Re: gEDA-user: PCM making methods - was - Re: alarm clock update

[andrewm <andrewm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 >> andrewm  wrote:
 >> DJ - When you are etching your brass stencils they are almost all
 >> resist and only tiny apatures.  If you work out the cost of inkjet
 >> ink and the amount of coverage you need - it may make a $200K laser
 >> cutter seem like a prudent investment :D
 >
 > DJ Delorie wrote:
 > <SNIP>
 > But I use a laser *printer* not a laser *cutter*.  Printing a page of
 > mostly-black isn't that expensive.

Yep - full coverage pages on a laser printer only work out <$1 as
opposed to inkies that are $5ish.


 >> The photo paper is quite reasonable in terms of quality and I may
 >> use it from time to time on single sided baords with 16/16 rules.
 >
 > I do 8/8 with TT but them I'm using the special paper that releases
 > easily.

I have inquired with pulsar about prices as I may start selling it
on my web shop.  If I get a reasonable response I may have a few 100
boxes of it sitting here soon.

The test board I did with the generic inkjet photo paper was the 8/8
rule IR-RX I have posted pics of.  The 8/8 rules came out OK in about
5 of the 12 PCBs on the panel.  And the PCBs are only 8x14mm.  So
I think the chances of getting a large board working at 6/6 is pretty
slim.  I know I can do this easy with photo and FeCl (though not with
CuCl)

 >> I am going to stick to photo for the DS 6/6 stuff though.
 >
 > The limiting factor (for me) for the TT is the quality of the edges.
 > I haven't tried disableing REt though, it might be "dithering" the
 > edges for me.

Look at these photos.  It is of a spiral/swirl test patter someone on
homebrew PCB made up (Derrik maybe).

http://www.thehacktory.com/LaserWide.jpg
http://www.thehacktory.com/LaserClose.jpg

It shows some macro shots of some lines that are somewhere between
4 and 6 thou.  This shows how the toner particles scatter and make
a fuzzy edge as opposed to a nice clean line.  That is going to limit
your res no matter what method you use a laser printer for (photo or
transfer).  The printout in the photo above was on a medium sized
car priced laser printer.  The little $2000 printer I have on my desk
does worse than this.  I assume that cheaper 1200dpi printers are
even worse again.  My old HP-LJ4 that was only 600dpi didnt suffer
as much.  I guess the toner particles where bigger and more
controlable

I think to get better resolution I should resurect my much stalled
plotter project :(


 > <SNIP>


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