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Press-n-Peel PCB problem

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With such problems and the printer shops refusing to do even at % times the normal charge, i felt insulted and went ahead owning HP P1007 laser printer.
Ignorance (India) Unlimited, i used to call these people
ohh really.....I am simply predicting:))
 
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Hi:)

I am going to buy Deskjet printer(HP all in one 2120) as it is in my budget and also all in one. So please tell me is it suitable for my PCB prints outs.That I have to transfer to the Copper clad. Or its only can be done through laser printer ?

Is there is really a big difference ?

Any help is strongly appreciated.:)

------------------
Regards
Gaurav Sharma
 
Hi:)

I am going to buy Deskjet printer(HP all in one 2120) as it is in my budget and also all in one. So please tell me is it suitable for my PCB prints outs.That I have to transfer to the Copper clad. Or its only can be done through laser printer ?

Is there is really a big difference ?

Any help is strongly appreciated.:)

------------------
Regards
Gaurav Sharma

Deskjet printers are inkjet printers, not laser/toner. The ink won't transfer with heat, and water soluble. Nope it won't this way, maybe photo etching, but doubtful.

HP's online store usually has a laser printer for under $100 USD, with their monthly specials, sometimes free shipping as well. Pretty sure they ship worldwide. This how I got mine, Laserjet 1020, and it hasn't jammed, and prints great. On my second toner cartridge (seems to last for ever). The cartridge that came with printer produced great PCBs every time (well, except for a few thumb prints...). The second cartridge was a recycled deal, $20 cheaper than the original, which is around $65. Refills are for paper only, but doesn't transfer well to copper. Maybe just the company I got mine from, but isn't worth saving $20, since I still had to buy another for making PCBs, and have to swap them out...
 
Replacement Toner Cartridge ..........

Deskjet printers are inkjet printers, not laser/toner. The ink won't transfer with heat, and water soluble. Nope it won't this way, maybe photo etching, but doubtful.

HP's online store usually has a laser printer for under $100 USD, with their monthly specials, sometimes free shipping as well. Pretty sure they ship worldwide. This how I got mine, Laserjet 1020, and it hasn't jammed, and prints great. On my second toner cartridge (seems to last for ever). The cartridge that came with printer produced great PCBs every time (well, except for a few thumb prints...). The second cartridge was a recycled deal, $20 cheaper than the original, which is around $65. Refills are for paper only, but doesn't transfer well to copper. Maybe just the company I got mine from, but isn't worth saving $20, since I still had to buy another for making PCBs, and have to swap them out...

The replacement cartridge for my HP Laser Jet 1018 is a Remanufactured Toner Cartridge from North Bay Toner Company that I paid less than $35 for, it works as good for toner transfer as the original HP Cartridge! And it has more toner than the original.
I have used it daily now for over a year for all my printing and PCB toner transfer projects.
 
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Deskjet printers are inkjet printers, not laser/toner. The ink won't transfer with heat, and water soluble. Nope it won't this way, maybe photo etching, but doubtful.

HP's online store usually has a laser printer for under $100 USD, with their monthly specials, sometimes free shipping as well. Pretty sure they ship worldwide. This how I got mine, Laserjet 1020, and it hasn't jammed, and prints great. On my second toner cartridge (seems to last for ever). The cartridge that came with printer produced great PCBs every time (well, except for a few thumb prints...). The second cartridge was a recycled deal, $20 cheaper than the original, which is around $65. Refills are for paper only, but doesn't transfer well to copper. Maybe just the company I got mine from, but isn't worth saving $20, since I still had to buy another for making PCBs, and have to swap them out...
So you mean your prints of Schematic not transferred well to PCB well even though u r used laser....

n after that which printer did u buy to make it work...??

--------------
Regards
Gaurav Sharma
 
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The replacement cartridge for my HP Laser Jet 1018 is a Remanufactured Toner Cartridge from North Bay Toner Company that I paid less than $35 for, it works as good for toner transfer as the original HP Cartridge! And it has more toner than the original.
I have used it daily now for over a year for all my printing and PCB toner transfer projects.

Will find the website, and keep them in mind. Think I'm good on toner for a while. Been using my refilled for well over a year, doesn't seem to be running out. The HP only has a few boards out of it, should last a year or so after the refill, but might try one from North Bay, almost half the price of the new ones, and just continue swapping if it doesn't work out.
 
So you mean your prints of Schematic not transferred well to PCB well even though u r used laser....

n after that which printer did u buy to make it work...??

--------------
Regards
Gaurav Sharma

I bought a new toner cartridge from HP, still using the recycled cartridge for paper printing. Different laser printers use different melt temperature toner, something to do with print speed. Guessing the recycled cartridge was filled with something that works in a wide range, and good for office memos, or stuff that gets read, then filed (trash can)...

A laser printer is a pretty good investment, the toner cartridge last a long time at home, over a year one the low capacity that comes with it, going on two with my first replacement. Actually cheaper than inkjet, just no color, but I have a small photo printer for that.

Magazine paper and an iron... Sounds like a lot of work. I use Pulsar paper and a laminator.


This link should help you understand the process.
 
If you have a toner copier machine you can print with the ink jet and then copy it and use the copy. Take it to work maybe, etc.

I have done this in a pinch (no toner in my laser printer).
 
If you have a toner copier machine you can print with the ink jet and then copy it and use the copy. Take it to work maybe, etc.

I have done this in a pinch (no toner in my laser printer).
No, I didn't have any toner copier machine......
I Simply want to use magazine paper and iron................

Is it work for Inkjet printer ...?

------------------
Regards
Gaurav Sharma
 
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I bought a new toner cartridge from HP, still using the recycled cartridge for paper printing. Different laser printers use different melt temperature toner, something to do with print speed. Guessing the recycled cartridge was filled with something that works in a wide range, and good for office memos, or stuff that gets read, then filed (trash can)...

A laser printer is a pretty good investment, the toner cartridge last a long time at home, over a year one the low capacity that comes with it, going on two with my first replacement. Actually cheaper than inkjet, just no color, but I have a small photo printer for that.

Magazine paper and an iron... Sounds like a lot of work. I use Pulsar paper and a laminator.


This link should help you understand the process.
As you are talking of pulsar paper it is not available here. I have to order it online. It costs to me and I don't have much money to spend. As already spent on other equipment related to PCB designing. :(
So I will use Magazine paper and iron...
Tell me one thing if the toner of inkjet printer can be transferred to the copper clad using magazine paper ?
Or it can only done by Laser printer...

--------------
Regards
Gaurav Sharma
 
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Toner transfer only works with laser printer !

From 4 pages ago on this thread

3v0 said:
It is important to understand that the paper needs to do two things.

The first is to hold the toner during printing and up to the point where it is fused / transfered to the PCB.

The second is that it must release the toner when wet.

Most papers are good at the first and very bad on the second. Glossy papers with high clay content help prevent the liquid melted toner from soaking into the fibers of the paper.

In general you have to strike a balance between the first and second.

The pulsar paper is coated with starch. This allows it to be good at the first and the second. The starch turns to liquid when wet and the toner floats away from the paper. This allows one to make finer lines then you can make with other paper.

Unfortunately there are many places in the world where you can not get the pulsar paper. It costs about 2 cents US per square inch to use.
 
I posted the link to the Pulsar paper, so you could read about the process, an why an INKJET PRINTER will not work!!! You can still use any kind of paper, it's the same process. Pulsar paper gives good, consistent results on the first try, and my personal choice.

TONER is a PLASTIC that is melted onto the paper, which you re-melt with the iron onto the copper. You then soak it in water, the paper falls off, leaving the toner on the copper.

INKJET printers use water based INKS, which don't transfer well once dried (seconds after printed). Any contact with water or chemicals will remove the ink, long before the copper can etch.

Why is it so difficult to get this? Eight pages, later and you still don't know the difference between toner and ink? My opinion, you probably shouldn't be handling chemicals to etch copper, and probably still pick up the metal end of the soldering pencil...
 
using ink jet for pc boards method

use dehydrated chemicals for etching and dehydrated water for rinsing the boards.

comprenday??

LOL

you must use a laser printer to do a toner transfer method
 
My recycle bin is full of dehydrated water bottles. Will sell them cheap. HarveyF42, don't jinx us. Just the thought of hurricanes just bugs me. :)
 
Print-N-Peel

I used to have the same problem, the edges. I learned the center of the iron seemed to be a little hotter the outter edges. All the info here right on, but that was my edge problem..

1) make sure it copper is clean, I use denatured alcohol after I wet sand the board. (acetone to remove the toner later works great)

2) no burrs on the edges

3) iron on max heat

4) iron for a couple minutes (first start by just sitting the iron on the board), and use the center of the iron to go around the edges and go slow.
I also cut the sheet to the size of the copper.

I get perfect boards everytime (until I drill them :D) and I use photo paper, the pnp is a lot less work, but expensive when you have to throw 80% of the sheet away.
But this works for both

mramos1, I also have had excellent results with P-n-P on all size boards and I use an iron despite having two laminators sitting here next to me.
But I must make a few comments.

1) I use a copper cleaner, fast an easy, rinse and dry with paper towel, don't touch copper surface with fingers. No solvent needed.
2) De-burring an absolute must.
3) Max heat can be to hot and cause the toner to (cook) make pit holes. Recommended heat is 300°F , +- 25°F, some irons get hotter than that, mine does. Caused much trouble until I found right setting.
4) I use a clean piece of paper on top of the P-n-P, makes the iron glide easier. I also use a wooden cutting board with about a dozen pages of news paper on top to place my PCB & P-n-P on, this helps to retain the heat and seems to help distributing it more evenly.
If your PCB is not perfectly flat make sure that you try to follow the curvature with your iron.

This work so well that I get 99.99% good boards.

Rolf

P.S. You should be able to get your PCB design from the computer to the drill-press in about 30 minutes.
 
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Can some tell me the difference between Laser and Inkjet...like no. of print out per toner or ink, maintenance, life, toner or ink prices etc..

Also suggest me Laser printer under Rs 5500 or $117.

Any help is strongly appreciated.

--------------
Regards
Gaurav Sharma
 
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