How To Make A Printed Circuit Board - Toner Transfer Method

[@IBuildIt]

The paper I use is called "presentation paper". It's glossy, similar to the paper used in magazines, but a bit thicker. In fact you can use magazine paper instead and get it for free. I bought a pack of the paper back when I was making my own circuit boards regularly, so I'm not sure if it's still available today. I tried several types of paper at the time and that one gave the best results. I use muriatic acid and hydrogen peroxide, but there is a "proper" etchant (Ferric Chloride) you can get to use instead. My usual procedure was to etch and clean the board, then tin the copper traces completely and then drill the holes for the parts.

[@GVNZ9]

i noticed that the printer/toner itself makes for quite a big difference. In the past i used an HP lm4 with, i think, the same paper that you use. It worked ok, but the tranfer was never great. Recently i bought a new printer (xerox b205), wich refuses to print on the usual glossy paper no matter the settings, but works great on glossy paper that comes directly from magazines. The fact that the sheets are alredy printed with ink seems to have no effect.

[@Joey_Schy]

Awesome that you were able to make etchant from readily available stuffs. I've always used the ferric chloride (which is available at Microcenter brick and mortar these days) and then specially made paper that has like a an almost waxy surface - I think I got it from digikey. I suppose the presentation paper just requires more pressure to apply to copper and is readily available. You always try to go for the readily available stuffs and that's better. I wonder if you might try using the adhesive backing from some label paper or something?

[@IBuildIt]

I've used an HP and a Brother printer, same results. And I tried magazine pages before too. They work, but not as well as this presentation paper.

[@danhorton6182]

I’ve read these printers print with the toner at different heats. From what I’ve read, HP are great printers for the toner transfer method and a lot of people have had problems with Canon. I picked up an HP M15w, it’s absolutely tiny, only $100 when I got it, and what’s worked perfectly for every transfer I’ve done. I only use if it for transfers, so it’s not worked all that hard.

[@danharold3087]

PulsarProFx make a paper coated with starch specifically for toner transfer. The starch gets wet and in a few seconds the paper floats off the board leaving all the toner behind. Easier to use and better results.

[@GregsGarage]

Custom touches like this make these types of builds 100% cooler.

[@letsfightdeepstate4880]

This method i used many times...if not get perfect after heating it, just wash the board and print another copy and try again...very good method.

[@freezEware]

When I finished this video it felt like I had watched 20 minutes worth of content but I was really surprised to see it was only 6 minutes long. No time was wasted, and it contained a lot of information... thanks. I see how some other youtubers would have wasted the extra 15 minutes blabbing nonsense. You did well, Sir.

[@GVNZ9]

recently i got back at this too, and i use the exact same method. I can confirm absolutely that after ten years the peroxide has gone dull. Same board, same acid, with old peroxide took like half an hour, with the fresh one took MAYBE two minutes.

[@executive]

peroxide degrades rapidly in air or light.

[@telebus9949]

When I did this for a project in college, I didn't have an iron, so I used my cast iron skillet. I wouldn't recommend that method. One thing John didn't mention is that copper clad board comes in different weights, which refer to the amount of copper used to cover one square foot, typically 1/2oz-2oz, which relates directly to the sheet resistance of your traces. When ordering for a project, make sure that you get the right weight for your current handling needs (more current= higher weight copper clad OR thicker traces).

[@dharminderkalsi2311]

With so much content on KZbin, it’s hard to choose a favorite KZbinr - but for me it’s super easy: John Heisz! So much to learn from each video. Love it!

[@LeJimster]

I used to make and build circuit boards for a Saturday job as a kid. Really enjoyed the process. Only difference is we would print onto a transparent sheet, tape it to the board and expose it in a light box to transfer the circuit.

[@paulhirst3548]

Very nice and great timing as I can do this instead of messing around with a proto board. I had forgotten how easy it is to do. I will make one for the controls on the solder fume extractor that I made. My eyesight is getting poor as I get older so I end up inhaling a lot of the fumes while bending over to get see what I am doing. Thank you for this John.

[@NickP333]

Very cool vid. In the past, I’ve made my own PCBs for fuzz face guitar pedals. I like using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove the paper. The fuzz circuit is so simple that at first for prototyping, I just used a black sharpie. There’s definitely a large sense of satisfaction in a final piece when you’ve really built it from scratch. Point to point wiring is obviously preferred if possible, and if you’re only building one of whatever you’re building. Thanks for the video! Great stuff!

[@amazonicscircuitri3762]

This method help a lot of electronic students, thanks man for sharing

[@Nomadboatbuilding]

I have found that a way more effective method of making the transfer was to sit the plate on top of the iron and apply pressure to the paper side with a rubber printer's brayer. I am just etching copper however, not making circuit boards. I also use an aquarium bubbler to agitate and oxygenate the acid.

[@draztiqmeshaz6226]

I didn't know that about Flux, lacquer thinner, and lacquer. Very much appreciated!

[@eabr2881]

Very cool. I made some etched circuit boards in my apprenticeship, but have forgotten how to. It was a similar method, but with the use of an etching pen.

[@danhorton6182]

Great work! I’ve made several boards from Mr. Carlson’s Lab which had very fine traces. I gave up on the clothes iron pretty quickly as it was just painful to get a good transfer. I picked up some special paper made for this that completely falls away when put into water, so no scrubbing to get it off and I also got a large heavy duty laminator to get nice even pressure and heat on the transfer. I haven’t had a failed transfer since. Thanks for sharing your method, I had no idea on the use of your acid and hydrogen peroxide, I’ve always used Ferric Chloride, but this info will be put to use in the future. Also, if I run out of liquid tin I’ll use lacquer as well, I have a few gallons laying around.

[@trollforge]

Ferric Chloride is just Hydrochloric Acid and Peroxide with Iron Oxide dissolved in it.

[@danhorton6182]

@@trollforge oh wow, great to know, thank you for that info! Does the dissolved iron add any benefit?

[@trollforge]

@@danhorton6182 Sorry, man, I'm speaking from an electronics background, not a chemistry one... I only know how to make Ferric Chloride and Copper Chloride, because they were the most common etchants back in the 70s & 80s...

[@CliveDrone]

Dan, what special paper are you talking about?

[@patthesoundguy]

That's brilliant! I didn't realize that's what the chemicals were. Glad I finally got a laser printer last year 😎

[@davoc5140]

so awesome when there is no bullshit intro and dumb jokes. just content. well done sir

[@user-sb3wh3dd4v]

Fascinating and useful! THANK YOU John!

[@johnbiggs9561]

Agree with all your points. And if you want a bord immediately then doing it yourself is the only option. But I can get bords within a week from China at crazy prices....like 12$ for 5 (10cm x 10cm) delivered. So I just dont even bother making my own any more...but then Im happy to wait a week. If I had to have one instantly, I would make my own.

[@EF-69]

I would consider a NTC thermistor inrush current limiter, especially with a toroidal transformer. For smaller supplies it's not needed but this project is getting up there.

[@IBuildIt]

kzbin.info/door/zGbp-rRVNwyFhn9gHoZr5gcommunity?lb=UgkxQCyLIZnvQiNUAWxaypptbxGfc1xztW27

[@EF-69]

@@IBuildIt nice. It's been decades since I put together an amplifier or speakers. I started some speakers recently, want to build an amp. My old one is getting hissy, acting fussy. Have an RF amp project in mind too. Not sure I'll get to any of it. Fun watching along though.

[@TheOgaboga]

looking forward for the amp build

[@jhans3278]

Thank you John. Great show-n-tell!

[@joergsrom6221]

You're really lucky dog. After 10 years in hydrogen peroxide still peroxide. But great done. Greetings Thomas

[@DolezalPetr]

Hi, I followed your video and I hope it works out good, looks good so far, I am waiting for it to cool down right now before I put it into water

[@baconsledge]

I have made many boards using this method but doing wayyy better with an Ortur laser and black paint sprayed on a copper board. Super resolution. Etching the same way.

[@ghostexits]

Is there a current printer/toner that is known to work well for heat transfer? Reports online claim that 2024 toner and/or printers just won’t work anymore. Are there any current printers/ink that are known to work? Even so, must be some kind transfer decal product that would work. Inquiring minds want to know.

[@KravchenkoAudioPerth]

As mentioned Hydrogen peroxide goes dead rather rapidly. I made quite a few boards starting in the 80's from directly drawing them with good markers to the method you used and using thicker trade magazine paper. I found the heaver trade magazine paper the same as what you are using. But I switched to a laminator for heat and pressure. Made quite a difference. Walmart was like $30 from 3M. Nice to see you getting back into having some fun John. I remember you on Diyaudio. I think we both died out at the same time there.

[@IBuildIt]

I've had nothing but excellent results from using the iron, so a laminator is one less single purpose gadget to clutter up my already too cluttered existence. Iron on some edge banding, press my favouite black T-shirt and do a circuit board all with one tool :)

[@johnbiggs9561]

I used to make my own pcb's, laminating copper clad board with UV sensitive film, producing a transparency, developing, etching, drilling etc etc. What a pain! Now I just send the Gerber files to China and a week later 5 or 10 boards arrive back perfectly made with my own silk screen. All for just a few $. Making your own pcb's just isn't worth the effort. And professionally produced boards look just that: Professional.

[@IBuildIt]

First point is that the UV method is more work and more expensive and takes longer than the tone transfer method. Second is that if you make a mistake on the board, then it's still a mistake, even on a professionally made board. And you have the minimum number of those for the order, say 5. Being able to quickly make a test board like I did here puts the mistake on the test board and you can fix it before you order the pro boards. Third is you can order the boards for cheap now, but what if the price doubles or triples or higher? Then making your own starts to look a lot more attractive. Final point: now - you can have your board now rather than waiting a week or more.

[@quickfixengineeringltd8035]

Please whats the name of the acid

[@victoriaPCB2]

Specializing in the production of PCB and FPC

[@mrezniable]

John, which laser printer have used? In past 30 years I designed and made a lot of PCBs for various circuits, mostlly microcontrolers and interfaces. I tried all DIY techniques and photo positiv (UV) transfer is most precise, effective and repetatible. Unfortunattley toner transfer never gave good enough results. What you think?

[@nicbuo8319]

Thank you - great solution - thank you.

[@filipepereira5782]

What sheet of paper are you using? This is which sheet you recommend using. I've seen a lot of videos and I don't say which sheets to use

wow... very nice. thank you. be happy... bravo.. see you.............

[@Koddra]

Hello, I wanted to ask if you could maybe help me with a problem that i'm having. I did everything like you did but my PCB has these rice sized spots where the toner just did not transfer. For some time I though that it was the holes on the surface of the iron but because I moved it during the transfer process it could not be the source of the problem. Do you maybe know where the problem could be?

[@Evilslayer73]

can we use glossy prenstation paper like photo paper? im a complete noob :)

[@SteveC38]

That's Awesome!

[@sc0or]

One guy demonstrated that if you print on a fashion (not exactly) magazine page, then to separate a paper and a toner in a water would be much easier. PS Quad 405 amplifiers failed over a time just because a hot resistor was too close to a capacitor. When I see your rectifiers laying down on the capacitor bank, I remember this )

[@IBuildIt]

Was it a 15 amp resistor, like this rectifier? And was it bolted down to the 1/8" thick aluminum chassis of the amplifier, like this rectifier will be?

[@sc0or]

@@IBuildIt Oh.. You were prepared Sir )

[@edwardholmes91]

Nice. Is the etchant mix you're using faster than ferric chloride? Although it's sped up in the video, it seems quicker.

[@IBuildIt]

It's supposed to be faster, but I haven't used ferric chloride to compare.

[@madmodders]

Last time I used this method you could buy both acid and hydrogen peroxid in conentrations above 30%. If the liquids are fresh from the store and you do not dilute that with water, it'll almost start boiling when you put the copper in, and you will be in quite a hurry to get the board out before it starts eating away under the toner. And the fumes makes every metal around you rusty. Now it doesn't seem peroxide is available stronger than 10% for avarage Joe, so 1 part acid and three parts peroxide should do it then, without water.

[@2aprotectsallothers592]

@@madmodders Beauty supply stores have high % hydrogen peroxide.

[@IBuildIt]

3% peroxide works fine, as long as it's not 10 years old. A board etches in a couple of minutes with this solution, so there's no reason to go out of your way looking for something stronger to speed it up.

[@robertthompson5908]

“Do like you oughta - pour the acid to the wata!”

[@Giblet535]

MG Chemicals Liquid Tin. Poisonous as all get-out, but easy/fast, and it protects the copper from corrosion.

[@IBuildIt]

I just use solder to tin the traces.

[@jarnoverhoeven3118]

The muriatic acid will keep for a long time, but the hydrogen peroxide will reduce to regular water over time. With 30% peroxide and 10% muriatic (concentration), I used about 180ml acid, 20ml peroxide. The paper I used was a photo paper from Epson, which I used in a laser printer (proceed at your own risk 😀). Don't etch myself anymore, hated the tedium of drilling all the holes, nowadays I use a pcb service, takes ages though 😀

[@larry999y]

ЛУТ- лазерно утюжная технология

[@bryzabone]

Laser printer or inkjet?

[@IBuildIt]

Laser (laser printers use toner).

[@gabor-smith]

If you push on the iron for too long / hard enough youll get blurry lines

[@IBuildIt]

I've never had that happen with the paper I'm using.

[@RambozoClown]

Don't you mean a fuuull bridge rectifier? ;)

[@executive]

unfortunately modern "eco-friendly" printers don't deposit enough toner on the paper to make this method effective. It's just not dense enough and I no amount of playing with it will work. Fortunately , photosensitive etch resist films are very inexpensive.

[@IBuildIt]

My printer is just 2 years old and works perfectly for this. It doesn't take a lot of toner to act as a resist.

[@gmor46]

Stop breathing ahahahaha… genius!

[@rohit4242]

Laser or inkjet printer?