Homebrew PCBs

Hi All
Does anyone have any pics of a soldering iron tinning adapter 
they could send me.
I have read about them on the net but am yet to see a pic on one 
apparently it is a device that can be fitted to a soldering iron 
that allows one  to tin a PCB evenly and works I believe  by capillary action.
Cant seem to find any info on them at all in the UK

Regards 
Ron Priest

ronpriest2000 wrote:

> it is a device that can be fitted to a soldering iron 
> that allows one to tin a PCB evenly and works I believe by capillary
> action.
> Cant seem to find any info on them at all in the UK

Why not immersion tin chemistry? It works really great, with beautiful
and reliable results.  Is as simple as a acid dip (10% sulfuric or
hydrochloric), tin dip and hot water rinse.

The chemistry is really simple. See
http://books.google.pt/books?id=m8sJBIMtETgC&pg=PA318&lpg=PA318&dq#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Personally i only have mixed tin chloride, sulfuric acid and thiourea in
a past job trying to save money from the expensive tin kits from
bungard. Later found those tin kits are tin sulfate based. But still,
worked really great and i didn't look bad in there.

Unfortunately, these simple mix only last 2 weeks if keep dark and
without air. The Fluoroboric mix seems to last months. Others are based
in Sulphonic salts. You can see pics from Dj Deloire website but he
don't use the acid dip ending with a kind ugly black finish instead of a
shiny as silver finish.

I wish to try it at home with pure tin bars, from the hardware store,
doing electrolise in sulfuric acid and mix thiourea. But i still didn't
find a local chemistry store to buy thiourea. There are Silver cleaning
products based on thiourea but they are almost as expensive as the tin
kits. I guess i will order thiourea by mail like the previous time.

Probably because it's a fairly nasty chemical. Use proper handling and
storage procedures. Definitely read the MSDS.

ST

On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 2:38 AM, Simao Cardoso <simaocardoso@...> wrote:
> But i still didn't
> find a local chemistry store to buy thiourea. There are Silver cleaning
> products based on thiourea but they are almost as expensive as the tin
> kits. I guess i will order thiourea by mail like the previous time.
>

I have used Chemical tinning in the past
I produced hundreds of pcbs this way
whilst working as a Technician at Coventry University
Stannous tinning salts  are expensive > £50 
here in the UK for 500g
I am now retired so £50 + on a hobby is a no no
So I seek an alternative method for tinning
the small pcbs that i make for my Radio Hobby
I have read about these tinning adapters but never acually
seen a pic of one.
at the moment I just use flux and a bit of solder wick
but seeing the correct tool for the job would be helpfull

Ron Priest

I have used Chemical tinning in the past
I produced hundreds of pcbs this way
whilst working as a Technician at Coventry University
Stannous tinning salts  are expensive > £50 
here in the UK for 500g
I am now retired so £50 + on a hobby is a no no
So I seek an alternative method for tinning
the small pcbs that i make for my Radio Hobby
I have read about these tinning adapters but never acually
seen a pic of one.
at the moment I just use flux and a bit of solder wick
but seeing the correct tool for the job would be helpfull

Ron Priest

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs/message/3832

Look in Photos under "Roll Tinning Adapter".

Steve Greenfield

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "ronpriest2000" <ronpriest@...> wrote:

>
> Hi All
> Does anyone have any pics of a soldering iron tinning adapter 
> they could send me.
> I have read about them on the net but am yet to see a pic on one 
> apparently it is a device that can be fitted to a soldering iron 
> that allows one  to tin a PCB evenly and works I believe  by capillary action.
> Cant seem to find any info on them at all in the UK
> 
> Regards 
> Ron Priest
>

ronpriest2000 wrote:
>   
> I have used Chemical tinning in the past
> I produced hundreds of pcbs this way
> whilst working as a Technician at Coventry University
> Stannous tinning salts are expensive > �50 
> here in the UK for 500g
> I am now retired so �50 + on a hobby is a no no

That's why i thought trying the tin sulfate from inexpensive pure tin
bars (6eur per 250gram bar on the local hardware store). Electrolise
them in a sulfuric solution should generate the tin sulfate. If i
remember correctly the thiourea is 10eur per Kg, so with 20eur  one
could have enough to make 20 litres off the stuff, enough for more than
200 eurocard sized boards.

> So I seek an alternative method for tinning
> the small pcbs that i make for my Radio Hobby
> I have read about these tinning adapters but never acually
> seen a pic of one.
> at the moment I just use flux and a bit of solder wick
> but seeing the correct tool for the job would be helpfull

Where i used the tinning solution, there was also a roller tinning
machine. I can be young, but i also like to have machines and use them.
But this one is a bad results energy black hole with really much smoke.
With some knowledge and gloves immersion tin, is a faster, easier,
better results and cheaper way to do it. Thiourea is a urea like
smelling thing with cancerous effects (not confirmed but more likely)
with gloves is safer than that smoke. And with the roller tinning you
can not do plated hole pcb's.

In article <hcp22a+4m9f@...>,
   ronpriest2000 <ronpriest@...> wrote:
> I produced hundreds of pcbs this way whilst working as a Technician at
> Coventry University

I live in Kenilworth.

-- 
Stuart
http://www.torrens.org.uk/ZFC/gallery/winsor.html