If this link doesn’t work, click on my name.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs/files/Sign_Cutter_to_make_PCBs/

Don’t try running it thru your printer by itself! Get some laser-labels first, you’ll need them. Preferrrably clear.

1) Print the design on a plain sheet of paper (for alignment)
2) Cut a piece of aluminum foil that’s bigger than your design by at least 1/4″ with scissors (not the cutting edge on the box), being careful not to crinkle it. Make sure to clean up the edges and smooth out any light crinkles, because you don’t want to scratch your printer’s drum or get a paper jam with this stuff.
3) Align the foil, dull side up, over the design printed earlier. Using the laser labels, stick down the leading (top) two corners and as much of the leading edge as neded to keep it smooth to the paper. Keep in mind that the printer will not print in the exact same place twice, and that it seems to help to give the printer at least 1/2″ of empty foil at the leading edge.
4) Print on the paper with the foil on it. It helps to use the print path with the least twists and turns, such as the manual paper tray. If your printer has a cardstock loading tray (on the back, usually) that’s the best.
5) Carefully cut the foil off, trying not to bend the foil much. Cutting the paper might make it work better. The toner is not stuck to the foil very well at all, so be careful nit to jostle it.
6) I use a heat-laminator and run the foil stuck toner-side-down on my copper thru 3-4 times. You should see your design “embossed” in the foil. I assume it’ll be similar with an iron. YMMV
7) Let the board cool, the peel the aluminum off the board. Try to “curl” the foil away from the board, that seems the help.

Etching us the same.

I hope this works for everyone else! I’ve been able to get flawless transfers when I get my board prepared properly. (I have to use dish soap to clean it after using the scotch pad.) It’s way better than scraping injet paper off!

With practice, you won’t be making any more malfunctioning prototypes. I typically design the board, *then* order the board and the parts at the same time.

Yes – you read that right. I design the board and all of the component footprints from the datasheets without any physical parts on hand. I do wait 4 weeks to get the board back from BatchPCB, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know that what I put together is going to work the first time out. If anything, it takes longer to write the firmware than it takes for the board to come back from the fab house.

One thing that helps a great deal is LTSpice. I simulate a lot of my analog designs rather than build actual prototypes so that I can see how the circuit is going to behave before I commit to buying anything.

I also differ on using steel wool to pre-clean laminate, having used it for decades with no problems whatsoever.

Re: comments about tinning and corrosion. Roller tinning is very nice, but hand tinning with a soldering iron can cause thin tracks to delaminate and lift off the board. If required boards can also be protected with sundry coatings such as varnish, but I have unprotected boards that are decades old and are still in perfect condition (and only ten miles from the sea). A more likely cause of post etching is failing to properly wash the board after etching. The faster you etch the more likely you will get side-etching under the resist.

I clean it off, because of bad past experience with plastic ruining soldering iron tips.

http://sites.google.com/site/procad69/

Excellent rates also! Good for DIY-ers.

thnks….