PCB & Artwork on transparencies

[SpaceShipOne]

Hello,

I am a new comer here, glad I have discovered that forum!

I have been building my amateur radio projects mostly "dead bug style" but I would like to try the use of transparencies and pre sensitized copper board.

Never done that before so the questions might sound a bit silly, here I go:

1 - I am using DIPTrace to create my PCB / Artwork: I read online that the side with toner ink has on the board side. So it means that I need to print my artwork, "mirrored", doesn't it?

2 - While using positive pre sensitized copper board (MG Chemical for instance), I need to print my artwork in "positive", right?

I haven't started any experiments with this, so I am sure I could have figured out things out along the way but I thought I would ask before ruining these rather expensive boards... !

Thanks guys
Tony

 

[FvM]

1. + 2. Yes, both.

 

[electronicus]

Look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M7LP_Njzgs

 

[SpaceShipOne]

Thank you guys!

Now it is time to get started, wish me luck!

 

[RoboticsGuy]

So you're using the UV method? If you don't have the light box, you can etch the boards with chemicals, which doesn't require a UV light box or sensitized PCBs (so it's much cheaper). I make PCBs with the "toner transfer method".

 

[SpaceShipOne]

That's another good option.

Actually last night, I had a single sided PCB from R.S. left over and I decided to give the toner transfer method a try.

I have in the past tried with various glossy photo paper but it felt like a real pain. I went through a couple of boards before I could get a decent result.

So I decided to use some 3M transparencies ! And wow! I was truly surprised of how easy it was to transfer the toner, to peel off the sheet and overall the quality of the transfer looked awesome!

I might reconsider doing my future project's PCBs using the UV method, even though I would like to try and compare with the toner/transparencies.

As you mentioned, regular single sided board are much cheaper than the pre sensitized ones.

So you're using the UV method? If you don't have the light box, you can etch the boards with chemicals, which doesn't require a UV light box or sensitized PCBs (so it's much cheaper). I make PCBs with the "toner transfer method".