Homebrew PCBs

Hi, Alessio and the group!
 
Just wanted to add to Alessio's last paragraph... Citric Acid, which I believe 
would be wonderful for cleaning copper, is also found in grocery stores under 
the name of "Sour Salt", and is usually with the baking supplies.  I know that 
it preserves dried fruit ever so well, and I'm sure that it would make an 
excellent copper cleaner.
 
Thanks!
 
Dave Garfield - contemplating "sour salt" in the "wilds" of Colorado...


________________________________
From: coronasensei <coronasensei@...>
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tue, August 3, 2010 3:21:59 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: URL Links for PCB Learning..



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Alessio Sangalli <alesan@...> wrote:


...I do agree to an extent with the excessiveness of my cleaning process, but I 
find it best to overdo it for a start then try simplifying it from there. I 
found turps to work better than acetone because of the residue, and I prefer to 
limit my exposure to acetone! But yeah you certainly need to clean the board 
well afterwards to solder to it.

I used to keep a solder bath (camping oven, frypan, lots of plumbing solder 
bars) for tinning the board after etching; flux, dip, wipe with windscreen 
squeegie, but that was when I had a fumer cupboard to keep it in. Now I use 
cool-amp silver plating powder, it's amazing. Only catch is silver can tarnish 
just as bad as copper. Still worth it though I feel, and looks real nice.

speaking of soldering, I find supermarket ascorbic (citric) acid, the stuff for 
baking that comes in granules, works wonders as a water clean flux when mixed in 
water and used from a spray bottle, it's cheap and safer than most commercial 
ones. spray it onto dirty copper and it'll brighten before your eyes!

Andrew


      

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]