Hi,
I thought I'd just post some details about the success I have
had making Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) at home.
Over probably 25-30 years I have made my own PCBs from
projects in EA and Silicon Chip magazines, producing one-offs.
I have tried just about all methods...the Positive resist photo-art,
Neg Resist, direct artwork and etch (decals and pen), but never
had much success with Toner Transfer method.
Many good articles describe it. Here are 2 good ones:
http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.ed...garbz2_prj.php
http://www.fullnet.com/~tomg/gooteepc.htm
Anyway, my attempts years ago with Toner Transfer method
always were touch and go....I could never rely on fine details
to reproduce...SMD definite no-go...and even DIL ICs sometimes
had tracks joined and fine lines with pinholes etc.
Well my need to produce a quick, accurate one off a few weeks back
made me retry the TT method.
The success all comes down to the choice of printer paper as the
above links stress several times.
I thought I'd be smart and try normal A4.....pinholes, tracks lifted.NFG.
I then tried tracer paper A4......same..
Then I tried some good quality photo printer paper for bubblejets.
I used Kodak Picture Paper cat # 835 0613 on a HP laserjet (toner)
printer.
Outstanding success....the artwork was reproduced intact and etched
the best I have EVER etched an artwork...including with Riston processes.
I am so impressed with how faithfully it worked that I am confident
it would work with dual layer stuff and SMD.
I tried several re-tries so that I could demonstrate it wasn't a fluke.
The links above seem to infer that the method is not really for a
fine detailed project, but I now have every confidence that it is.
Attached is a board for my
Stepper motor-focuser project.
I will try to do a step-by-step post with hopefully every method
I used if anyone is interested. Without wanting to duplicate the above
links, I may as well record what worked for me because it was so successful.
Steve