31-07-2015, 08:21 PM
Thanks Nick.
I know that a lot of people tend to knock things up 'ugly style' to see if it works, with the intention that if it does work, later on they'll build it neatly, which they often don't get round to doing. To my mind, that's just bodging and it's never been my style with anything I do. I'm sure that for many, they'd just knock up simple projects such as this one using strip-board, but I enjoy converting a circuit into a PCB layout, and though it's a bit laborious to produce the PCB, it's a hobby. In the initial stages of a new project, as often as not I post and outline on here and seek advice and feedback to try to minimise any pitfalls, as I've done with this project and several other recent projects.
As to DIY PCB production, many people these days seem to use the laser printer/iron-on technique which obviates the need for an acetate mask, UV light box and developer. But I've been using a home-brew UV light box for maybe 25 years, and I'm in a rut as deep as a grave! The main problem I've had in recent years has been getting my Epson ink-jet printer to print onto acetate as it doesn't have a setting for that and the results are dire. The printer was a huge disappointment after my aging HP printer died - it used to print superbly onto acetates. However, I discovered a youtube video (thanks to Joe, formerly of this parish), on how to jigger up the Epson printer settings to print onto acetate, and also discovered 'micro porous film' sold by Crafty Computer Paper, which is superior to OHP acetates. I make three copies to be sure, and tape them on top of each other. It produces good results.
In the unlikely event that anyone else on here has an Epson printer and wishes to print onto acetates for PCB artwork, these are the steps to follow:
‘Adjust Print Options’
Colour/B&W? Select ‘Colour’
(Although you want to print black, you must select ‘colour’ to get a full density black print when the following adjustments have been made to the printer options).
Paper: Select Epson Matte
Quality: Select High Quality
Open ‘More Options’ tab
Colour Correction: Select ‘Custom’
Click on ‘Advanced’ tab.
Colour Management: Select ‘Colour Controls’
Colour Mode: Select ‘Epson Vivid’
Colour Adjustment method Circle/Slide Bar?: Select ‘Slide Bar’.
There are six sliders:
Brightness
Contrast
Saturation
Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Set all six sliders to maximum
Set 'High Speed' to Off.
Set 'Colour Smoothing' On.
If you tried to print a picture with these settings it would look dreadful, but that's not the aim - the aim is to fox the printer into depositing a generous layer of ink onto the film, as indeed it does.
I just save these settings as 'PCB Artwork' so that's all I have to select under 'printer options'.
As I said above, using the laser printer/iron-on technique, of which I have no experience, there's none of this malarkey!
I know that a lot of people tend to knock things up 'ugly style' to see if it works, with the intention that if it does work, later on they'll build it neatly, which they often don't get round to doing. To my mind, that's just bodging and it's never been my style with anything I do. I'm sure that for many, they'd just knock up simple projects such as this one using strip-board, but I enjoy converting a circuit into a PCB layout, and though it's a bit laborious to produce the PCB, it's a hobby. In the initial stages of a new project, as often as not I post and outline on here and seek advice and feedback to try to minimise any pitfalls, as I've done with this project and several other recent projects.
As to DIY PCB production, many people these days seem to use the laser printer/iron-on technique which obviates the need for an acetate mask, UV light box and developer. But I've been using a home-brew UV light box for maybe 25 years, and I'm in a rut as deep as a grave! The main problem I've had in recent years has been getting my Epson ink-jet printer to print onto acetate as it doesn't have a setting for that and the results are dire. The printer was a huge disappointment after my aging HP printer died - it used to print superbly onto acetates. However, I discovered a youtube video (thanks to Joe, formerly of this parish), on how to jigger up the Epson printer settings to print onto acetate, and also discovered 'micro porous film' sold by Crafty Computer Paper, which is superior to OHP acetates. I make three copies to be sure, and tape them on top of each other. It produces good results.
In the unlikely event that anyone else on here has an Epson printer and wishes to print onto acetates for PCB artwork, these are the steps to follow:
‘Adjust Print Options’
Colour/B&W? Select ‘Colour’
(Although you want to print black, you must select ‘colour’ to get a full density black print when the following adjustments have been made to the printer options).
Paper: Select Epson Matte
Quality: Select High Quality
Open ‘More Options’ tab
Colour Correction: Select ‘Custom’
Click on ‘Advanced’ tab.
Colour Management: Select ‘Colour Controls’
Colour Mode: Select ‘Epson Vivid’
Colour Adjustment method Circle/Slide Bar?: Select ‘Slide Bar’.
There are six sliders:
Brightness
Contrast
Saturation
Cyan
Magenta
Yellow
Set all six sliders to maximum
Set 'High Speed' to Off.
Set 'Colour Smoothing' On.
If you tried to print a picture with these settings it would look dreadful, but that's not the aim - the aim is to fox the printer into depositing a generous layer of ink onto the film, as indeed it does.
I just save these settings as 'PCB Artwork' so that's all I have to select under 'printer options'.
As I said above, using the laser printer/iron-on technique, of which I have no experience, there's none of this malarkey!
Regards, David.
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
BVWS Member.
G-QRP Club Member 1339.
'I'm in my own little world, but I'm happy, and they know me here'
