Printed Wiring Boards.
Updated Feb 1, 2019    The paper I was using in no longer available, the new paper listed works better.

Now that computers and laser printers are a common part of the household or office, it is possible to make high quality printed wiring boards with very little additional material. The only additional material that might be needed is to purchase is some Staples Glossy Color Laser Paper. (Staples SKU 633215).

Laser toner is a mixture of carbon black and the equivalent of powdered hot melt glue. This will transfer when heated again. Water/oil based inks will not transfer!

To make a PWB, the first step is to create or reproduce artwork in your favorite graphics program. (I use Visio for the PC.). After you finish your artwork, use the "group"and "duplicate" functions of the graphics program to make several copies of the artwork on a single page. This method can be used to produce a single card to a modest production run.

VERY IMPORTANT Prior to printing, make a MIRROR IMAGE of your artwork. Use your graphics program to "group" then flip the image horizontal. Now print your image.(Note, Visio flips the image fine but not any text. I have to use drawn text.) The copper clad stock I buy now is sized 4"x6" on Amazon or ebay.  I  duplicate the image in my graphics program to put as many copies as I can in a 4"'x6" area then group and dupe that image as many times as I can to fill up a 8.5"x11" page. If I am going to print, might as well use the whole page. Cut out the image you are going to transfer. If you have the option of  print density adjust this to the highest allowed. Normal printing is about 600 DPI and my printer (It's a HP 3005) has the option of 1200 DPI.

An important note: I have been at this for 30 plus years. Over time, a tool here and there have been added to the garage workshop. All I can do at this point is tell you what I use and what has worked for me. My very first circuit board (a Tube amplifier) was made on copper stock, holes drilled first and then used finger nail polish as an etch resist to connect the holes. It was crude but it worked. It dose not have to be MIL SPEC or CAD perfect to give you a working printed circuit board.

Prepare the Copper stock.

  Transferring the image
Etching
Finishing


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