APACHE AL13P Laminator Hackaday Mod for Toner Transfer

[PB2]

I've only done toner transfer once using a clothes iron, it worked with some minor issues,
but it was not fun so I've not done it again in the 5 or more years since. I really like the
mod for the printer to print straight to a bare board but it is just too much work.

I read on here about the APACHE AL13P laminator with very high temp, metal gears that
don't melt and the Hackaday mod so that you don't have to run the board through multiple
times: https://hackaday.io/project/3363-apache-al13p-tl-320b-one-pass-pcb-toner-xfer

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/equipment-tools/162498-laminator-toner-transfer-5.html#post4928602

I thought I'd offer some tips here in case anyone decides to try this.
The kit takes about 2 weeks or a bit more to arrive to the USA from Trinidad.

The surface mount parts are already soldered on, but you have to remove the toner from
the rest of the board. I used an old Scotch pad and acetone (nail polish remover).
The surface mount soldering did not look so good but so far, it seems to work - that is all
I care about with this minor mod.

Soldering the rest was easy and it is supposed to beep on power up test before installing it.
I got a click, told the seller and he said that I probably got a speaker rather than a buzzer.
He sent me a buzzer, installed it, and I get the beep.

Edit: figured this out:
I'm wiring up the connectors, using old RS-232 cable, the wires from the main group on
the PC board must be wired backwards to the pin numbers on the connector. The wires
from the Disp group are wired with the numbers matching. The documentation calls this
opposed wiring which is not completely clear but the picture in the next post helps.

There is mention of pictures in a dropbox folder, had to read the comments to find the link,
here it is:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y7e505zgkx504oo/AAA3ri2qAptyTXqPpXXD7rTZa?dl=0
Picture in the next post shows the connectors where the main connector is backwards and
the display connector matches the numbering - could not edit this with a new picture.

 

[PB2]

This picture shows the connectors, and the instructions say that the connectors are wired
"opposed". Actually, it seems that the main is wired backwards, display normally, main
is what I was measuring. Green dashed is pin 1:

 

[PB2]

This blog is suggested for instructions on how to do toner transfer. I've only looked
quickly and it seems good:
https://paulwanamaker.wordpress.com...le-sided-pcbs-with-the-toner-transfer-method/

He also provides instructions for installing DIY Riveted vias:
https://paulwanamaker.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/diy-riveted-vias/

 

[PB2]

Finished wiring, get a long beep from the add on board on power up then the laminator
works normally, temp, reverse everything works. Push the button on the mod board
and I get repeating four beeps with no change to the operation.
This is cool if he provided beep codes for debugging, nice job!
Going to email him, he responds fast.

I was holding the button down too long which activates the cool down cycle.
But a short press does nothing. The micro is obviously working so I'm going to check
around the transistors that reverse the motor.
I might have installed the trim pot incorrectly, that is the first thing to check.

 

[PB2]

I probably didn't clean the board well enough, pressure on the control transistors made
it work. Added some flux, and resoldered and it is working.

I used .75" long #6 screws rather than .5" and spacers to mount the board.

 

[PB2]

One more comment, the connectors with the kit look like a crimp type and based
on my past experience they do not hold up very well so I stripped the wire and
soldered them to the connector. It was easy and clean with a fine tip on the soldering
iron, good flow into the wire and connector.

Also, when I sent the message to the seller about it not working he responded within
20 minutes!