Plotter/printer recommendations

Thanks for the quick replies.

This answers my question. Thanks for the tip on the HP8500 Ink jet. That

sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Do you find it dark enough for a

single film?

I'm not good enough with Eagle yet to have confidence in sending a file to

a board house for processing however I would like to. I'm still trying to

wrap my head around the whole CAM processor thing.

I'll get it...eventually.

Thanks again. I've learned quite a few things in the few days I've been on

the forum.

Quote:

Hi Kirk,

First, what system are you using? I use high quality photosensitive

boards.

I was using a laser printer and printing to over head transparency film

but

I found the printer was distorting some of my image slightly and this

was

throwing off my CNC drilling holes.

Now I use an HP 8500 printer (inkjet) and printing to premium inkjet

transparency film (HP C3834A) with perfect results down to very fine

traces

with no loss of detail.

Rob

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

Thanks for the quick replies.

This answers my question. Thanks for the tip on the HP8500 Ink jet. That

sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Do you find it dark enough for a

single film?

I'm not good enough with Eagle yet to have confidence in sending a file to

a board house for processing however I would like to. I'm still trying to

wrap my head around the whole CAM processor thing.

I'll get it...eventually.

Thanks again. I've learned quite a few things in the few days I've been on

the forum.

Quote:

Hi Kirk,

First, what system are you using? I use high quality photosensitive

boards.

I was using a laser printer and printing to over head transparency film

but

I found the printer was distorting some of my image slightly and this

was

throwing off my CNC drilling holes.

Now I use an HP 8500 printer (inkjet) and printing to premium inkjet

transparency film (HP C3834A) with perfect results down to very fine

traces

with no loss of detail.

Rob

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

Kirk,

Glad I can help.

First, board houses are fine ONCE you have proofed your prototype. Before

that point the cost can add up quickly. Sometimes I run two or three

prototypes before I get exactly what I want.

Right now I'm using GC presensitized boards with excellent results on my

inkjet printer using the film number I listed in my first post.

Also the light source and how long you expose the presensitized board makes

a difference. I use the UV bulbs that are designed specifically for the

boards, usually I expose for 4 to 5  minutes with no problems.

By the way my layouts are so good that my board house asked if they could

use me as a reference for customers who need boards designed, so I'd say I'm

not bad at it.

The other thing I did was make a glass press that allows me to align double

sided boards  exactly in register.

the other thing to watch out for is the boards solution. I use ferric

chloride, persulfate seems to affect and degrade the traces on both my MG

and GC boards.

You can get cheap presensitized boards at Circuit Specialists but there will

be some waste because the presensitized surface doesn't adhere as well as

the GC and MG boards. I do use there developer packs for the boards though

because they are cheap. I've been making boards here and CNC drilling them

for years. It's quick and I save money too. I can run three or four

prototypes here in a day, where my board house will take several days.

Good luck,

Rob

"Kirk Sceviour" <aircrew1@rogers.com> wrote in message

news:iqs55o$lsj$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

This answers my question. Thanks for the tip on the HP8500 Ink jet. That

sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Do you find it dark enough for a

single film?

 

I'm not good enough with Eagle yet to have confidence in sending a file to

a board house for processing however I would like to. I'm still trying to

wrap my head around the whole CAM processor thing.

 

I'll get it...eventually.

 

Thanks again. I've learned quite a few things in the few days I've been on

the forum.

 

Quote:

>> Hi Kirk,

>> First, what system are you using? I use high quality photosensitive

>> boards.

>> I was using a laser printer and printing to over head transparency film

>> but

>> I found the printer was distorting some of my image slightly and this

>> was

>> throwing off my CNC drilling holes.

>> Now I use an HP 8500 printer (inkjet) and printing to premium inkjet

>> transparency film (HP C3834A) with perfect results down to very fine

>> traces

>> with no loss of detail.

>> Rob

 

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the

CadSoft EAGLE community meets.