Homebrew PCBs

Hi Mike,
I used their  electroless nickel kit. It works fine only problem is you need to touch every trace with a steel rod to start the reaction. Plating thickness is really good and it is better than electroplating very uniform and shiny because of that it is much better than immersion tin plating.
My application was THP, after activating holes with conductive ink I used electroless ink to plate the holes.  Soldering is not so difficult. 
Cheers,
Volkan


--- On Thu, 4/23/09, Mike Oyama <mikesb0x0fm4il2@...> wrote:

From: Mike Oyama <mikesb0x0fm4il2@...>
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Free bottle of Liquid Tin
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2009, 11:23 AM











    
            
            


      
      I've been thinking about picking up an electroless plating kit from caswell.

The electroless nickel kits are 30% off till the end of the month, making

the mini kit around $50.



I know the pros use electroless nickel followed up by a gold immersion

process. Will my boards work if I don't add gold plate to the nickel? Will

nickel work as good as tin?



>

> > You definitely get a better plating by using a electroless Tin

> > plating.  Using solder and an iron produces a bit of waviness or

> > bumpy surface (not to mention the flux which needs to be scrubbed

> > off).  The elctroless Tin plating results in a very smooth layer.

> >

> > I used to have the recipe for a wonderful electroless Tin plating

> > solution based on Stannous Chloride, Sodium Chloride, and Sodium

> > Cyanide.  Now that I'm older and wiser (and still alive), I no longer

> > use that particular material.

> >

> > Dave

> >

>  

>



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