[HELP] Magazine transfer.

[QSQCaito]

Hi guys, I know there was a topic(tutorial) about using magazines glossy paper to transfer the component labels on the other side of the PCB. Unluckily my lack of english vocabulary made me have 0 positive result in all the search I've done.

Anyway, the question was easy. The trick of using the magazine paper on the side that has no copper.. can be done with inkjet?


Thanks a lot

Bye bye

DAC

[rockgardenlove]

I don't think inkjet will work...
Gotta be laserjet.

[QSQCaito]

ahmm... this adds more trouble

I thought inkjet would work because that part wouldn't be submerged into acid.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

The theory is, you print the tracks (or rather, a mirror image of them) using a laser printer (or photocopier) onto the magazine paper.
Then when you iron the paper onto teh PCB, the toner particles (which make the laser printer image) melt and stick to the PCB.
Tehn the paper is carefully removed leaving the toner stuck tio the PCB.
And then you etch.

So you see, you can't use inkjet, it won't have anything to stick to the PCB, which is how it all works.
Why magazine paper? Because some shiny magazine paper has a thin layer of clay and white pigment ion the surface (to make it brighter, and smootehr for sharp photo printing).
This surface makes it easier for the paper to let go when you soak it after ironing onto the PCB.

Do you have to experiment with ironing temperature & paper types to get it to work well? Yes. Are some printers/copiers better than others? Yes.
Have peopel made great boards this way? Yes, very much yes!

[Paul Marossy]

Besides needing a toner that will melt onto the PCB, Inkjet printers need a porous material to print on - it would just be a runny blob on a black PCB.

[QSQCaito]

Ahmm, thanks paul. I'm doing the copper side with glossy photo paper, but I thought the plastic toner was needed because it was etch resistant.. and that common inkjet printer could be used if you where not going to etch it.

I was thinking of magazine paper because the photo paper is expensive.. and magazine paper is practically free. So, I'll continue doing the copper side as I do, with photo paper. But will try results of the component side via magazine paper.

Thanks a lot

Bye bye

DAC

[rmo]

Doing the copper side with the magazine paper works great too, it's what I do.

[QSQCaito]

Indeed?

I will defintively give a try.. it's so much cheaper.

THanks a lot

bye bye

DAC

[Hambo]

for me magazine paper seems to work better than PnP for etching.. Maybe because I'm impatient... But no fussing - just hot as you like and iron the thing hard all over'. simple.
certainly can't complain at something that works much quicker with much less effort and for next to nothing.

Whats all this about the component side? do people put the parts layout on there as well then? I had no idea..

[Dave_B]

Whats all this about the component side? do people put the parts layout on there as well then? I had no idea..

It works really well, and saves a lot of time on larger builds.  This is from magazine paper, by the way.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

nice one, Dave!
I bet there are hundreds of people slapping their heads saying "Doh! How long has this been going on??" 

[Hambo]

Hmm.. only if theyre trying to build bloody Megatron! for my scale projects I get by with a print out   

Seriously.. what IS that thing when it works though?!

[QSQCaito]

From what I can read backwards from the PCB it says Electro Harmonix Polyphase, I think

Thanks a lot Dave, I'll take that into account.

[markm]

Dave, that's ART my friend!
Nice. 

[Dave_B]

It is indeed a Polyphase.  Paul Nelson created the artwork for it about a year and a half ago and I agree, he did a beautiful job.  It's a shame he's vanished from the forum. 

I must say, I can't take credit for the idea of ironing onto the component side.  I read about it on some web site around the time this project started up.  Thanks anyway, though!