soldering SMD new idea??

[DirtyLude]

Wash the board afterwards. I have a PCB cleaner, but really, soap and water and a toothbrush has worked for me in the past.

Dry it afterwards if you are using water and make sure it's dried totally before you use it, of course.

 

[3v0]

For through hole only. A light spray of clear acrylic will keep the traces looking like new while you build the project. The soldering iron will vaporise the coating while you solder.

Also works somewhat like a solder mask.

 

[MrDEB]

how to rid the green?

just wash or perhaps fine sandpaper?
even thought about using copper bright metal polish the clean with alcohol then will try the acrylic spray

 

[DirtyLude]

You wash it before it gets corroded. The flux is acidic and will corrode the board quickly. Even no clean should be washed.

I have acrylic conformal coating, which I sometimes use on copper clad boards. If I don't the copper will slightly tarnish, but not too bad. I have some that are a couple years old, with only a bit of tarnish on them.

 

[MrDEB]

acrylic spray gobs up

when I go to solder on a part.
going to clean w/ acetone and then coat w/ liquid tin.

 

[3v0]

when I go to solder on a part.
going to clean w/ acetone and then coat w/ liquid tin.

Do that to the entire PCB just after you finish etching.

 

[MrDEB]

thats my plan

I tried the acrylic spray = never again

 

[3v0]

I tried the acrylic spray = never again

When you coat prior to soldering you want a very thin coat. (think whispy) Just a quick pass with the spray to get it wet. Too much and soldering it weird.

If you give up the first time on everything you would not get much done.

How is the liquid tin working ? If that is good enough you should not need the acrylic prior to soldering. I have liquid tin but have yet to use it. Can you tell me anything about its use. How you store fluid that has been used but is not worn out.

 

[MrDEB]

just trying it today

found a youtube video describing how to use
pretty easy.
left over I poured into bottle (stuff seems to be absorbed??)
have been trying different methods of etching, printing etc.
this run worked real well except I see a trace that is connected to the solid plane (I used to etch less material as I don't need to etch the entire surface.

 

[BeeBop]

How is the liquid tin working ? If that is good enough you should not need the acrylic prior to soldering. I have liquid tin but have yet to use it. Can you tell me anything about its use. How you store fluid that has been used but is not worn out.

The stuff works fairly well, as long as your copper is clean when submersed - it won't stick if oxidized.

It is toxic, and when I left the used stuff in a plastic package which did not seal well, I ruined the finish on a nearby aluminum case. (fumes degrade metal = probably worse on the human lung.)

Put your 'used' stuff in a bottle which seals tight and keep it in a cool dark place. There was one bottle on the store shelf which looked very cloudy. I think it had been exposed to light for too long...

 

[BeeBop]

this run worked real well except I see a trace that is connected to the solid plane (I used to etch less material as I don't need to etch the entire surface.

You mean a trace which shouldn't be connected to that plane (ground?) is?

You can repair mistakes; traces can be cut with an exact-o-knife and removed. You can also make a trace which has a void in it work by dead bug soldering...

 

[3v0]

MrDeb.

Most pcb layout programs have a way to make a ground plain or pour.

With a ground plain all unused areas that can be connect to gnd are.

In eagle you draw a square around the area where you want the pour and the system creates it.

Maybe it is me but I would not pour used liquid tin back into the bottle of unused.

 

[MrDEB]

The area is connected to Vcc

I just need to make two cuts to disconnect from larger area but looking at it it isn't connected to anything else so I could just leave it alone.
will drill out tomorrow or tonight and check w/ ohm meter.