--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Mucha"
> I am thinking about tin coating boards before mechanical etching
>...
> A friend said to send them out to a tin coater or buy a solder
> pot.....
>
>
> Who do you tin after etching ?
I do occasionally dip the board in a "tinit" (-brand name) solution
after chemical etching my boards. Its a solution of a dry white
powder (that you order) and hot water. It applys a very thin gray
metal plating to the traces. I've found this generally isn't thick
enough to survive the solder paste + oven. --The flux in the paste,
(I guess), just eats away some of the plating because it ends up
needing to be "touched up" later with some solder +solderwick later
anyway. It may just be easier to do as your friend suggests with the
solder pot --although that might not make your high density smt's lay
flat enough on your board later.