fredbutz wrote:
>
> I'm using the Solder Mask UV Film from Think and Tinker -- with
> outstanding results.
If you look close between two near traces, is the dry film glued to the
laminate or is air between? Around any copper trace don't you see air
trapped there?
Riston is applied to a perfect flat surface, dry film soldermask is very
thick almost solid and applied to a not flat surface leaving always some
air around the copper traces.
> I've never had a problem. No smell, nothing.
It works, we made hundreds of working boards with it. But comparable to
LPI is a bad choice in price and availability and is not easier to use.
Is only better to traditional screened soldermask. We got also problems
caused by wrong temperature and pressure parameters, and bubbles from
misaligned and with wrinkles dry film rolls, re-reeled by bungard for
lower quantity.
Anyway I simple don't like it, and find the finish ugly because is too
thick. And for the homebrew is just too expensive.
> Hard as a rock.
>
> The only issue I've had is trying to find something that sticks to it,
> so I can stencil the labels.
Any proper legend ink will do, dry film soldermask is still epoxy.