Re: gEDA-user: Schematic Capture to dxf File - using gEDA, Inkscape, and pstoedit

[Dave N6NZ <n6nz@xxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 23, 2010, at 12:10 PM, Bob Paddock wrote:
<snip>
>>   Management saw
> this: http://www.epiloglaser.com/ at CES and is thinking of spending
> money (a rare event)
> on one of them.  There actually is a lot of industrial related stuff
> at the consumer show.

I've used modern Epilog machines, and own a very crotchety old one that is no longer supported.   I pray to the $DIETY of lasers that the tube doesn't die....

> 
> What I wonder is if this Epilog machine can really do PCBs.  I have my
> doubts about etching the copper directly,

CO2 laser is the wrong wavelength to cut metal.  Only a couple percent of the radiation is absorbed. Great for plastics, though, and many other materials.  With respect to PCB etching, one thing I've thought about but haven't yet tried is simply using paint.  Apply a thin code of flat black paint as a resist (I'm guessing enamel would work best) and let the laser ablate the paint where you want to etch.

Contact me off-line if you want to chat laser cutters.

-dave


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