Homebrew PCBs

I have been reading comments abut plating circuit boards and types of  
fluxes used.  I have always been told, and firmly believe that the only  flux to 
ever be used on a PC board is Rosin, and I have seen the corroded  results 
of plumbers solder.  But remember I started before the Lead free  solders, 
so I don't have anything to say about those materials.
 
It has been years since I made PC boards, but for 55 years, I repaired  
them. 
The only solder I will use on any PC board, is about an .030 solder with a  
rosin core. the small diameter is easy to handle, and control the amount of 
 solder being deposited.  I will admit all of the solder I still use,  and 
still have is a LEAD based solder.  I absolutely hated the non lead  solder.
When I tinned the traces, I was usually repairing a broken or burned trace, 
 and would deposit a nice thick film of solder for the extra current 
carrying  ability.
At times I would drag a piece of Solder wick with my iron on the top and it 
 would leave a nice clean trace, as the wick filled up I would feed in more 
 wicking under the iron, at times I would have 1-2 inch piece of wick 
saturated  with solder.  
If you want to use just plain copper braiding, flatten it, then drag the  
braid across a piece of rosin, and it will absorb solder much better. 
I would use a wedge shaped iron, and the results would be a nicely tinned  
trace that was shiny, which is an good indication that it is clean.
 
Just a bit of thought from a 77 year old man.  To show my age, I  taught 
all of the Fire control systems on the F-100, later I held a 2 nd Class  FCC 
license when it meant something, and passing that test was an indication of  
your technical knowledge.  
I had been working for years before CB's came out.  It was an exciting  
time, with Heathkit, Allied Radio, Lafayette, and many others all offering 
kits.  I have a Lafayette KT 320 4 band radio I built in Nov 1963 from a  kit.  
I was doing an alignment on it, when the first station came in  with the 
announcement of Kennedy's Assassination.  What a shock, no more  alignment that 
day, stayed glued to that one station.  PS, it still  works.
Enough rambling,
oldman
 
But that was Then, and we are here Now. 

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