If you can get your hands on an old pen plotter, you might be able to put an inexpensive Roland vinyl cutter head into it. Inkscape has offset drag compensation for at least some plotters.

Then you could try cutting solder paste stencils from mylar sheets.

This might also work with one of those relatively inexpensive laser diodes that are generally sold as add-ons to CNC machines. They are quite a bit heavier than a pen, so a pen plotter would likely need the acceleration and speed settings adjusted. Which is part of using a laser diode, anyway.

--
Steven Greenfield AE7HD

Hashtags are not a requirement. In fact, I'd rather not see a huge number of hashtags suddenly appear for no good reason. However, I can see a use for the hashtags #tonertransfer #CuCl #KiCAD if you feel that what you are posting might be relevant to some future person looking for information on that topic.

As such, please be cautious when using the # symbol. If you use it with spaces on either side, all is well. But the moment you have some alphanumeric immediately following, such as for a phone number, 开云体育 turns it into a hashtag automatically. It isn't a huge deal, but the moderators will have to go in and clean those out periodically. And we don't get paid anything.

The same goes for spelling of hashtags. If you misspell it, it doesn't appear under that hashtag, but creates a separate hashtag. The moderators can delete the offending hashtag, but cannot add your message or any thread created under it to an existing hashtag.

The hashtag only has to appear somewhere in the message or Subject line, everything else gets taken care of automagically. I think I'd prefer they be in the message body, as it takes up limited reading space for the Subject. Or if you are writing a message online, under the Subject line, there is an "Add Tags" box that will show all existing hashtags.

If you are reading a message online, you can click on the hashtag in the message to see a list of all messages with that hashtag, regardless of subject threads.

Or look to your left, and you'll see "# Hashtags" just under "Messages". Click on this, you'll see a table of all hashtags available. Just click on one to see the list of messages with that hashtag.

--
Steven Greenfield AE7HD

Jim Pruitt?WA7DUY has been a member in good standing for over a decade.

Jim, you are now a moderator here. Thank you very much.

--
Steven Greenfield AE7HD

I'd prefer that the new moderator(s) chosen know a little bit about the technologies we discuss here, and have a little experience moderating groups.

Not much to ask for ....

I'd volunteer, but I no longer live online like I used to.? However, it nominated, I'll serve.

73
Jim N6OTQ

#newmoderators

Hello folks ^^)

Will be happy too to help there.

I truly hate the mailling-lists disapearence, especially when I'm subscribed to...

and the killing of yahoogroups lately made me mad enough ;)


Jeff ^^)

开云体育

Hello Steve and the group.

I am willing to help out if you need it.? I own a few groups and also moderate a few other groups.

Thank you.

Jim Pruitt
WA7DUY

开云体育

I was a moderator on the old mini-mill list on Yahoo, as well as the HF micro mill list.

I can help, but I'm not immortal either (nor would I admit it, were I so).

I'm expecting to be available for at least the next decade, if not more, unless overruled by a higher authority.

Harvey

It has been brought to my attention that I am not immortal.

So I'm looking for a moderator or two for the group. Because it sucks when a group ends because the only listowner goes away in some manner.

Looking for suggestions, nominations, volunteers, input. Please discuss this here on the list, with the hashtag #newmoderators so that everyone can see who is volunteering or nominating whom.

#newmoderators
--
Steven Greenfield AE7HD

Received from Steven Greenfield AE7HD via groups.io at 5/1/2021 15:24 UTC:

Keep in mind that what looks opaque to your eye doesn't matter. What matters is that it blocks the wavelengths that affect the coating.

Many inkjet inks have added UV blockers to slow fading. Typically the photo colors, light cyan and light magenta, are the most fade prone and so are the ones with UV blockers added. I recall reading about tests, but I am unable to find the website. They tested many different shades of colors and found, on their particular printer with the particular OEM inks, a green shade blocked UV the best.

If the printer permits, you might try printing the mask using all colors combined to generate black instead of using black by itself.

73 de Jim, KB3PU

Someone here, back when it was on Yahoogroups, would fill in laser toner transparencies by just coloring over the whole thing with a black dry erase marker.? Then just wipe it off with the eraser. The marker sticks to the toner, but wipes right off of the Mylar film.

Of course, this won't work with inkjet transparencies as it will soak into the inkjet receptive coating.

http://techref.massmind.org/techref/pcb/etch/photoresists.htm

--
Steven Greenfield AE7HD

Keep in mind that what looks opaque to your eye doesn't matter. What matters is that it blocks the wavelengths that affect the coating.?

Many inkjet inks have added UV blockers to slow fading. Typically the photo colors, light cyan and light magenta, are the most fade prone and so are the ones with UV blockers added. I recall reading about tests, but I am unable to find the website. They tested many different shades of colors and found, on their particular printer with the particular OEM inks, a green shade blocked UV the best.

Of course, you can figure out an aftermarket ink that blocks the best and just fill all the tanks with that color. Same as some have done with direct inkjet printing.

--
Steven Greenfield AE7HD

On 28/4/21 5:24 am, Larry Battraw wrote:

Sure, I've used dry film for years, both laminated on and using the wet process.? I ran into issues when I kept it outside in the summer, as the first roll I bought was particularly stinky and I didn't have a dedicated fridge/freezer to store it in.? It got much less sensitive and was far more difficult to get usable exposures.
? I don't have anything in particular against?it,? it's just that the liquid photoresist is much cheaper and? seems to last forever, while producing really excellent results.? The best thing I can compare it to is factory-fresh dry film, and I don't have worry about my laminator gouging it with any bits of old film or PCB material that may be stuck to the roller.
As you have a 1430 CISS where do you source your ink from?? My last order showed up with black?ink that just isn't as dark as my older ink, which was almost perfectly black.? --Annoying since I bought a bunch.

I got the CISS kit from RIHAC and it had ink already in the bottles.

<>

I got a big bottle of black ink from them i haven't used yet.

The ink needs to be 'dye' and not 'pigment' if it is to be absorbed into gelatine coat transparencies, which are the best of anything.

I would have waited longer to get a refillable Epson Ecotank printer if i knew they were being released.

On 28/4/21 5:24 am, Larry Battraw wrote:

Sure, I've used dry film for years, both laminated on and using the wet process.? I ran into issues when I kept it outside in the summer, as the first roll I bought was particularly stinky and I didn't have a dedicated fridge/freezer to store it in.? It got much less sensitive and was far more difficult to get usable exposures.
? I don't have anything in particular against?it,? it's just that the liquid photoresist is much cheaper and? seems to last forever, while producing really excellent results.? The best thing I can compare it to is factory-fresh dry film, and I don't have worry about my laminator gouging it with any bits of old film or PCB material that may be stuck to the roller.
As you have a 1430 CISS where do you source your ink from?? My last order showed up with black?ink that just isn't as dark as my older ink, which was almost perfectly black.? --Annoying since I bought a bunch.

I got the CISS kit from RIHAC and it had ink already in the bottles.

<>

I got a big bottle of black ink from them i haven't used yet.

The ink needs to be 'dye' and not 'pigment' if it is to be absorbed into gelatine coat transparencies, which are the best of anything.

开云体育

my two cents ... I use to play with this kind of product to get the black mylar Darker see here ? 73's de F1CHF ? ? ? ? ? -------Message original------- ? De : russell shaw Date : 26/04/2021 15:51:11 A : [email protected] Sujet : Re: [homebrewpcbs] Transparency film for laser printer ? On 26/4/21 10:57 pm, Larry Battraw wrote: > As others have mentioned, laser printing artwork on transparencies is just too > much of a headache to be worthwhile.? There's never a great way to ensure it's > opaque enough and free from defects.? I've been using a Epson Artisan 1430 for > years with great success, and even moved to a continuous ink supply system > recently to really make refills painless and cheap.? The only trick is you need > to anchor the transparency to a piece of paper with a couple pieces of tape > since otherwise it won't register the presence of the transparency.? This > appears to be fairly universal on Epson printers unfortunately, as there's no > support for transparencies. > > Anyway, highly recommended for quick, simple boards at home.? I usually coat my > own PCB material with the "blue paint" photoresist found on eBay for a few > bucks, mixed with ethanol since it's like actual paint consistency when you get > it.? They recommend artificial banana oil to dilute it, however I could never > find a source?for it.? Ethanol works very?well and allows me to spray on an even > coat that dries quickly.? You might ask why I don't use dry film photoresist, > however that stuff expires over time (They say to use it within 9 months when > it's refrigerated) and I had too many experiences where I wasted time fighting > to get it working when I could have just sprayed on photoresist and been done > with it.? Despite being very inexpensive the paint photoresist has great > resolution and durability, and I don't have to worry about laminating thick PCB > stock that won't fit in my laminator, or issues with temperature control. ? I've used dryfilm resist 10 years old. ? It's fiddly stuff to get the plastic backing off it, but easy once you know how. ? Stick a piece of double-sided tape to the table top. ? Stick the corner of the film, backing side, onto it. ? Get another bit of double-sided tape and stick it on top of the corner of the film, then peel. The backing will separate. ? I'm also using an Artisan-1430 with a CISS. ? I use a heated roll laminator to apply the film to the board. That is also a bit fiddly until practiced. ? ? ? ?

On 26/4/21 10:57 pm, Larry Battraw wrote:

As others have mentioned, laser printing artwork on transparencies is just too much of a headache to be worthwhile.? There's never a great way to ensure it's opaque enough and free from defects.? I've been using a Epson Artisan 1430 for years with great success, and even moved to a continuous ink supply system recently to really make refills painless and cheap.? The only trick is you need to anchor the transparency to a piece of paper with a couple pieces of tape since otherwise it won't register the presence of the transparency.? This appears to be fairly universal on Epson printers unfortunately, as there's no support for transparencies.
Anyway, highly recommended for quick, simple boards at home.? I usually coat my own PCB material with the "blue paint" photoresist found on eBay for a few bucks, mixed with ethanol since it's like actual paint consistency when you get it.? They recommend artificial banana oil to dilute it, however I could never find a source?for it.? Ethanol works very?well and allows me to spray on an even coat that dries quickly.? You might ask why I don't use dry film photoresist, however that stuff expires over time (They say to use it within 9 months when it's refrigerated) and I had too many experiences where I wasted time fighting to get it working when I could have just sprayed on photoresist and been done with it.? Despite being very inexpensive the paint photoresist has great resolution and durability, and I don't have to worry about laminating thick PCB stock that won't fit in my laminator, or issues with temperature control.

I've used dryfilm resist 10 years old.

It's fiddly stuff to get the plastic backing off it, but easy once you know how.

Stick a piece of double-sided tape to the table top.

Stick the corner of the film, backing side, onto it.

Get another bit of double-sided tape and stick it on top of the corner of the film, then peel. The backing will separate.

I'm also using an Artisan-1430 with a CISS.

I use a heated roll laminator to apply the film to the board.
That is also a bit fiddly until practiced.

When it runs dry, what do you have to lose? See if you can get it open without destroying it and if you can then refill it with (compatible) liquid flux. Might need a little vinyl tape to keep it closed and not leaky again or it may just press fit back together. It’s not a complex mechanism.