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Direct PCB printer in action April 14, 2010

Posted by Kuba in : Tech , trackback
Quick walk through on printing PCB’s using a hacked Epson C87 Printer

By: epineh

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Comments»

1. 30JULIO1950 - April 15, 2010

Muy ingenioso, felicitaciones. Very clever, congratulations

2. reinoso22 - April 16, 2010

I think Toner transfer method is better, faster and easier.

3. epineh - April 19, 2010

I think :-D

4. Elamin008 - April 20, 2010

the best homemade method
I ever seen in my live (5 stars)

5. epineh - April 20, 2010

No probs :)

I suppose no method is perfect, this works well for my needs, but did take some fine tuning. I guess the easiest way is to just pay a board house to make them…but where is the fun in that ! :D

6. fronkenpoop - April 23, 2010

I think That’s great Thanks for taking the time to explain. Since I’ve seen Youtubers customising CD trays on the Epson R200 (and derivatives) in order to print small PCBs. They are constrained to the size of a CD however. As for me, I’m using the laser toner transfer method. I have had mixed results- even with the so called “proper” PCB transfer film. Lots of patience and trial and error is required!

Regards.

7. epineh - April 23, 2010

I think Hi, the magenta is supposed to be the best color to act as a resist, though on my setup it seems to be made up of all the color’s anyway.

The baking cures the ink, otherwise it just sits on the copper and remains wet, even hours after printing.

Cheers.

8. fronkenpoop - April 26, 2010

Fascinating method. Why red / Magenta, and what does the bake do to the ink (other than the obvious that it somehow becomes etch resistant)? That’s an excellent looking etch- great job. Thanks for the video.

9. epineh - April 26, 2010

Also the PCB has to be hot enough that you can barely pick it up without gloves.

Good Luck !

10. epineh - April 26, 2010

Hey, I use the standard Durabrite inks that come with the printer, others use MISPRO inks but I have found the standard ink works fine.

When I have had smudged prints it is usually the surface not being clean enough, or hot enough, try “scratching” the surface a little with a green kitchen scourer (lightly) and metho, then wipe the surface with a clean cloth and a little acetone, be careful not to touch the copper surface once it is clean.

11. gameover2005 - April 28, 2010

Hi, I have a question for you.

I recently modified an epson stylus color 670 so that it would accept the copper board but no matter what I can’t make it to print properly, the ink just gets diffused.

I’ve tried heating / color changing / sanding / acetone and more but the ink just keeps “melting”..

I think my problem is the ink that this cartridges use..

What kind of ink are you uysing?
Is there any “permanent ink” (as in the permanent sharpies) available to prevent this?

Thanks in advance!

12. epineh - April 30, 2010

Thanks (I think :)

13. cvf4 - May 2, 2010

I think buenisimo metodo

14. epineh - May 2, 2010

I can’t link the URL here (Youtube won’t let me) but the techref . massmind site has what you need. There are a few pages on the site, you may have to dig a little.

Otherwise I have a build log on CNCZone but you will have to register (free) the thread got VERY long but most of what I did is on the first few pages.

Good Luck !

15. nanodocl - May 3, 2010

Tahnks,I will do that Do you remember any source in particular??

16. epineh - May 3, 2010

I think Best bet is to Google direct PCB printing and get ready for some serious reading :)

17. nanodocl - May 4, 2010

I think How do you hack the printer???

18. epineh - May 5, 2010

Ha, that is funny…nerdy but funny :)

19. kiashee - May 6, 2010

I think nice video…!
i was sharing this with my friends when a chemist nerdy commented about the “…favorite acid”. Ferric Chloride and Cupric Chloride are not acids… those are salt!!! :D

20. epineh - May 8, 2010

I think The printer needs to use pigment based ink, not dye based, and you need to be able to modify the paper feed mechanism to accept a flat sheet of copper clad fibreglass, the Epson’s seem to be the easiest for this.

21. pudumula - May 10, 2010

is this possible with any colour printer

22. epineh - May 12, 2010

Eagle layout editor…free version :>

23. Syndicated4u - May 13, 2010

I think what PCB software did you use?

24. epineh - May 14, 2010

I think Sorry, missed ur question…song is called Broken Days, it is a free music download from freeplaymusic {dot} com

:~]

25. epineh - May 15, 2010

Yup the original Durabrite inks, I was going to use MISPRO but didnt need to.


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