Homebrew PCBs

Jeremy,

1. Where do you buy TSP? I chceked and it is some kind of a cleaner. 
Sounds like a great suggestion. I searched this board and it wasn't 
mentioned before.

2. What do you use for 'activating' the holes, to make the conductive 
so the copper can be later deposited electrochemically?

3. For the others benefit, I am adding this link according to 
Jeremy's suggestion: 

http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/flashcopper.html

Once Jeremy tells us what to use to make the holes conductive, we 
have all crucial details to make plated holes in a homebrew manner, 
right?

Mike


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Jeremy Taylor" <jeremy@e...> 
wrote:
> Adam
> Flash copper (Alkaline) works better for me than acid copper. In 
the future you might just want to say "copper plating" leaving "acid" 
out as there is more than one way to plate copper. 
> 
> A quick dip in HOT tsp (tri sodium phosphate) does a great job of 
pre-plate - pre lamination cleaning, and I suspect it would also work 
well for tt (no sandpaper needed)
> 
> JT
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Adam Seychell 
>   To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2004 9:05 PM
>   Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Plating thruholes.
> 
> 
>   Dave Mucha wrote:
>   > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mikezcnc" <eemikez@c...> 
wrote:
>   > 
>   >>I searched but weren't able to locate any posts on the subject 
but 
>   > 
>   > I 
>   > 
>   >>recall that tehre was a dicussion of it. Does anyone know a 
simple 
>   >>method that works on plating holes in a PCB?  Mike
>   > 
>   > 
>   > I think the best home-brew (closer to professional sho) unit is 
from 
>   > Markus
>   > 
>   > http://www.myhome.ch/mzingg/pcbstuff/tps/
>   > 
>   > 
>   > Also go back to the posts around 1100, maybe go directly to 
1108 and 
>   > start reading.   IIRC, there was a detailed list of each step 
needed.
>   > 
>   > This is not for the faint of heart nor a simple one shot 
project.
> 
>   This is very true. The electroplating, and application of your 
own 
>   photoresists is the other major parts of the PTH process.
> 
>   In addition to etching, and photo imaging, you must;
> 
>   1) cleaning PCB surface to prepare for electroplating.
>   2) ability to apply your own dry film photoresist
>   3) give holes the ability to plate.
>   4) setup acid copper electroplating tank with proprietary 
additives.
> 
>   There are several methods of doing (3), such as with carbon 
dispersion, 
>     electroless copper solutions, or with palladium colloid 
solutions. I 
>   believe Markus's setup is using the palladium colloid solutions. 
All 
>   three processes have their problems, and I would say the most 
critical 
>   step in the process.
> 
>   Let me know if you have any questions.
> 
>   Adam
> 
> 
>   Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Bookmarks and 
files:
>   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs 
> 
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