

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Stefan Trethan" 
<stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
>
> I managed to replicate Volkan's success with direct inkjet 
printing.
> 
> First i had to deal with the ink chips. I ended up soldering them 
together  
> in a stack (they are connected all parallel in the printer). I 
simply  
> stuck wires through the vias and made a stack out of them, also 
connecting  
> them to the little PCB carrying the contacts for them. This PCB 
is  
> attached to a section of ribbon cable that can be cut from the 
rest of the  
> head cable (don't slip with the knife!).
> 
> The really neat thing is one can simply pull the ribbon cable out 
of the  
> PCB now, and take the whole stack of chips to a resetter like  
> <http://www.eddiem.com/photo/printer/chipreset/resetchip.html> 
(make a  
> blind reset to reset the whole stack at once).
> 
> Now the the bloody printer shuts up about the chips being empty i 
could  
> find out why it would no longer print.
> 
> I found there was no ink whatsoever in the black cart. The whole 
fill must  
> have gotten out somehow. I have no idea how it managed that feat, 
looking  
> at the waste ink absorber i think it may have gone there, may... 
I  
> wouldn't know where else.
> 
> Anyway, i put a small amount of MISPRO ink into the black cart and 
the  
> head started to work just fine again.
> I can feed a strip of PCB through, if stuck to a page horizontally 
so it  
> will go around the paper path bend.
> 
> Then i started to experiment with printer settings and got 
something that  
> worked after a while.
> I must play with the settings some more since i still have some 
puddling,  
> and i must modify the paper path for PCBs and raise the head 
(currently it  
> is too close). But the pattern i printed could be etched just fine 
and  
> everything, just like Volkan says.
> 
> The vanishing ink problem must be resolved - maybe it is the "dry 
sponge"  
> refill method that is the problem. I should get a spongeless cart 
for this  
> printer.
> 
> When i'm confident the printer is no longer losing vast amounts of 
ink i  
> can fiddle with the settings some more to get things just perfect. 
I  
> noticed the different settings will affect resolution (too low and 
you see  
> banding just like with a old printer), ink amount (too much and 
you see  
> puddling), and color mixture. Some settings will use vast amounts 
of blue  
> color even though i print something black.
> 
> Anyway, i'm confident everyone can do it. The key is just a modern 
printer  
> with enough resolution to prevent the banding. The old models i 
tried  
> before had the nozzles too far apart they would form individual 
lines on  
> the (not wicking) copper.
> I expect i can soon put the fuser for TT into long term storage. I 
hope to  

> find the usb cable later to do a scan.
> 
> ST
>

On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:16:47 +0200, mycroft2152 <mycroft2152@...>  
wrote:

> Stefan,
> Be careful the "But the pattern i printed could be etched just fine"
> may come back and haunt you.
> Why not go ahead an etch the board to actually duplicate Voltan's
> success.
> Remember based on Voltan's work, some inks are less stable in the
> etchant than lhters
> Myc


I didn't write that well.
It could be etched just fine should really read it was etched just fine.

ST

Great News! 

Photos?

Myc

--- Stefan Trethan <stefan_trethan@...> wrote:

> On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:16:47 +0200, mycroft2152
> <mycroft2152@...>  
> wrote:
> 
> > Stefan,
> > Be careful the "But the pattern i printed could be
> etched just fine"
> > may come back and haunt you.
> > Why not go ahead an etch the board to actually
> duplicate Voltan's
> > success.
> > Remember based on Voltan's work, some inks are
> less stable in the
> > etchant than lhters
> > Myc
> 
> 
> I didn't write that well.
> It could be etched just fine should really read it
> was etched just fine.
> 
> ST
> 
> 
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> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
> 
> If Files or Photos are running short of space, post
> them here:
>
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Hot Dog! That is great news!

I still have not gotten back to mine yet to "De-Jam" it.  Still too 
mad to risk messing with it yet.

If resolution is important in this, then I should be in great shape.  
This printer boasts a resolution of 5760 x 1440.  

Congrats on the success!  

Chris

Stephan
Summing up, which printer and which ink did you use in your tests?

I went back and read the threads from the various posts on the
subject, and followed the links to the chip resetting info, and Epson
inkjet maintenance and modification articles.

Which Epson model or models should we look for at thrift stores, etc.?
 Do they have to be pigmented-ink printers to use the M16 ink (I think
that's the designation).  Also, are certain models easier to modify
for straight-through PCB travel?  An Epson was my first reasonably
high-quality inkjet printer a few years ago, but I've switched to
Canon.  I think the model I had was the 870.  I still have the
accessory photo-sized roll feeder for it.

Hopefully, as more of yours, Volkan's and others' work is successful,
a folder in the Files section will be established.

Great work, and I'm looking forward to seeing the photos!

Regards,
Ted

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Stefan Trethan"
<stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
>
> I managed to replicate Volkan's success with direct inkjet printing.
> 
> First i had to deal with the ink chips. I ended up soldering them
together  
> in a stack (they are connected all parallel in the printer). I simply  
> stuck wires through the vias and made a stack out of them, also
connecting  
> them to the little PCB carrying the contacts for them. This PCB is  
> attached to a section of ribbon cable that can be cut from the rest
of the  
> head cable (don't slip with the knife!).
> 
> The really neat thing is one can simply pull the ribbon cable out of
the  
> PCB now, and take the whole stack of chips to a resetter like  
> <http://www.eddiem.com/photo/printer/chipreset/resetchip.html> (make a  
> blind reset to reset the whole stack at once).
> 
> Now the the bloody printer shuts up about the chips being empty i
could  
> find out why it would no longer print.
> 
> I found there was no ink whatsoever in the black cart. The whole
fill must  
> have gotten out somehow. I have no idea how it managed that feat,
looking  
> at the waste ink absorber i think it may have gone there, may... I  
> wouldn't know where else.
> 
> Anyway, i put a small amount of MISPRO ink into the black cart and the  
> head started to work just fine again.
> I can feed a strip of PCB through, if stuck to a page horizontally
so it  
> will go around the paper path bend.
> 
> Then i started to experiment with printer settings and got something
that  
> worked after a while.
> I must play with the settings some more since i still have some
puddling,  
> and i must modify the paper path for PCBs and raise the head
(currently it  
> is too close). But the pattern i printed could be etched just fine and  
> everything, just like Volkan says.
> 
> The vanishing ink problem must be resolved - maybe it is the "dry
sponge"  
> refill method that is the problem. I should get a spongeless cart
for this  
> printer.
> 
> When i'm confident the printer is no longer losing vast amounts of
ink i  
> can fiddle with the settings some more to get things just perfect. I  
> noticed the different settings will affect resolution (too low and
you see  
> banding just like with a old printer), ink amount (too much and you
see  
> puddling), and color mixture. Some settings will use vast amounts of
blue  
> color even though i print something black.
> 
> Anyway, i'm confident everyone can do it. The key is just a modern
printer  
> with enough resolution to prevent the banding. The old models i tried  
> before had the nozzles too far apart they would form individual
lines on  
> the (not wicking) copper.
> I expect i can soon put the fuser for TT into long term storage. I
hope to  
> find the usb cable later to do a scan.
> 
> ST
---snip---