Homebrew PCBs

Wanliker,

I'm trying to understand where the flux ends up after soldering. I scrub the
bare copper with a 3M pad to remove oxides, brush it with plumber's flux,
and then coat the board with solder. I would think that there is no flux
between the copper and the solder. So if I then scrub the coated board with
alcohol to remove the flux, wouldn't that be the end of it? 

Do understand that I am not using plumber's solder, just the flux. Maybe you
are talking about acid core solder which IS nasty stuff.

I agree about the lead free solder. I stick with 60/40.

I remember and built Heathkit, Allied Radio, Lafayette, and Etco. Wonderful
education and great products. But then, I'm just a kid at 62...

Rick

-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of wanliker@...
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2013 10:40 PM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: No HASL

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. 

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



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