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Old 17th Feb 2021, 5:08 pm   #11
Wendymott
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 1,782
Default Re: IRON METHOD for PCB's

Hi peeps. Theres this old saying... "if it aint broken... leave well alone" or something like that.
While I am not saying other methods dont work.. they dont work for me.. I bought a Laminator, and some of that "special laser paper"....... but unfortunately for me..not reliable and certainly not with the Laminator machine.
The laminator had a tendency to "jam" when the pcb was exiting the heated rollers...I think this is due to it tilting downwards on exit, thus hitting the plastic guides..... so.... I reshaped the plastic guides to give them a chamfer ....... that seemed to work. Pre heating the pcb material with several passes........ I then added the artwork...again several passes........... the artwork seemed to be adhered to the copper, thus a trip to the sink.
Again disappointment, a small area of toner was adhered but mostly not.
I then tried the Iron method using the new paper....... again using my normal timings the toner was sticking.. mostly but not reliably.
I will continue with the iron method for the forseable future.

One thing I tried was measuring the temp of the Iron and the Laminator rollers.... both were within 6 degs C...... Iron 155.. Laminator 149 deg C

One thing against the laminator... I think..is the constant movement of the rollers, maybe moving the artwork, so it will not stick properly. However some of you members have success but not me. Worth a try though.
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Should get out more.

Regards
Wendy G8BZY

Last edited by Wendymott; 17th Feb 2021 at 5:10 pm. Reason: Additional text
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