Homebrew PCBs

Mark,
I guess you missed my test pattern with various pitches in my last email. See:
http://www.vinland.com/USAF-1951.html
See the second part. It gives worst case combinations of slightly angled traces with different track-spaces.
Bertho
Posted by: Mark Lerman <mlerman@...>

Still waiting for some parts for the MCU version,l but I just ran a
test board and found:

1 - All 5 mm traces are intact.

2 - 5 mil traces/10 mil spaces works perfectly - no shorts, no open
traces, no "near misses".

3 - 5/5 does not. The traces are intact but they spread into the
spaces and short together in many areas. The obvious conclusion is
that the traces are wider than 5 mil.

One solution might be to make the traces even thinner so if they
spread it won't obliterate the spaces.

What I need is a good way to measure the thicknesses. I do have a
stage micrometer for my microscope, but I really would like a USB
microscope with software to measure. Does anyone have a suggestion?

I could also use a test pattern that has a variety of traces/spaces.
Does anyone have one in some common format?

Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions.

Mark

5/5 is better than most cheap board houses would advertise (6/6 is fairly typical). Â Do you really need to get down to that? Â 8/8 is what most people strive to achieve at home.



On Sat, Aug 9, 2014 at 9:01 AM, Mark Lerman mlerman@... [Homebrew_PCBs] < Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
Â

Still waiting for some parts for the MCU version,l but I just ran a
test board and found:

1 - All 5 mm traces are intact.

2 - 5 mil traces/10 mil spaces works perfectly - no shorts, no open
traces, no "near misses".

3 - 5/5 does not. The traces are intact but they spread into the
spaces and short together in many areas. The obvious conclusion is
that the traces are wider than 5 mil.

One solution might be to make the traces even thinner so if they
spread it won't obliterate the spaces.

What I need is a good way to measure the thicknesses. I do have a
stage micrometer for my microscope, but I really would like a USB
microscope with software to measure. Does anyone have a suggestion?

I could also use a test pattern that has a variety of traces/spaces.
Does anyone have one in some common format?

Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions.

Mark

Hello Mark!

I read that was previously perform a many number of attempts over the transfer of toner powder on the plate.
eg. voltage changes, gel XY

I currently have very old printer OKIPAGE 10ex and prepared machanics to direct toner transfer, but have problem with quality of traces on copper. Toner is unevenly distributed, some parts are almost transparent. Edges are OK.
Have not tried etch, yet.
On regular paper prints are good quality - solid black large areas and sharp edges.
Already i have toner powder replaccement. Before i try to buy original toner powder i have a question:
Do You try some metods to improve covering boards by toner powder? Special chemical or mechanical copper board pre-(or post-) preparation?

Great job with E260 (both versions- I read all carefully)!
--
Radek


2014-08-10 14:13 GMT+02:00 Mark Lerman mlerman@... [Homebrew_PCBs] < Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>:
Â


No, I have no need for traces that fine, but now that I have a stable "platform" I want to test the limits. Once I get the MCU version online I am going to work on double sided boards.

Mark

At 05:56 AM 8/10/2014, you wrote:

5/5 is better than most cheap board houses would advertise (6/6 is fairly typical). Â Do you really need to get down to that? Â 8/8 is what most people strive to achieve at home.




On Sat, Aug 9, 2014 at 9:01 AM, Mark Lerman mlerman@... [Homebrew_PCBs] < Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote: ÂÂ
Still waiting for some parts for the MCU version,l but I just ran a test board and found:
1 - All 5 mm traces are intact.
2 - 5 mil traces/10 mil spaces works perfectly - no shorts, no open traces, no "near misses".
3 - 5/5 does not. The traces are intact but they spread into the spaces and short together in many areas. The obvious conclusion is that the traces are wider than 5 mil.
One solution might be to make the traces even thinner so if they spread it won't obliterate the spaces.
What I need is a good way to measure the thicknesses. I do have a stage micrometer for my microscope, but I really would like a USB microscope with software to measure. Does anyone have a suggestion?
I could also use a test pattern that has a variety of traces/spaces. Does anyone have one in some common format?
Thanks for your encouragement and suggestions.
Mark