Homebrew PCBs

Hi Roel

>Hi, Markus 
>
>I am also a homebrewer and like to handle the PTH thing also myself.
>
>Got on this moment only two questions:
>1: the cuvets (fluid units)where they made off  and how they glued 
>together (type of gleu)

They are made from "hobby glas" and basically are made with a hot air
gun and a circular saw. I used 2mm sheets sized 1.2 x 0.5 meter. For
the five tanks - also calculating your first attempts to get the
weldering under control - I recommend you to buy ~8 sheets. There is
no glueing involved, but I weldered them using plastic stripes first
cutted of from the material. On the link I gave - under closeups - you
can see them fairly well on the "The machine put in parts" picture.
There you can also see the frame into which the tanks are simply
inserted There is some learning curve involved with building them, but
the third or fourth attempt is likely to work our right. I basically
first cutted out a stripe of the material that I bent (using the hot
air gun) to a U shape. Then on each side of the U I weldered another
stripe. The U shape aproach is having the advantage that you only have
to welder on two sides and the side parts also form a good stand for
them if you ever need to take them out of the machine or such.

>2: chemical 1# part, is it electroless chem. cu. because some systems 
>use a pasta 
>if it is possible the names of the chems.

I honestly don't fully understand this question. Again, the chemicals
are from Bungard. It's the "entry chemicals set" for their "Compacta
30" throughplating machine (which is btw. in a completely different
league than my machine - IMHO ~8000$). This set is reasonably priced
and because the Compacta 30 operates with 15 and 30 litter tanks as
oposed to my machine (2 and 5 liters) the chemicals obviousely last
longer. Everythnig (chemical wise) is included in this set. I also
ordered replacement Anodes for this same "Compacta 30" model cause
they are well suited for my machine also. I can send you a pdf
describing the baths a bit more closely but there is of course no
chemical formula or such available. It tells you how to prepare the
baths but again, no deatils about the formula or such. These baths
reflect years of experience of those firms makeing them and such
detailed information is treaed as a trade secret.

>i already use dry film - spray etch and cnc drilling and works for 
>several years now .

Well, then a trhough plating machine obviousely forms a nice
enhancement of your equipement.

>many greatfull thanks in adv. 

You are welcome.

Markus