Using the Pulsar Toner Transfer System for Making Custom Printed Circuit Boards

In this video, I show the results of several days of experimentation with different approaches to making custom printed circuit boards (PCBs) at home using the "Pulsar Professional Fx" ( or just 'Pulsar') products and methodology. I also describe and demonstrate the process I used to finally make a set of four PCBs using what I had learned, augmenting the Pulsar approach with liquid tin plating.
Although my results are not perfect, by the methods and use of products shown, I have now managed to make three batches of PCBs all with much better results than I have ever been able to achieve in the past by any method or combination of methods.

[@monteporche5552]

Great video. Thanks. One thing I'd note (just to save costs). When I print my graphic onto the toner transfer paper, I first print it onto regular paper. Then, I cut a small piece of the toner transfer paper just a little larger than the graphic. I use a piece of blue tape to tape the toner transfer piece to my regular paper, covering the graphic. I feed the paper (and toner transfer paper) into the printer and print that way. I can get more than one print per sheet of transfer paper that way.

[@nathanevans6277]

The pulsar blue does look interesting, I might have to give it a try. My current method is to go over the entire board with a sharpie and colour in all the tracks. I use one of the dual ended pens with a normal tip and a fine tip. Time consuming but effective. Good to see you using gloves. So many of these PCB making videos have people using ferric chloride with bare hands.

[@philiplettley]

Great video Paul. One of those how do they do that questions I'd never thought about, but very interesting to see how you do it , thanks. Keep up the good work

[@egyrmexiq1]

Excellent explanation and video thanks for posting...

[@pablovelazquez1570]

When using the sponge, didn't any track come off? I used photo paper, nail polish remover, and iron, and the transfer was great!!! Then, tinned the tracks. I already got the toner transfer paper to try. Great video!!!!

[@stevendephillips2490]

Thank you I was debating on purchasing the Pulsar transfer paper. I seems that it works very well.

[@SpinStar1956]

Nice video, I appreciate you trying out the 'foil' method; I too have been having problems with lack of toner density, leading to problems in the etch. So, I will maybe give it a try, since all methods of enhancing the toner deposition have pretty much failed. I modified a cheap 3M laminator by fooling the thermistor by placing a potentiometer in series, to give me hotter temps which fixed many ills. On your tine plating solution: You can use a flexible plastic squeegee to save more of the expensive solution. In the old days we used silver-cyanide! I abandoned ferric-chloride altogether; I now use 1-part muriatic-acid to 2-parts 3% hydrogen-peroxide; then backing soda to neutralize; much better and faster.

[@CliveDrone]

Thanks and an interesting process to be sure. You mention a previous failure with the "blue" paper. Are you talking about Press-N-Peel?

[@youtuuba]

Clivedrone, no I was talking about the same Pulsar blue paper as is shown in this video, but used by itself without the green film. It was not the fault of the blue (toner transfer) paper, but rather the inability of my laser printer to deposit a sufficiently dense layer of toner to make a good etch resist. The beauty of Pulsar's green film is that it uses the toner (transferred using the blue paper) as an adhesive for the film, and the film then makes a superior etch resist, regardless of how dense the toner itself is.

[@bobmccall6446]

On my HP Laser Jet Pro 400, print density is set on the printer itself in the onboard setup.

[@eross21]

how much sodium carbonate do you put in there?

[@jstro-hobbytech]

Dpi should have an effect if you increased them. I have a bubble jet which seems to be darker than the b/w laser. Those carbide tips are recycled from industrial use. Its a cool way to reuse them.

[@youtuuba]

Jstro-hobbytech........WTF? somewhere in that confused and confusing stream thought fragments might be a point, but I gave up making sense of it after a few attempts.

[@jstro-hobbytech]

An apology would be nice. People into our hobby are a dying breed and bad blood isn't cool. I donate test gear to students every fall to lighten their debt and I live by the golden rule. I have severe ptsd from civil service and I treat everyone nice and I don't get why people can be so crude instead if just asking to elaborate. This platform is my only outlet to the world and love to support like minded people.

[@youtuuba]

@@jstro-hobbytech , I am really tired of people writing nonsensical comments, and when I call them on it, they so often claim they have some condition or other. Do you expect me to believe that PTSD makes you unable to tell the difference between an inkjet (bubblejet) printer and a laser printer? Or that you donate something to somebody, or are nice to dogs or something, as if that has anything to do with your comment being poorly written? How about proof-reading what you wrote before clicking the REPLY button? That is what most people do in order to avoid typos and other errors from being sent out into the ether. On the other hand, I totally appreciate you using KZbin to reach out to other like-minded people. I totally agree with you on that. But that does not make me want to congratulate you for sending out a comment that wasted my time trying to figure out what you were trying to say. The internet-using world is full or people sending our half-baked stuff to irritate and confuse the world with. I for one try to push back somewhat.

[@S.D.Reeves]

Change it to 1200 dpi if you want it darker

[@sharksdiy-projetos5881]

fantastics greats jobs