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Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Dyeing PCBs for a vintage look

From: Dennis Shelgren <nojoeco@...>
Date: 2016-11-15

I had to replicate some boards in some gambling machines once. It had to look exactly like the original for legal reasons. We had to order dyable pcbs, get capacitors of the same color, etc. and make some rubber stamps to emulate the old board house markings(in japanese no less) on the phenolic. They were close enough to match an old photo, but right next to an original you could tell right away. The board house was pretty funny when we asked for unplated through holes and no tin/nickel plating. For a lot more money the board house would've made the raw boards the exact color and silkscreen the fiberglass before the copper.
Good luck to you and let us know how it turns out.


On Nov 15, 2016 9:41 AM, "Dwayne Reid dwayner@... [Homebrew_PCBs]" <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

Many of the old PCBs were made with phenolic PCB material.  Thecolor varies between brown to various shades of beige.

You can still purchase bare (blank) copper-clad phenolic PCBmaterial.

Another characteristic of old PCBs is that the layout is often done byhand, using crepe dots and crepe tape in various widths.  Evenearlier layouts were strictly hand-drawn - no tape or dots.

dwayne


At 01:08 PM 11/12/2016, 'Brad' unclefalter@... [Homebrew_PCBs]wrote:

Hey guys,
 
I have recently heard of some methods of ‘dyeing’ PCBs to achievecoloration closer to what vintage PCB stock looked like.  I’mwondering if any of you have experience on this, what works, etc.
 
I recently acquired some original, untouched Mark-8 computer boards:http://bradhodge.ca/blog/?p= 826
 
I’m hoping to use them to help create replicas.  But I just can’tget the PCB to look the way I want.  They look toomodern.   I’ve heard dyeing can help, and that one can evenfake the fab house marks somehow.
 
I’m surprised there isn’t a stock of vintage copper clad out theresomewhere.  Seems to be vintage everything else these days inelectronics..
 
Brad


--
Dwayne Reid   <dwayner@...>
Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd    Edmonton, AB,CANADA
780-489-3199 voice   780-487-6397 fax  888-489-3199 Toll Free
Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing