Homebrew PCBs

I've already told you all, several times. I use the Think and Tinker method, except I substitute Flash copper for acid cooper, and 90/10 tin/lead instead of solder plate.
Otherwise, Ron at think and tinker has done a very good job - and that is where I've learned from , also the Caswell plating manual is useful too. 
These links area already in the links section of this well organized group. 

To put it bluntly - there is no FREE way to do this. You can either buy pre-made chems, or you can spend that amount buying chemicals to mix your own, but either way - you gotta spend some money. - What are pth worth to you? will they make or break your project? Are you just going to send out the boards, Do you want to make commercial grade PCBs for a commercial project at home ? etc...

For those of us doing PTH - I'm curious what your setup cost was?.
Not including imaging, etching , drilling, etc..
Just the PTH plating setup - for me I figure about $700 for ink, plating kit, power regulation, power supply, and optional testing equipment.
 My plating systems are built in to the same table top as my developing, stripping, and etching systems  I can do a max panel size of  6X9.

TSP is found at your average hardware store. - I think the key for using it - is to get it HOT. I use a crock pot. 
JT


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: mikezcnc 
  To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2004 11:05 PM
  Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Plating thruholes.


  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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