ferric chloride crystalls V premade solution wich is better

[ghostman11]

ok a bit of a non question in the title sorry for that. i am interested in what people like to use and why they choose that way. do most people find mix your own better than premixed liquid or vice versa or no difference? i cant decide wich to get
also i have seen a american product from MG chemicals for tinning traces when the board has been etched but i cant find a UK supplier of it or a company that will ship it to the UK. so does anyone know of a simillar product in the UK?
cheers chaps

 

[cubnflyer]

Try this it is what I use **broken link removed**

They are based in Colchester.

 

[jpanhalt]

With ferric chloride, the chemistry is the same whether you start with crystals or liquid. Price would be my guideline. Ferric chloride solution is used in water treatment plants. It is probably quite cheap in bulk. I prefer the dry chunks (hexahydrate) to make my solution; others use the anhydrous powder. Whatever route you go, calculate your cost per gram of ferric chloride (FeCl3).

As an alternative, you might want to consider cupric chloride -- Cu(II)Cl2. It can be prepared from the oxide and hydrochloric acid (HCl). The product from etching is copper (I) chloride, which can be re-oxidized to cupric. You need to replenish the HCl from time to time, but it is a perpetual etching bath. I switched to copper chloride a couple of years ago. I have found it to be convenient, but a little more touchy for timing than ferric chloride.

John

Here's a nice link to the copper chloride method: **broken link removed**

 

[ghostman11]

thanks chaps it has given me something to think about

 

[ghostman11]

thank you cubnflyer i have just realised the link you gave was for tinning, that looks like a good product, i wonder if its the same stuff as the MG one. i might get some and give it a try

 

[3v0]

I have given up the search for a decent product to tin traces. Each time I try on it just eats up more money.

I have been using a thin spray of acrylic. You can solder with iron or hot air. After the board is populated and test a heavier coat provides additional protection.

It helps to run the iron a bit hotter.

 

[tunedwolf]

I use the tin plating chemistry from Mega and the results are really worthwhile. It is expensive though no matter who you buy it from. I buy mine directly from Mega themselves whenever I need board stock etc.

Or, if you are careful and can work with chemicals safely, make you own...

0.5g Stannous Chloride + 2.0g Thiourea + 3.0g Sulfamic Acid per 100mL filtered water, heat solution to 75 farenheight and you should be good to go...

Remember that these chemicals are dangerous and highly toxic, great care must be exercised with them

rgds

 

[Mr RB]

3v0- you can get a spray can product called Servisol "protective PCB lacquer".

It is a clear spray that is flexible (can also be used on flex ribbons) and can be soldered through. It's also pretty fast to dry.

 

[3v0]

I may give "Servisol protective PCB lacquer" a try so see if it solders easier with a full coat.

I have a life time supply of Krylon conformal spray if the cans do not go flat first.

 

[cubnflyer]

thank you cubnflyer i have just realised the link you gave was for tinning, that looks like a good product, i wonder if its the same stuff as the MG one. i might get some and give it a try

They are offering free deliver on all orders over £10 until the end of April.

 

[jpanhalt]

This is becoming a bit off-topic, but related to tinning, the unasked question is, why?

When I first started making boards, I tinned them with a product called Tinnit. (I don't believe it is still available.) I thought it would: 1) help soldering; and 2) prevent tarnishing and look like solder plating. In my experience, it didn't help soldering one bit and the acrylic conformal coatings are more than adequate to prevent tarnishing. In fact, boards with the conformal coating look much better several years later than the tinned boards (unprotected). Maybe that is why the tining solutions are hard to find?

John