Toner Transfer

The use of pressure / heat / chemicals to transfer toner printed on various different papers by a laser printer or copier onto the target. This is often used to make PCB's resist layers. I found that toner transfer works on painted surfaces. To improve the appearance of my bots, I give the top side of the pcb a light coat of Krylon flat white and then toner transfer. Looks great.

Transfer media

• Gootee paper (available from Staples)
  • http://www.fullnet.com/u/tomg/gooteepc.htm
• label backing (this is typically TOO slick and the toner will break or fall off before you can get it on the board.)
• glossy papers (e.g. a page ripped out of Time magazine, etc...) Many people report success with this method. The paper can be soaked or brushed off.
• Laser transparency film. Some people have reported excellent results with this, other have reported the toner will not release at all. Try 3M #cg5000

Transfer methods

• "press and peel"
• "press and soak"
• Press, re-melt, and peel

The 'Press-N-Peel' version works better than the 'Press-N-Soak' version. You can get both kinds from Electronics Express:
http://www.elexp.com/index.htm

Also, checkout the Desk Top Fabrication system by DynaArt Designs. They have a catalog/flyer they can send, call 813-524-1500.

GBC laminator

The fuser section of a laser printer can be removed and converted to re-melt and press toner onto the target panel as long as it is very smooth and can be made to pass between the rollers.

A standard clothing iron can be used to press and heat transfer the tonor to a PCB. Placing a large dowel under the PCB allows the pressure to be "focused" on one area at a time for a more consistant and stronger transfer.

Russell McMahon says:

If you cut a sheet of paper to less than a certain length (the exact length will vary with your printer) and feed it to a laser printer, then the feed rollers after the toner deposition stage will (may?) fail to pick it up and the paper will stop in the midst of the printer without having been fused.

See also:

• http://catmacey.wordpress.com/projects/making-pcbs-with-simple-tools/ A very low tech, but quite sucessful method.
• http://www.aracnet.com/~gpatrick/ George H. Patrick, III PCB Environment, Base Materials, and Processes; Trace Width Table, Calculator, and Spacing; Hardware and drilling information.
• http://myweb.cableone.net/wheedal/pcb.htm Pictoral, step by step. Very nice.

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