An alternative to Press n Peel?

[A E]

I'm trying something tonight. I took the backing paper from an adhesive label,
removed the label, and printed a simple layout on the backing paper. The backing
has some sort of high-polish plastic finish to it, and so far the transfer to
the copper clad was pretty good with a 'Hot Sock' iron that is used on model
airplanes for the plastic finish film.
I'm not saying it will give 5mil traces, but it looks good with 20 mil traces,
and as soon as I etch my test board, I'll let you know if it worked.
As for the 'why', well, I'm cheap...

 

[A E]

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Fri, 08 Aug 2003 18:41:25 -0400, A E <aeisenhut@videotron.ca
wrote:

I'm trying something tonight. I took the backing paper from an adhesive label,
removed the label, and printed a simple layout on the backing paper. The backing
has some sort of high-polish plastic finish to it, and so far the transfer to
the copper clad was pretty good with a 'Hot Sock' iron that is used on model
airplanes for the plastic finish film.
I'm not saying it will give 5mil traces, but it looks good with 20 mil traces,
and as soon as I etch my test board, I'll let you know if it worked.
As for the 'why', well, I'm cheap...

What brand of adhesive label?

I used Avery brand #2160 address labels.
The first try was not so bad. The knife or whatever is used to cut the labels leaves
a pattern on the backing paper, and this pattern transfers to the toner on the board.
But after I baked the board on 'broil' in my toaster oven for about 30 seconds, the
toner flowed and I couldn't see the pattern anymore.
Trace width is a bit irregular, and there is some pitting after etch. On the next
try, I will clean the copper more and rinse it better. Also, the board is only 20
mils thick, which makes me think it's a planarity problem when transferring the toner
to this test board.
This is what it looks like after etch and clean:
http://www.dfpresource.org/2nd_try_xfer.jpg
It's a DBM, with t-pads on each port, going to BNC connectors. (There will be a
cutout on the ziggurat thingy and the board will be soldered directly to the
connector)
Oh, and the layout software? Visio 2000.... Told you I'm cheap.

 

[A E]

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Fri, 08 Aug 2003 21:25:30 -0400, A E <aeisenhut@videotron.ca
wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Fri, 08 Aug 2003 18:41:25 -0400, A E <aeisenhut@videotron.ca
wrote:

I'm trying something tonight. I took the backing paper from an adhesive label,
removed the label, and printed a simple layout on the backing paper. The backing
has some sort of high-polish plastic finish to it, and so far the transfer to
the copper clad was pretty good with a 'Hot Sock' iron that is used on model
airplanes for the plastic finish film.
I'm not saying it will give 5mil traces, but it looks good with 20 mil traces,
and as soon as I etch my test board, I'll let you know if it worked.
As for the 'why', well, I'm cheap...

What brand of adhesive label?

I used Avery brand #2160 address labels.
The first try was not so bad. The knife or whatever is used to cut the labels leaves
a pattern on the backing paper, and this pattern transfers to the toner on the board.
But after I baked the board on 'broil' in my toaster oven for about 30 seconds, the
toner flowed and I couldn't see the pattern anymore.
Trace width is a bit irregular, and there is some pitting after etch. On the next
try, I will clean the copper more and rinse it better. Also, the board is only 20
mils thick, which makes me think it's a planarity problem when transferring the toner
to this test board.
This is what it looks like after etch and clean:
http://www.dfpresource.org/2nd_try_xfer.jpg
It's a DBM, with t-pads on each port, going to BNC connectors. (There will be a
cutout on the ziggurat thingy and the board will be soldered directly to the
connector)
Oh, and the layout software? Visio 2000.... Told you I'm cheap.


Maybe use an iron instead of the toaster oven? Toaster ovens are
probably too hot, plus no pressure allows curling/wrinkling??

Oh sorry, I use the Hot Sock to transfer the toner to the board. I set the board on a cork
'table saver' thingy and I press down firmly for about a minute with the Hot Sock.
Actually, here's a picture of my iron:
http://www.monokote.com/accys/topr2100.html
The Hot Sock is the cover that goes on the actual iron.
http://www.monokote.com/accys/topr2175.html
I don't know the temperature the thing reaches, but I'll find out as I go on. Now I'm a
single guy, so I don't have a *clothes* iron...
(And this is Friday night, and now you know why I'm single, and my hot dogs taste like
PCBs....)
I let the thing cool down by itself, then I slowly peel away the backing paper.
Then I bakerize the thing on broil, and touch up the holes with a Staedler waterproof
marker. I suspect the holes are because the copper wasn't cleaned thoroughly enough. Next
try.
Then I do the old 'use surface tension to float the board on top of the ferric chloride so
the other side doesn't etch' trick which a friend of mine showed me once. Pretty cool.
Used some tape to make a handle on the other side.