[sdiy] Clearcoating PC boards

[Ingo Debus]

Am 19.09.2009 um 04:25 schrieb David G. Dixon:

> I'm just wondering, does anyone spray clearcoat on the copper side  
> of their
> finished PC boards to protect the copper (as opposed to tinning or  
> proper
> solder masking)?

I used to spray SK 10 by CRC Industries on my (bare copper) boards  
_before_ soldering anything. This both protects the copper and, since  
it's kind of a flux, makes soldering easier.
Some caveats with that stuff:
- it's not a perfect isolator, so it's not suited for S&H circuits  
and the like (learned that the hard way).
- it remains slightly sticky even when dried, and it's not as durable  
as lacquer.

Yes, not protecting bare copper at all is a bad idea.

Ingo