Photo paper

zachtheterrible

Active Member
hi everyone.

ive got a question about which kind of photo paper i should use for making my PCB. Is there anything that i should especially be looking for in the paper? i looked @ some on the net, and i saw inkjet photopaper, laser photopaper, etc. wuts my best bet??

thank you
 
Hello!

I use my deskjet printer to make PCB... You just need some special transparency film. Personnaly, I use HP Premium inkjet transparacy film and it work well.
 
thanx everyone. JFDuval, you use ur deskjet?? im very interested in this :lol: . what kind do you use? i went to officedepot.com and saw laser transparency, write on transparency, inkjet transparency, etc.

Thanx evandude. unfortunately, i don't own, or know anyone who owns a laser printer. I was planning on printing it out on regular paper, then taking it to a copy shop and copy it onto a piece of photo paper that i would provide them to put into their copier.

Well, i guess that it just comes down to what type of transparency film i need, and therefore how much it will cost.
 
really JFDuval??? can you use your inkjet printer for making PCBs.

i read a few articles about making PCBs on the internet and the only thing that kept me away from making my own PCBs at home was that a Laserjet printer is usually required.

could you explain your method a little bit?
 
D'OH!! i just realized that u say that you use inkjet transparency jfduval!! skiped that part

would write on transparency work? its quite a bit less expensive

if it has to be inkjet transparency, then i think that i might stick with photo paper because inkjet transparency is $20 for 20 pieces. premium laser photo paper is $20 for 50.

btw, laser photo paper would work in a kinkos B&W copier right?
 
ahha! i remember i developed a method requiring only water, clay, overhead transparency and patience. And yes of course a laser printer.

the clay was mixed with water in to a very very weak solution, like 95 percent water and then sprayed over othe transparency, then dry it out. The clay simply acted as a release agent. from there it is print, iron, peel and etch...simple

you could try just normal paper but i cant remeber the method.

p.s: oh yeh use soapy warm water when peeling it off. I swear using straight cold water is a b***h to get it working. :evil:
 

Better make sure it is a high quality copier, I havent used a copier in awhile but I know that they tend to blur or mess up sometimes. Since you are dealing with very fine lines and stuff, a tiny misprint could mess it up.
 
Hello!

Yes, it's true. The fact that inkjet transparency cost high is bad but it's cheaper than changing my printer. The printer I use to make PCBs is an old HP Desket 400 (more than ten years old...) and it work perfect. See this picture, it's my lasts board etched: **broken link removed**.

Good luck,
 

Impressive board :!:
 
WOW jfduval, thats reeealy nice!! if only it wasnt so expensive . thanx everyone for the help, im gonna go ahead and get some photo paper.
 
Hello!

Thanks for the felicitations . The process is simple:

1- I use Eagle to make my board on the computer
2- I print twice on transparency to have perfect opacity
3- I insolate my presensitized board with a cheap MG Insulator
4- I reveal with revealator
4- I put the board in my homemade etch tank (not sure if it's the name in english, in french it's a graveuse.)
5- I clean and use!

To see picture of my etching equipement, go to www.machivi.ma.cx. I have complete explainations there.
 
Say, zachtheterrible. If the cost of the transparency sheets is a big concern, you can go into an Office Max or Office Depot and get them to print out the pattern for well under a dollar. Just walk in with your PCB pattern on regular paper and they can photocopy it to a laser transparency (ask for the maximum contrast). Plus, you don't have to wait for the sheet to dry. I tried this with my first PCB pattern; basically used the steps JFDuval described, and that was that!
 
thats a good idea digitan, but the only reason i was interested in transparency was cuz then i could print it out on my printer @ home, not have to go somewhere. so i might as well just buy the picture paper (which i did), speaking of that:

I JUST DID MY FIRST PCB!!!! so cool!!! :lol: . i got the staples picture paper u recommended evandude and it worked very well (and it was only $6.94 :lol: ). it turned out pretty well, the only thing that i did not like was that some of the lines weren't exactly straight, they were a bit jagged, but hey, it was my first PCB ever :lol:

I had to have my mom's iron on the highest degree possible for 6 minutes for it to transfer. I think next time i might even go 7 minutes cuz there were little bits of ink stil stuk 2 the photopaper.

thanx 4 the help every1, couldnt've done it without ya
 
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