[slp_prlzys]

Hello ppl,

I made a stupid move out of desperation in finding an easier way to transfer a pcb design to a board DIY way. Actually I've been thinkering with it for quite some time. I know it's not a smart thing to do, but that's why I posted my
result here so I could get some feedback.

(WARNING!!! could be long)
Here's what I did,I own an epson 900 photo inkjet printer, it's the type of rinter that has an option to print on cd by way of inserting a tray in the back. Looking at it sparks an idea that I could use it to print on something flat and stiff, I did try to print on a stiff and flat surface once and it did work. I put the idea aside after the test.

I've been using a photo sensitized board to etched a pcb for a couple of eeks now and it was good, but the damn thing is too expensive, especially when I ruin a board, I end up with a regular copper clad. I tried the photocopy ransfer method once with no success, because I have no control on what type of paper is used, and I don't have a laser printer. Now I got this crazy idea about printing directly to the pcb, I tried it and tiny blobs of ink are what I got on the board. I tried it again this time I sanded the board and it got a little better, very little I must say. I did some reasearch and found out the inkjet inks are not waterproof, and it just float on surface without special coating. I found an Indian Ink by Pemco that I bought almost 10 yrs ago, and it says waterproof on the label, actually this type of ink is what I am used to when I make PCB, back in high school in Philippines. I open and emptied a used black cartridge and clean it thoroughly and dried. I hot glued it back together and refill it with the Indian Ink, then I tried it and it clogs the nozzle of the printer( I suspect it's because the ink is old).
I put aside the idea and it's been 2 weeks since I tried it.

Today I was so desperate to make a pcb, and I can't get a lift with my brother's car, and it's unreachable by bus. I have a bunch of copper clad that I can't use because it has no sensitized coating anymore. Thinkering with the idea of direct printing to pcb, I decided to give it one more try. I compare the consistency of inkjet ink and the Indian Ink, the latter is a little more thick,( or viscous?)
I looked for something that could be used to thin the ink, I can't use water,
I needed something that would help the ink to dry fast, I found a nail polished
remover, and mixed it with the ink trying to match the consistency of the inket ink by eye, didn't use any measuring device. I was hesitant to use the mixture to refill the cartridge because the nail polish remover label says it's harmful to clothing and plastic,but then the container is plastic ,so I did it any way, then I fire up the printer, the first try didn't looked good, I'm still getting tiny blobs, but this time it seems to dry faster, I still get the image of the whole circuit tho, some areas are translucent. I noticed during the printing process that the printer squirt translucent liquid on it's first pass of it's nozzle. I think it's the polish remover, not mixing well with the ink. After the printing I was eager to look at it closely and touch it, and it smeared, I was very dissappointed. I let the board dry for a few minutes and looked at it again, It seems that the ink is hardened, even when I scratched it harder, the ink stays. I cleaned the board and tried it again this time I wait for it to dry then I inspect it, the shape of the image is very clear ,but some areas are translucent. I figure the only way I could see if those translucent areas are coated was to etch the board, and so I did. The attach image is the result. I'm no expert in electronics
so my question is, is this board usable aside from those obvious missing pads? I'm talking about the imperfection of the copper itself.

I'm convinced that it works, I just need to figure out the right mixture and chemical, I'm thinking of trying ink used in permanent markers, but I noticed it
dries too fast.

(did I tell you I was desperate )