OT Current production desktop laser printer recommendations.

[RobB]

Built a box for a friend recently, hadn’t made one for a while.  When I went to the local print shop to get layouts copied to transparencies I found their new machines don’t deposit as much toner as their old ones did.  Even at the darkest settings the amount of toner on the plastic sheet was quite skimpy and so I had to do more touching up with permanent marker than usual.  

Photo copiers which deposit a bare minimum of toner are an economical innovation if you run a small print shop.  Not so good if you want to make PCBs.  

This got me to thinking that maybe it’s time to get a monochrome desktop laser printer.  They are becoming quite affordable now.  

I’m in the market but my selection criteria are a bit unusual and obviously retail outlets won’t demo a machine because they can’t load toner before sale of the item.  

I want a printer which will deposit plenty of toner, or even better a machine which allows the user to select that option via printer driver software.  Can’t seem to find any info’ on the net so I’ll ask questions here.  

Does anybody have a printer which deposits enough toner so that when you run your finger across the page you can feel obvious bumps where the toner is?  

Do the printer drivers which come with these things give you options as to how much toner is deposited?  

Advice will be very much appreciated.