Homebrew PCBs

Hi Guys

I'm new to this group so please bear with me if this question has 
already been up. (i can't seem to find it anyways)

Has anyone ever done experiments using a Thermal Transfer Printer (TTP)
It seems to me to have a lot of potential.

>  Has anyone ever done experiments using a Thermal Transfer Printer (TTP)
>  It seems to me to have a lot of potential.

I had one years ago back in my amiga days, wish I still had it!

It had silly plastic ribbons coated with wax, would have been ideal,
and I did print onto aluminum foil with it to make fancy birthday
cards etc, okidata made it, it was an okimate 24 I think.

lol just googled you can still get ribbons for the black!
http://www.tonercartridgedepot.com/oki-52101601.htm

I'm sure one of the newer 'photo' printers that use the same
technology (but now costing much more, for some reason, must be better
color matched wax) would work if a flatpath one could be found.


Lez

The Tektronix Phaser printers were an interesting breed. They basically
gave away the printer, if you were willing to pay $35 an ounce for wax
(one each CMYK)
It continually wasted the wax and smelled like melted crayons. Great
printer :-)
To be on-topic: The paper path was not straight.
--
Martin K

Lez wrote:

>
> > Has anyone ever done experiments using a Thermal Transfer Printer (TTP)
> > It seems to me to have a lot of potential.
>
> I had one years ago back in my amiga days, wish I still had it!
>
> It had silly plastic ribbons coated with wax, would have been ideal,
> and I did print onto aluminum foil with it to make fancy birthday
> cards etc, okidata made it, it was an okimate 24 I think.
>
> lol just googled you can still get ribbons for the black!
> http://www.tonercartridgedepot.com/oki-52101601.htm
> <http://www.tonercartridgedepot.com/oki-52101601.htm>
>
> I'm sure one of the newer 'photo' printers that use the same
> technology (but now costing much more, for some reason, must be better
> color matched wax) would work if a flatpath one could be found.
>
> Lez
>
>

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:09:04 +0100, Martin Klingensmith  
<martin@...> wrote:

> The Tektronix Phaser printers were an interesting breed. They basically
> gave away the printer, if you were willing to pay $35 an ounce for wax
> (one each CMYK)
> It continually wasted the wax and smelled like melted crayons. Great
> printer :-)
> To be on-topic: The paper path was not straight.
> --
> Martin K


Actually, the phaser wax printers can be used to make PCBs.
Some long while ago someone posted how to do it. The key is to use very  
thin PCB stock then it will work without modification. The wax works  
directly as resist.


ST

>  Lez wrote:
>
> <SNIP about the okimate 10>
> I'm sure one of the newer 'photo' printers that
> use the same technology (but now costing much
> more, for some reason, must be better color
> matched wax) would work if a flatpath one could
> be found.

The new photo printers are Dye Sublimation.

Instead of melting the colour onto the page it
evaporates (sublimates as it goes straight from
solid to gas) the colour onto the page.  It needs
special paper that can absorb the gas phase ink.

Copper probably doesnt absorb the gas :D

BTW - a few people have tried thermal transfer
printers with wax ribbons.  The copper seems to
drag away the heat too fast to get a good transfer.

People still sell Fargos in the local trading post
around here if you want to buy one and try it
yourself.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Stefan Trethan" 
<stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
> 
> Actually, the phaser wax printers can be used to make PCBs.
> Some long while ago someone posted how to do it. The key is to use   
> very thin PCB stock then it will work without modification. 
> The wax works directly as resist.
> 
> ST
>


OH, O.K. So THAT's what it's good for! 8-).
Yea, I got some of that VERY thin Double sided PCB
stock 0.024" & 0.010" from a friend who was closing
his electronics surplus retail store just last Friday.
You still got the printer?

Mike L.

On Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:44:48 +0100, scratch_6057 <dml.empsrch@...>  
wrote:

>
> OH, O.K. So THAT's what it's good for! 8-).
> Yea, I got some of that VERY thin Double sided PCB
> stock 0.024" & 0.010" from a friend who was closing
> his electronics surplus retail store just last Friday.
> You still got the printer?
> Mike L.


I never had one, big $ on ebay. Someone else posted information about  
using it.

ST