I'm doing something really wrong, aren't I?
Can anyone suggest why?
Thanks
There have already been suggestions about board cleanliness prior to tranfer and that is a vital step.
Firstly, your board should be clean and free from oxides/oily contaminants.
I normally use this process:
1. Wash the board with warm soapy water, then dry with a fresh paper towel.
2. Buff the board with 00000 steel wool, then wash with soapy water again & dry with paper towel. This removes most of the oils transferred from the wire wool, which stop it from rusting.
3. Wipe the whole board with Acetone on a new paper towel, to remove any remaining oils, then whilst the board is still damp from the Acetone, only handle the board by the edges during the next steps.
4. With another fresh paper towel, making sure not to touch the side you are using on the board, wipe the board again to "dry" it.
5. Shake the board in free air a little, to dislodge any paper fibres.
6. Immediately place the toner print on the board and the iron on the toner print, with the iron on the hottest setting. Hold the iron static for about 2 minutes at first, to get good adhesion before lifting the iron and having it move the print around.
7. Switch the orientation of the iron, since most modern irons have holes to let steam out during "normal" use. Try to ensure that even pressure is used.
8. After about 5 to 6 minutes of ironing, let the board cool, then remove the transfer paper.
9. Inspect the board throughly with a bright light and tilt it into many different positions. Any defects should be visible and minor ones can be carefully touched up with a resist pen or a "Sharpie".
10. If not satisfied, start over.