Homebrew PCBs

How do you coat the copper traces to keep down the oxidation and 
improve solderability?

I haven't made a PC board in 25 years, but back then, we put the PCB in 
a solder bath with a peanut oil top layer to keep down the dross.  This 
was time consuming and costly (solder was expensive in that quantity).

How is it done today?  I saw some mention of 'tin-it' in one of the 
threads here but cannot find it on the web.

This is a great group and it's quite interesting comparing how home-
brew PCB's are done today and how we did it 25 years ago.  Isn't 
technology great?!!

Thanks in advance,

Jim

Hi Jim

My latest pcb work might interest you.

http://www.geocities.com/onegammyleg/

gregW:-)

====================================================================

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "jriggen55" <jriggen55@...> wrote:
>
> How do you coat the copper traces to keep down the oxidation and 
> improve solderability?
SNIP
> 
> Jim

Hi Jim,

Are you talking about hand soldering or wave soldering?

For hand soldering, I only remove toner from areas I want to 
solder.  The remaining solder becomes my poor man's solder mask (and 
not that good because an active flux will solder through it).  It 
should protect from oxidation, though oxidation is more cosmetic 
than a reliability problem.  Once you have an oxidized layer, that 
slows it down for the rest of the underlying copper.

I saw tinning solution available from HMC Electronics (might not 
have the name right).  You could tin the copper with solder using 
your regular solder and solder wick - labor intensive.  Or you could 
use solder paste and a toaster oven, but you'll probably fill any 
through holes.

I just remove toner from areas I'm going to solder; just before I 
solder so oxidation isn't a problem.  No special cleaning other than 
the acetone I use to remove the toner.  The flux in the solder does 
the rest.  Can't remove toner as accurately or well as I'd like; but 
by the time I get that far, I'm more interested in getting it 
assembled so I can test.

Regards,
Dennis

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "jriggen55" <jriggen55@...> 
wrote:
>
> How do you coat the copper traces to keep down the oxidation and 
> improve solderability?
> 
> I haven't made a PC board in 25 years, but back then, we put the 
PCB in 
> a solder bath with a peanut oil top layer to keep down the dross.  
This 
> was time consuming and costly (solder was expensive in that 
quantity).
> 
> How is it done today?  I saw some mention of 'tin-it' in one of 
the 
> threads here but cannot find it on the web.
> 
> This is a great group and it's quite interesting comparing how 
home-

> brew PCB's are done today and how we did it 25 years ago.  Isn't 
> technology great?!!
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Jim
>

jriggen55(jriggen55@...) is reported to have said:
> How do you coat the copper traces to keep down the oxidation and 
> improve solderability?
> 
> I haven't made a PC board in 25 years, but back then, we put the PCB in 
> a solder bath with a peanut oil top layer to keep down the dross.  This 
> was time consuming and costly (solder was expensive in that quantity).
> 
> How is it done today?  I saw some mention of 'tin-it' in one of the 
> threads here but cannot find it on the web.

All Electronics  <www.allelectronics.com>

TinIt Electroless Bright Tin Plate
Cat# ER-18   $5.50  enough for 600 Square inches

> 
> This is a great group and it's quite interesting comparing how home-
> brew PCB's are done today and how we did it 25 years ago.  Isn't 
> technology great?!!

I agree!

Wayne

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "jriggen55" <jriggen55@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 4:29 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Coating of copper traces


> How do you coat the copper traces to keep down the oxidation and
> improve solderability?
>
> I haven't made a PC board in 25 years, but back then, we put the PCB in
> a solder bath with a peanut oil top layer to keep down the dross.  This
> was time consuming and costly (solder was expensive in that quantity).
>
> How is it done today?  I saw some mention of 'tin-it' in one of the
> threads here but cannot find it on the web.
>
> This is a great group and it's quite interesting comparing how home-
> brew PCB's are done today and how we did it 25 years ago.  Isn't
> technology great?!!

I've found that the trace of resist left after removing it with IPA helps to 
keep the copper from oxidising. I've just looked at a board I made a couple 
of years ago, and the copper is still quite shiny.

Of course, this only applies to the conventional PCB technique, there can be 
a problem with TT.

In a message dated 2/16/2006 11:52:48 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
jriggen55@... writes:

How is  it done today?  I saw some mention of 'tin-it' in one of the 
threads  here but cannot find it on the web.



Google "Kepro" and Tinnit.


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

In a message dated 2/16/2006 12:05:29 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
onegammyleg@... writes:

My  latest pcb work might interest you.



No PC's on THAT site!


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

JanRwl@... wrote:

 > No PC's on THAT site!


Yes, there is. Click on "Making a PCB board at home."
to get to
http://www.geocities.com/onegammyleg/pcb/pcb01.html

Jim
Jim Larsen
http://www.AL7FS.us/
Skype: al7fs-jim   ICQ: 11022915

You've first got to click on the main page's picture to enter the site.


Regards, Bob

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Jim Larsen - AL7FS 
<jimlarsen2002@...> wrote:

>
> JanRwl@... wrote:
> 
>  > No PC's on THAT site!
> 
> 
> Yes, there is. Click on "Making a PCB board at home."
> to get to
> http://www.geocities.com/onegammyleg/pcb/pcb01.html
> 
> Jim
> Jim Larsen
> http://www.AL7FS.us/
> Skype: al7fs-jim   ICQ: 11022915
>

Has anyone tried the tin-in-a bottle product that's sold by Allied
Electronics?  I just got their "10 pound" printed catalog, and they
have a room-temperature tinning product for about $9.

I tried Tinnit, but I'm not much of a cook.  The stuff never
completely dissolved on the stove and took a long time to plate, and
for some reason, the boards that I had in there the longest plated the
least.  My temperature control wasn't the greatest...I need to get a
candy thermometer or something.

After I took the boards out and rinsed them, though, I stuck a couple
back in and some more plating took place.  Through evaporation, I had
very little solution left over, not enough for another batch.

I hate to mention it, but I got Datak Tinnit at Electonix Express. 
However, I have since found a local shop that has it for about $5, so
that's where I'll get it next time.

Ted

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, JanRwl@... wrote:

>
>  
> In a message dated 2/16/2006 11:52:48 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
> jriggen55@... writes:
> 
> How is  it done today?  I saw some mention of 'tin-it' in one of the 
> threads  here but cannot find it on the web.
> 
> 
> 
> Google "Kepro" and Tinnit.

In a message dated 2/17/2006 5:40:28 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
kilocycles@... writes:

I tried  Tinnit, but I'm not much of a cook. 


Actually, I had just about exactly the same experience with  Tinnit you 
relate.  But it was the ONLY electroless chemistry I knew  about.  Seems I HAD read 
somewhere that it "goes bad with time," but I am  not much of a CHEMIST, 
myself, so WHO knows!  I will record your mention of  the Allied stuff for use in 
the event I get ambitious again, one day.   (Being very, very lazy, I limit 
almost all my home-brew PC work to "bare  copper.")
 
Wish you had given some "catalog number" to the Allied  stuff.  Maybe the 
INDEX will work.
 
Jan Rowland


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

In a message dated 2/17/2006 5:40:28 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
kilocycles@... writes:

Has  anyone tried the tin-in-a bottle product that's sold by  Allied
Electronics?  I just got their "10 pound" printed catalog, and  they
have a room-temperature tinning product for about  $9.<<
I just lifted down MY 10 lb. '05 catalog (whew!), and it lists  "Liquid Tin" 
@ $27 for 17 fl.oz.!  What catalog do YOU  have??????

 


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

JanRwl@... wrote:

>somewhere that it "goes bad with time," but I am  not much of a CHEMIST, 
>  
>


  Now that you mention it, since it's an active agent I wonder how much 
of this is oxygen related?  If that's the major part, then it might be 
worth an extra food saver canister etc to vacuum it up and make it have 
a much longer shelf life.  But haven't looked at the chemistry in a long 
time, could be other reasons it degrades.

Alan

Has anybody tried electroplating, like this kit:

http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/tin_plate.htm



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "jriggen55" <jriggen55@...> wrote:

>
> How do you coat the copper traces to keep down the oxidation and 
> improve solderability?
> 
> I haven't made a PC board in 25 years, but back then, we put the PCB in 
> a solder bath with a peanut oil top layer to keep down the dross.  This 
> was time consuming and costly (solder was expensive in that quantity).
> 
> How is it done today?  I saw some mention of 'tin-it' in one of the 
> threads here but cannot find it on the web.
> 
> This is a great group and it's quite interesting comparing how home-
> brew PCB's are done today and how we did it 25 years ago.  Isn't 
> technology great?!!
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Jim
>

In the 2006 catalog, page 1612, they now have "Liquid Tin" in a 4.2
oz. bottle for $8.35.  They still have the 17 oz. one that you mentioned.

The question is, how far does it go?  I wonder if you can just pour
out 1/2 ounce in a flat pyrex dish and lay the board copper side down
in it.  I think I'll order some when I can think of something else I
need from Allied.  Their prices are somewhat higher than Mouser on
things I typically get, but not as high as Digi-Key.

Cheers,
Ted

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, JanRwl@... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 2/17/2006 5:40:28 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
> kilocycles@... writes:
> 
> Has  anyone tried the tin-in-a bottle product that's sold by  Allied
> Electronics?  I just got their "10 pound" printed catalog, and  they
> have a room-temperature tinning product for about  $9.<<
> I just lifted down MY 10 lb. '05 catalog (whew!), and it lists 
"Liquid Tin" 
> @ $27 for 17 fl.oz.!  What catalog do YOU  have??????

Hi Jim,
How do they do it in Alaska?  :)
Good to see yet another ham in the group.

72,
Ted KX4OM

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Jim Larsen - AL7FS
<jimlarsen2002@...> wrote:

>
> JanRwl@... wrote:
> 
>  > No PC's on THAT site!
> 
> 
> Yes, there is. Click on "Making a PCB board at home."
> to get to
> http://www.geocities.com/onegammyleg/pcb/pcb01.html
> 
> Jim
> Jim Larsen
> http://www.AL7FS.us/
> Skype: al7fs-jim   ICQ: 11022915
>

kilocycles(kilocycles@...) is reported to have said:
> Hi Jim,
> How do they do it in Alaska?  :)
> Good to see yet another ham in the group.
> 
> 72,
> Ted KX4OM

I din't know you were looking for them Ted.

Wayne  WA1BBB
FN22PO
N 42 35.776
W 74 41.201

At 22:51 06/02/17, bob_ledoux wrote:
>Has anybody tried electroplating, like this kit:
>
>http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/tin_plate.htm

It's electroplating and, post-etch, all our tracks are isolated :-(

I suppose it could be made to work on a track-by-track basis
with a contact probe and and an electroplating wand to swab
some electrolyte along the track.

Very labour-intensive but also very economical of chemicals
especially since there would be a strong urge to move on as
soon as visible tin were deposited.

Anyone have any experience with brush plating technique?


Regards, Len Warner


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In a message dated 2/18/2006 12:41:21 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
kilocycles@... writes:

Yes,  there is. Click on "Making a PCB board at home."
> to get to
>  http://www.geocities.com/onegammyleg/pcb/pcb01.html



Yes, strangely, after a few hours, the LINK DID work!   But NOT the first 
time I tried it!  Gremlins in the  server?


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