[mrdelayer]

Apparently using an inkjet printer instead of a laser printer works a lot better (for making PCBs using photolithography, anyway.)

http://projects.dimension-x.net/archives/77

Who knew?

 

[tcpoint]

Nice link. Thanks.

 

[splaz]

Quote:

(for making PCBs using photolithography, anyway.)

Yeah well inkjet wouldn't exactly work for toner transfer methods.

Good results, however photo lithography seems like it involves a lot of effort and gear I don't have.

 

[mrdelayer]

From the same website: http://projects.dimension-x.net/archives/82

Doesn't seem too involved, equipment-wise. A light and a darkroom (hm, a use for that spare half-bath, perhaps?)

The cool thing about photolithography is (or so it would seem, anyway) that you can print once and use it to make multiple PCBs, should you desire, rather than the toner transfer method, which would require you to print once per PCB.

 

[splaz]

True but then again, If I was going to be making lots I'd just get professional boards made up.

Don't have a dark room unfortunately, but I do have a laser printer so I'll probably go that method whenever I make boards up. Can't be bothered drawing with an etch resistant pen....

Does look like a good way to go if you can have that sort of setup, looks as good as a fab made one if they just left the copper bare.

 

[threepointone]

came across this a while ago--somehow I managed to not realize til the end that they were talking about the photo transfer methods.

maybe a bit off topic, but THIS is what I really want to make:
http://techref.massmind.org/techref/pcb/etch/c84-st.htm

direct PCB resist printing!

 

[mono]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdelayer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Apparently using an inkjet printer instead of a laser printer works a lot better (for making PCBs using photolithography, anyway.) http://projects.dimension-x.net/archives/77 Who knew?

Who knew is nobody because it doesn't necessarily. The author merely had a printer that couldn't print properly to the transparency medium he was using. That only makes his particular combination ill-suited, is not a comparison of inkjet versus laser in general.

You might find your printer can't print to the medium you have and do the same, or you might find the ink doesn't spread properly on the transparency instead. One thing that's pretty much assured is that inkjet will cost more unless you're using one of the newer breeds of lasers with the teeny toner cartridges with higher cost per page, or in some cases may have been *enhanced* so you can't just dump generic copy machine toner in whether it be due to a manufacturer proprietary cartridge chip or just that some of the newer printers have a less poweful fuser, lower temp and thus need closer matched (and more expensive in quantity when designated for only specific types of computer printers) lower melting point toner.

 

[Nordic]

I use an inkjet, transparencies, photoresist spray and 3 minutes of sunlight for exposure... can't get any more simple than that.

You have to use inkjet transparencies, as the ink will not dry and absorb onto the lzer stuff...

On very bright days I need to tape 2 transparencies over each other to make the black more solid. (only been needed once or twice with very thin .010 traces)