Homebrew PCBs

Has anyone tried this? I cannot see how the silver will deposit onto an unprepared fibreglass PCB, If it does then it would cover all the board! or am I missing something? from my assaying days as far as I am aware Hydrochloric [muriatic] acid will not disolve silver, nitric acid will, and a combination of the two [aqua regia] will disolve gold and silver and pretty much any other metal. 
I may be way off, or i dont understand this process, perhaps someone more enlightened could shed some light on this, as I am also interested in thru hole plating.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "John Anhalt" <janhalt@...> wrote:
>
> The mixture you describe is the Tollens reagent/reaction.  As mentioned earlier in this thread, there are modified versions of that reagent that make more durable silver coatings and may therefore be superior for plating holes.  
> 
> John
>     
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Jeff Heiss 
>   To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2012 12:26 AM
>   Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Want to plate drill holes for your double sided PCB's
> 
> 
>     
>   A youtube video shows plating surfaces using silver nitrate, ammonia, sugar,
>   and sodium hydroxide. Will this work for via plating or would the silver
>   rub off too easily? The video description says "thin layers of silver can
>   be wiped off with a cloth if the silver goes where you don't want it.
>   Thicker layers can be removed by applying hydrochloric acid." If it could
>   work, a big positive is it does not require hole activation and thus have no
>   limit on hole/via diameter.
> 
>   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUX_cpFWNso
> 
>   _____ 
> 
>   From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
>   On Behalf Of John
>   Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 3:05 AM
>   To: Homebrew_PCBs@...m; smilingcat@...
>   Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Want to plate drill holes for your double
>   sided PCB's
> 
>   OK already seen your reply to others.
> 
>   John
> 
>   From: John 
>   Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 7:51 AM
>   To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <mailto:Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com>
>   ; smilingcat@... <mailto:smilingcat%40earthlink.net> 
>   Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Want to plate drill holes for your double
>   sided PCB's
> 
>   I'd be interested in some details on how you are going to do the through
>   hole plating.
> 
>   Thanks
>   John
> 
>   From: smilingcat90254 
>   Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 10:54 PM
>   To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <mailto:Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com> 
>   Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Want to plate drill holes for your double sided
>   PCB's
> 
>   Oh someone wanted to know what am I plating?
> 
>   I was going to plate my drilled out hole with copper so that on double sided
>   PC, i'm not having to stick a piece of wire and solder both top and bottom
>   copper.
> 
>   You could also use it to plate tin if you want. But your plating solution
>   would have to be different.
> 
>   And minor correction At 5 Amp you can plate 6"x6" double sided PCB not
>   6"x12" 
> 
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>   
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