Hi all,
I have been making PCBs for some time now and I managed to get a pretty impressive result every time. Just recently the printer, Epson colour stylus 660, that I used for the artwork broke. Needing a printer for coursework and other stuff and forgetting my hobby I rushed to buy a new printer, HP Deskjet 3500.
Now before I continue with the story I shall explain my equipment and the process that worked so well for me but may not work for you, because every book I have read about this subject seems to contradict itself.
First I use over-head projector transparencies from WHSmiths and like I said printed using an Epson colour stylus 660 set on photo quality glossy film. This was pure perfection I mean the most opaque print I have ever seen.
I use fotoboard 2, available from Maplin or Rapid Electronics, this stuff is difficult to work with because you have to use half strength developer and the exposure times are a little odd compared to other.
I use an exposure unit that I bought from Rapid Electronics this unit has two tubes.
I exposed the board for 1min 30secs, however the rotary dial timer it not the most accurate thing on earth.
Using the developing solution at half strength, i.e. 100ml of water at 20 degrees C and 5g of Developer, the crystal form from Maplin
When the board was placed into the solution the board would quickly turn purple and the soft resist would start to loosen, rocking the board from side to side helped.
If all of the stages were followed correctly the finished result was a copper board with a good quality artwork transferred.
Etching the board from here is easy and I have no problem with that.
Since my Epson broke every board I have made has been a complete failure, why? - well I conducted several experiments which has lead me to the conclusion that the HP Deskjet printing onto the transparencies is just opaque enough, causing ultraviolet light to get through and corrupt the artwork.
Now I could just buy another Epson, but before I do does anyone know a printer,inkjet or laser, that would be good for me.
Thank you all.
I have been making PCBs for some time now and I managed to get a pretty impressive result every time. Just recently the printer, Epson colour stylus 660, that I used for the artwork broke. Needing a printer for coursework and other stuff and forgetting my hobby I rushed to buy a new printer, HP Deskjet 3500.
Now before I continue with the story I shall explain my equipment and the process that worked so well for me but may not work for you, because every book I have read about this subject seems to contradict itself.
First I use over-head projector transparencies from WHSmiths and like I said printed using an Epson colour stylus 660 set on photo quality glossy film. This was pure perfection I mean the most opaque print I have ever seen.
I use fotoboard 2, available from Maplin or Rapid Electronics, this stuff is difficult to work with because you have to use half strength developer and the exposure times are a little odd compared to other.
I use an exposure unit that I bought from Rapid Electronics this unit has two tubes.
I exposed the board for 1min 30secs, however the rotary dial timer it not the most accurate thing on earth.
Using the developing solution at half strength, i.e. 100ml of water at 20 degrees C and 5g of Developer, the crystal form from Maplin
When the board was placed into the solution the board would quickly turn purple and the soft resist would start to loosen, rocking the board from side to side helped.
If all of the stages were followed correctly the finished result was a copper board with a good quality artwork transferred.
Etching the board from here is easy and I have no problem with that.
Since my Epson broke every board I have made has been a complete failure, why? - well I conducted several experiments which has lead me to the conclusion that the HP Deskjet printing onto the transparencies is just opaque enough, causing ultraviolet light to get through and corrupt the artwork.
Now I could just buy another Epson, but before I do does anyone know a printer,inkjet or laser, that would be good for me.
Thank you all.