Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff

Toner Transfer

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tooki:

--- Quote from: BradC on October 16, 2018, 03:36:18 pm ---Ok, so I've been doing toner transfer PCBs for a few years now. I have a great HP2200d on my desk that serves double duty as a general purpose monochrome office printer, and when required I pull the gold-plated genuine HP toner cartridge out of the zip-loc bag and use it for toner transfer.

The *problem* is that these cartridges last about 5 years *tops* before the wiper blade takes a set and I get ghosting on the images. I've put up with this because it meant I only had to buy a new HP cart every 5 years and the whole thing is so damn reliable.

Now, I'm due a new cart due to ghosting (I can make a board, but it can only be smaller than about 8cm as that is roughly the drum circumference) and find the clusterfuck that is now HP (thanks Carly _there_really_are_no_words_for_how_I_feel_about_this_oxygen_theif_ Fiorina) has actually discontinued the cartridge. Experience says that cheap toner doesn't transfer as well (I can do 8/8 down to 6/6 with the genuine HP toner and Puslar paper). So I'm a bit up the creek without a (paddle/outboard/jet) right now.


--- End quote ---
Bear in mind that the Canon EP-32 toner cartridge is the same as the HP 96A. (and since Canon almost certainly made the print engine, they're probably the OEM on the cartridge, too!) There seems to be ample stock of that, even if Canon has stopped making it.

How hard would it be to swap out just the wipers??

BradC:

--- Quote from: tooki on October 17, 2018, 02:10:59 pm ---How hard would it be to swap out just the wipers??
--- End quote ---

I'll soon find out.

Given I have 3 genuine HP cartridges that are close enough to full and all exhibit the fault to varying degrees (one to the point it's near enough unusable), I've decided to attack it from another angle. So I've ordered a pack of after-market wiper blades (and some other contingency items) with the intention of seeing how much damage I can do, and mess I can make swapping out the wipers.

A couple of very interesting posts on some printer forums about these specific cartridges. Most of them indicate in about 2002 HP changed the design of the wiper blade (purportedly with the intention of limiting its life to try and limit refills). Unfortunately there are some seriously old NOS cartridges out there (one I got not long ago was made in 2007) with the result anything more than about 5 years old almost certainly will suffer this problem. Given the plethora of NOS genuine cartridges available, I figure I can afford to stock up as the age, and just replace whatever needs replacing to keep them going.

I do this sort of thing for the ink carts on my DesignJet 750, so I'm used to getting messy.

IdahoMan:

I would like to try etching many items as well as PCBs (faceplates, blades, etc.), and other materials than just copper.

I have been trying several of the toner-transfer methods out there, but the transfer is very poor. I am etching with saltwater and current via a 6v/2a wallwart, but it eats away at the toner as well as the bare areas.







KL27x:

--- Quote ---I have been trying several of the toner-transfer methods out there, but the transfer is very poor. I am etching with saltwater and current via a 6v/2a wallwart, but it eats away at the toner as well as the bare areas.

--- End quote ---
This sounds like undercutting. Different etchants have different levels of undercutting. Electroetching is perhaps "too fine" and gets into tight spaces, causing the toner to separate, early. This is also a problem with HCl and hydrogen peroxide etchant. The thicker/deeper you want to etch, the more you have to pay attention to this.


--- Quote ---Most of them indicate in about 2002 HP changed the design of the wiper blade (purportedly with the intention of limiting its life to try and limit refills).
--- End quote ---
Modern progress at work.

jmelson:
You can get replacement wiper blades through fixyourownprinter.com for most printers.  I buy old carts and often have to put in a new blade to get them working for general use.  Still much cheaper than the price of new carts.

But, if you've ever tried dry film resist, you will probably never go back to toner transfer.

Jon

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