Homebrew PCBs

One of the things I don't like about making PCBs is soldering in a bunch of wires to connect top traces to bottom traces.  The more surface mount stuff I use, the more often I need to add special vias as I no longer have component legs to use for that purpose.

I have used J-B Weld on a number of "emergency fixes" over the years and have been impressed with its utility. I believe this is a metalized epoxy which I assume should be conductive.  I just mixed up a smal batch and will have to wait till late tonight or tomorrow to check it when it finally cures.

If this does conduct, then I was thinking I could apply this way....

1) Etch board
2) Tin board 
3) apply clear contact paper to both faces of PCB
4) Drill all via holes
5) Use a spatula to smear the epoxy into all of the holes
6) After curing, remove contact paper

I suspect I might have small bumps of epoxy which if are a problem, a light sanding would knock them down.  If the sanding is required I could put the board back in the liquid tin again.

I probably won't be able to do a full test for a couple of weeks but thought I would announce it to see if anyone else has tried this.

Chris

>
> On Jun 5, 2010, at 2:13 PM, Chris wrote:
>
> One of the things I don't like about making PCBs is soldering in a  
> bunch of wires to connect top traces to bottom traces. The more  
> surface mount stuff I use, the more often I need to add special vias  
> as I no longer have component legs to use for that purpose.
>
> I have used J-B Weld on a number of "emergency fixes" over the years  
> and have been impressed with its utility. I believe this is a  
> metalized epoxy which I assume should be conductive. I just mixed up  
> a smal batch and will have to wait till late tonight or tomorrow to  
> check it when it finally cures.
>
> If this does conduct, then I was thinking I could apply this way....
>
> 1) Etch board
> 2) Tin board
> 3) apply clear contact paper to both faces of PCB
> 4) Drill all via holes
> 5) Use a spatula to smear the epoxy into all of the holes
> 6) After curing, remove contact paper
>
> I suspect I might have small bumps of epoxy which if are a problem,  
> a light sanding would knock them down. If the sanding is required I  
> could put the board back in the liquid tin again.
>
> I probably won't be able to do a full test for a couple of weeks but  
> thought I would announce it to see if anyone else has tried this.
>
> Chris
>
>
>
> 
>

Intergoogle says that JB Weld is not conductive.
You may find this interesting....
http://www.circuitmart.com/mart/49690.shtml
Gus

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

JB Weld is not conductive...

http://www.jbweld.net/faq.php



Frank P.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, AGSCalabrese <agscal@...> wrote:

>
> >
> > On Jun 5, 2010, at 2:13 PM, Chris wrote:
> >
> > One of the things I don't like about making PCBs is soldering in a  
> > bunch of wires to connect top traces to bottom traces. The more  
> > surface mount stuff I use, the more often I need to add special vias  
> > as I no longer have component legs to use for that purpose.
> >
> > I have used J-B Weld on a number of "emergency fixes" over the years  
> > and have been impressed with its utility. I believe this is a  
> > metalized epoxy which I assume should be conductive. I just mixed up  
> > a smal batch and will have to wait till late tonight or tomorrow to  
> > check it when it finally cures.
> >
> > If this does conduct, then I was thinking I could apply this way....
> >
> > 1) Etch board
> > 2) Tin board
> > 3) apply clear contact paper to both faces of PCB
> > 4) Drill all via holes
> > 5) Use a spatula to smear the epoxy into all of the holes
> > 6) After curing, remove contact paper
> >
> > I suspect I might have small bumps of epoxy which if are a problem,  
> > a light sanding would knock them down. If the sanding is required I  
> > could put the board back in the liquid tin again.
> >
> > I probably won't be able to do a full test for a couple of weeks but  
> > thought I would announce it to see if anyone else has tried this.
> >
> > Chris
> >
> >
> >
> > 
> >
> 
> Intergoogle says that JB Weld is not conductive.
> You may find this interesting....
> http://www.circuitmart.com/mart/49690.shtml
> Gus
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Confirmed - JB Weld is not conductive.  

Chris



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Frank P" <qz9090@...> wrote:

>
> JB Weld is not conductive...
> 
> http://www.jbweld.net/faq.php
> 
> 
> 
> Frank P.
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, AGSCalabrese <agscal@> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > On Jun 5, 2010, at 2:13 PM, Chris wrote:
> > >
> > > One of the things I don't like about making PCBs is soldering in a  
> > > bunch of wires to connect top traces to bottom traces. The more  
> > > surface mount stuff I use, the more often I need to add special vias  
> > > as I no longer have component legs to use for that purpose.
> > >
> > > I have used J-B Weld on a number of "emergency fixes" over the years  
> > > and have been impressed with its utility. I believe this is a  
> > > metalized epoxy which I assume should be conductive. I just mixed up  
> > > a smal batch and will have to wait till late tonight or tomorrow to  
> > > check it when it finally cures.
> > >
> > > If this does conduct, then I was thinking I could apply this way....
> > >
> > > 1) Etch board
> > > 2) Tin board
> > > 3) apply clear contact paper to both faces of PCB
> > > 4) Drill all via holes
> > > 5) Use a spatula to smear the epoxy into all of the holes
> > > 6) After curing, remove contact paper
> > >
> > > I suspect I might have small bumps of epoxy which if are a problem,  
> > > a light sanding would knock them down. If the sanding is required I  
> > > could put the board back in the liquid tin again.
> > >
> > > I probably won't be able to do a full test for a couple of weeks but  
> > > thought I would announce it to see if anyone else has tried this.
> > >
> > > Chris
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 
> > >
> > 
> > Intergoogle says that JB Weld is not conductive.
> > You may find this interesting....
> > http://www.circuitmart.com/mart/49690.shtml
> > Gus
> > 
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>

Anyone want to try this silver-filled conductive epoxy from Master Bond and report back?

<http://www.masterbond.com/tds/ep21tdcs.html>

Donald.
----- "Chris" <lcdpublishing@...> wrote:

> Confirmed - JB Weld is not conductive.  
> 
> Chris
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Frank P" <qz9090@...> wrote:
> >
> > JB Weld is not conductive...
> > 
> > http://www.jbweld.net/faq.php
> > 
> > Frank P.
> > 
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, AGSCalabrese <agscal@> wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > On Jun 5, 2010, at 2:13 PM, Chris wrote:
> > > >
> > > > One of the things I don't like about making PCBs is soldering in a  
> > > > bunch of wires to connect top traces to bottom traces. The more  
> > > > surface mount stuff I use, the more often I need to add special vias  
> > > > as I no longer have component legs to use for that purpose.
> > > >
> > > > I have used J-B Weld on a number of "emergency fixes" over the years  
> > > > and have been impressed with its utility. I believe this is a  
> > > > metalized epoxy which I assume should be conductive. I just mixed up  
> > > > a smal batch and will have to wait till late tonight or tomorrow to  
> > > > check it when it finally cures.
> > > >
> > > > If this does conduct, then I was thinking I could apply this way....
> > > >
> > > > 1) Etch board
> > > > 2) Tin board
> > > > 3) apply clear contact paper to both faces of PCB
> > > > 4) Drill all via holes
> > > > 5) Use a spatula to smear the epoxy into all of the holes
> > > > 6) After curing, remove contact paper
> > > >
> > > > I suspect I might have small bumps of epoxy which if are a problem,  
> > > > a light sanding would knock them down. If the sanding is required I  
> > > > could put the board back in the liquid tin again.
> > > >
> > > > I probably won't be able to do a full test for a couple of weeks but  
> > > > thought I would announce it to see if anyone else has tried this.
> > > >
> > > > Chris
> > > >

[snip]