Circuit Board Dry Transfers...

[madhippiescientist]

My work would kill me if they found out I ran a "photoetch"
sheet through a copier, especially if it jammed and/or melted
within it (their $20K copiers always jam anyways). I also am
not that crazy about the cost of "photoetching", and have
no experience in doing such.

Years ago I bought 2 sets of four sheets of "protective" dry
transfers with numerous different "symbols" from Radio Smack.
Theory, you rub them onto a CC board and etch the excess
with Ferric Chloride. I see large sheets of like symbols (all the
symbols on a sheet are the same) at Fry's Electronics, and
they're quite expensive, and offer little re variety of symbols.
Radio Smack hasn't had these things for years (at least within
my county, Maricopa, AZ). I'm running out of symbols! Does
anyone know where I can buy these things at now? Or even
something very similar?

The symbols typically entailed different sizes of; lines, donuts,
IC pads <w/ & w/o lines between>, multi-pin donuts <layed out
in a circular pattern and 3-pins for transistors>, etc. Anybody?

 

[ericgibbs]

hi,
Something like this.?
Browse for Products | Farnell United Kingdom

 

[madhippiescientist]

Kinda Sorta. The "V180" is as close to what Radio Smack
carried, but it doesn't have lines and has few IC layouts.
I see all of these products encompass specific designs,
so it might be worthwhile to buy an assortment of these
products, but I don't have a credit/debit card and was
wondering about somewhere here in the U.S. (less for
the shipping compared to overseas delivery & wait). I
also can't tell how much they cost w/ the poor U.S. dollar.
Soo, anybody else with something a little more "tailored"
to the product I'm looking for, and where here to get it?

 

[ericgibbs]

Kinda Sorta. The "V180" is as close to what Radio Smack
carried, but it doesn't have lines and has few IC layouts.
I see all of these products encompass specific designs,
so it might be worthwhile to buy an assortment of these
products, but I don't have a credit/debit card and was
wondering about somewhere here in the U.S. (less for
the shipping compared to overseas delivery & wait). I
also can't tell how much they cost w/ the poor U.S. dollar.
Soo, anybody else with something a little more "tailored"
to the product I'm looking for, and where here to get it?

hi,
I didn't know 'here' was until your post.

I understand Farnell has outlets is the US.??

 

[3v0]

Newark is owned by Farnell.

Have you looked at the system at

The cost of having boards made is down too. If you do not mind waiting a bit BatchPCB or PCB Order | DorkbotPDX
the second is the cheapest at $5 a sq inch, but you get 3 copies of the PCB so the actual cost is $5/3 sq in.

 

[madhippiescientist]

The Farnell site, even after specifying the U.S.,
lists prices in the frank? The contact us link also
identifes London as their base, and it seems I
could either online it or e-mail, but paying it...,
I don't know about sending them a money order.

I have looked at PCB Fab In A Box. But again, it's
doing the printer/photocopier thing, of which I
only have access to at my work and they're very
strict re using their equipment (other than e-mail)
for your own use (their hardware). This link did in
fact point me to one where you print onto photo
(or any other kind of) paper, and iron it to the
board, soak off the paper and use the remaining
toner as the protectant. I think I'll try this, but I'm
still looking for "Rub On PCB Dry Transfers" with
pre-fabricated designs (donuts, lines, ICs, etc.).

 

[3v0]

Did you try US - Electronic Components Distributor | Newark.com

 

[HarveyH42]

I think those dry transfer sheets have gone out of style... Haven't seen them advertised in years, haven't used them since High School either. Many people have laser printers at home, maybe you know somebody. Our local library has one, the seems to be open to use (haven't looked at it closely though, I own an HP). Every town usually has some sort of print/copy shop, have heard it's not difficult to talk them into using your supplied paper, if it doesn't look like a disaster. The Pulsar paper is about as thick as card stock, never a jam in my printer, and have been using it about 3 years now. My printer cost $129, free shipping, direct from HP.

Not knocking the dry transfer, but wouldn't go back. Takes time and patience to use, but the one thing I learned, and will never forget... keep your greasy fingers off the copper. Guess that applies to which ever method you use, but it was a major point of failure when I was in school. Guess dry transfer is good enough, if you very rarely etch a board, but only a little better than a Sharpie marker. I don't regret my purchase of a laser printer though, much better than an inkjet for general printing, faster, and toner is much cheaper than ink cartridges.

 

[madhippiescientist]

I have a HP laser printer, but my computer is dead.
If my work found out I'm sending ANY medium aside
of 20# through one of their rentals they would hang
me out to dry. I did try ironing a 20# toner image
onto a CC board, and for the most part it worked.
The images seemed a little pitted, but would probably
do me well after I tin the board (I'm simply a protoguy).