Here is a good alternative to Press N Peel PCB making!

[maximee]

Hey fellas,

I just discovered a cheap and reliable way of transferring PCB layouts on the actual board w/o using Press-n-Peel (?) or light-sensitive boards...

Usually I would just print the layout with a laser printer on normal (!) paper and then iron it on the copper side of the board...
yes. it works. but it is a REAL mess to get the paper off the copper...
and I always had to re-draw almost all traces with a felt pen...
It always worked for me, but it was a real hassle...

So, here is what I found out:
I just had to label like 50 CDs and I have all this glossy kind of paper left over...you know, the stuff that sticks on the sticky side of a sticker...don't know the proper word now...
When you print on the glossy side of it the toner can be easily transfered to the copper, you don't even need to peel it off under water...

And best of all: it's free! Now that's DIY!

[lethargytartare]

The toner doesn't smear off as the paper is fed out of the printer??

[j0shua]

You can Draw whit a permanet pen or use inkjet printer and normal paper

are not profeccional finish but works very well

[Gladmarr]

WOW!

This could be pretty cool!  I've been looking for a way to get around that really expensive toner transfer paper.  Can you post pics of your results?

Whoo-hoo!! :shock:

[Aharon]

I will say it again,use waxed or baker's paper,cookie sheet paper call it whatever,and use that to print it with a laser printer.
Then play with the temperature of your iron till it does not smudge and the paper does not adhere to the copper but the toner does.
Cheapest way.
Aharon

[David]

You can Draw whit a permanet pen or use inkjet printer and normal paper

are not profeccional finish but works very well

Inkjet printer and normal paper?  How?

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I just had to label like 50 CDs and I have all this glossy kind of paper left over...you know, the stuff that sticks on the sticky side of a sticker...don't know the proper word now...
When you print on the glossy side of it the toner can be easily transfered to the copper, you don't even need to peel it off under water...
And best of all: it's free! Now that's DIY!

Congratulations, this is the 'avery label' method :wink: there is a good description of it by RedHouse (search for avery).

[mojotron]

On a "wool" setting... I had some big problems when I pulled the label backs away from the copper - the toner was really messy and did not stick to the copper. I guess it may take some practice.

The Avery label method is relatively expensive - PnP seems like a better route.

[R.G.]

Yeah, the siliconized backing sheet for adhesive labels is an old trick for getting iron-on transfers.

I tried to do it when I introduced pre-printed Press-N-Peel patterns for sale years ago. In fact, I searched out PNP because the siliconized sheets must be used immediately because it has no shelf life. The toner literally falls off if you flex the sheet too much, so it can't be mailed and I needed a mailable product.

By the way - how come no one sells press-n-peel patterns for people who just want to iron and etch? Those were my biggest sellers, even to people who knew how to do their own. They're cheap both for producer and consumer and fit a real niche.

[maximee]

Somehow I knew that somebody must have thought of this before
It usually happens whem I write songs just to find out that "this song" already existed...now also in DIY stuff....hehe...I guess that's the way it is...

R.G.: You are right, the sheet doesn't like to be flexed at all, but I just print it out and transfer it...I understand that it is a whole different case for mailing it to people...

Anyways...all of you have a good night...going to bed now...

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Label backing isn't expensive, if you have just used the lables!

[brett]

Hi.
I used to pay an outrageous AUD$9 (about US$6) per sheet for PnP (at Jaycar).  Thank heavens for Small Bear.  Even including the postage, it's worth ordering from him.  
cheers

[maximee]

Label backing isn't expensive, if you have just used the lables!

Yeah, that's what I meant to say - usually the backing just goes APPLE-BACKSPACE  :wink:

[maximee]

If you want I can collect a bunch of these coated sticker backings and send them to people who want some...otherwise they get thrown away, we have like 20 of them a day here...
The size is Din A4 (approx US Letter size)

I can't do THAT many PCBs all on my own
Please PM me if you are interested...of course it'd be free...maybe only postage...
end of message.  

[j0shua]

To DAVID :

it's easy to transfer from inkjet printer and simple paper

1- print your xerografic paper ( simple white paper ), cut the PCB and put over the copper side, after put a Iron slowly in Cotton Heat but put some  fabric over the paper and pcb cotton fabric works very well , 5 minutes later let the pcb & paper cool alone for 10 minutes after cool remove  the papaer gentle, some traces can be remain but you can remove whit knife  and it's done ............ ready to Drill and paint

DO NOT USE COLOR ON TRANSFER ONLY BLACK WORK BEST!

[David]

To DAVID :

it's easy to transfer from inkjet printer and simple paper

1- print your xerografic paper ( simple white paper ), cut the PCB and put over the copper side, after put a Iron slowly in Cotton Heat but put some  fabric over the paper and pcb cotton fabric works very well , 5 minutes later let the pcb & paper cool alone for 10 minutes after cool remove  the papaer gentle, some traces can be remain but you can remove whit knife  and it's done ............ ready to Drill and paint

DO NOT USE COLOR ON TRANSFER ONLY BLACK WORK BEST!

That's what I thought.  Joshua, you're describing a transfer using an image printed by a laser printer.  Heat will cause the plastic-based toner to transfer from the paper to the PCB blank.  Inkjet ink is just that -- ink that's sprayed onto the paper to create the print image.  However, I admit that I could be wrong.  Do you know something about the composition of inkjet ink that I don't?  If this is true, why aren't others reporting in on it?  It woud be a godsent to PCB creation!

[j0shua]

the Ink have glicerine , so the etching solution do not react the ink glicerine in some cases you need to use a pen ink to retouch the traces, but is not big deal , to protect my pc's i use PCB paint ( green or Blue ) ... red or black are expensive here!


good luck!

[rubberlips]

Hi.
I used to pay an outrageous AUD$9 (about US$6) per sheet for PnP (at Jaycar).  Thank heavens for Small Bear.  Even including the postage, it's worth ordering from him.  
cheers

How long have Jaycar been stocking PNP?? It's still off the price range at $9 a sheet when you can get it from Melbourne for $1.50 a sheet, and even less from smallbear

I bought some avery clear labels the other day for the top of effects so I'll have enough backings for a while - bloody $30 for 20 sheets. That's small towns for ya

Pete