Homebrew PCBs

Leon wrote:
> ...
> PCB Train is here, if anyone else is interested in this service:
> 
> http://www.pcbtrain.co.uk/welcome.php
> 
> They actually make the boards in 24 hours. They don't do any checking of the 
> Gerbers for this service, so you need to make sure that the design conforms 
> to their specifications.
> 
> I'm very pleased with the board. It's nearly all surface mount with an 
> Altera MAX II CPLD in a TQFP-100 package. I've assembled enough of it to 
> check that I can program the CPLD via the JTAG connector with my USB Blaster 
> and it's OK so far. I haven't even got any decoupling capacitors or JTAG 
> pullup/pulldown resistors on it yet, so I was a bit surprised that I could 
> program it.
> 

I don't know anything about immersion silver. I was surprised Google 
didn't show up much. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP1391536.html
mentions a preferable silver immersion solution contains 0.2 to 5g 
silver nitrate with some acid. I'd try citric acid as a start, but my 
AgNO3 is packed away so I can't easy test it. AgNO3 is available from 
any photographic supplier store. Its not cheap. Alternate is buy some 
silver and dissolve it in concentrated nitric acid. But nitric acid 
isn't always easy too get.

Its good to see other low runs PCB companies competing with some of the 
cheap manufactures in Asia. It might mean we expect to see prototype 
PCBs keep dropping in price as the companies improve their process 
efficiency.
The nature of PTH PCBs fabrication doesn't make it easy for anyone to 
cut corners.