Homebrew PCBs

There is a new silk screening kit for crafters and soccer moms called the Yudu. At $299 it is a bit expensive.

It looks like a real no brainer.

It uses a photo based process and there is some very forgiving technology in it and the supplies are available at your local craft store (Michaels).

I am thinking that it could be used to silk screen solder mask. Or at least use the film and a smaller silk screen.

Myc

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "mycroft2152" <mycroft2152y@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 2:27 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Silk screening solder resist


> There is a new silk screening kit for crafters and soccer moms called the 
> Yudu. At $299 it is a bit expensive.
>
> It looks like a real no brainer.
>
> It uses a photo based process and there is some very forgiving technology 
> in it and the supplies are available at your local craft store (Michaels).
>
> I am thinking that it could be used to silk screen solder mask. Or at 
> least use the film and a smaller silk screen.

I don't really se the point, I get very few problems with solder bridging on 
my home-made PCBs, even with fine-pitch (0.5 mm) devices.

Leon

Leon,
It's a personal preference.

Some people like the "look" of a green solder mask, and it does protect the
copper traces form oxidation and shorting.

It is also another tool in the pcb making kit.

Myc



On Sun, Jun 14, 2009 at 9:40 AM, leon Heller <leon355@...> wrote:

>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "mycroft2152" <mycroft2152y@... <mycroft2152y%40gmail.com>>
> To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com>>
> Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2009 2:27 PM
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Silk screening solder resist
>
> > There is a new silk screening kit for crafters and soccer moms called the
>
> > Yudu. At $299 it is a bit expensive.
> >
> > It looks like a real no brainer.
> >
> > It uses a photo based process and there is some very forgiving technology
>
> > in it and the supplies are available at your local craft store
> (Michaels).
> >
> > I am thinking that it could be used to silk screen solder mask. Or at
> > least use the film and a smaller silk screen.
>
> I don't really se the point, I get very few problems with solder bridging
> on
> my home-made PCBs, even with fine-pitch (0.5 mm) devices.
>
> Leon
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

It is a nice setup in that you have everything needed for silk screening in one compact unit.

The main issue with making PCBs via silk screening is alignment. 
Without some provisions for aligning the work with a known reference 
it is difficult to print in the right place. 

You can make a silk screen setup for PCB work.  There should be a lot of good info on basic screen printing on the web and in books.  The major cost would be chemicals.

The video does show the messy part. Mostly you have to rinse/clean the screens out.  It is a lot of cleanup for 1 or 2 boards. 

The toner transfer system from PulsarProFx can be used both for etching PCBs and doing silkscreen (like) graphics. As far as I know it can not do a true solder mask.

Daniel Johnson
aka 3v0

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mycroft2152" <mycroft2152y@...> wrote:

>
> There is a new silk screening kit for crafters and soccer moms called the Yudu. At $299 it is a bit expensive.
> 
> It looks like a real no brainer.
> 
> It uses a photo based process and there is some very forgiving technology in it and the supplies are available at your local craft store (Michaels).
> 
> I am thinking that it could be used to silk screen solder mask. Or at least use the film and a smaller silk screen.
> 
> Myc
>

Creating a solder mask, (for those who want to do one Leon}, has always been
a challenge.
There is a film that can be used, an electrostic powder, or even using
Testors Apple green spray paint has worked for some.

I am sure that with a little effort a "homebrew" screen printing kit could
be made, but this does have everything in one place and supplies are easy to
purchase in small quantities.

Myc

On Sun, Jun 14, 2009 at 11:43 AM, a3v03v0 <a3v03v0@...> wrote:

>
>
> It is a nice setup in that you have everything needed for silk screening in
> one compact unit.
>
> The main issue with making PCBs via silk screening is alignment.
> Without some provisions for aligning the work with a known reference
> it is difficult to print in the right place.
>
> You can make a silk screen setup for PCB work. There should be a lot of
> good info on basic screen printing on the web and in books. The major cost
> would be chemicals.
>
> The video does show the messy part. Mostly you have to rinse/clean the
> screens out. It is a lot of cleanup for 1 or 2 boards.
>
> The toner transfer system from PulsarProFx can be used both for etching
> PCBs and doing silkscreen (like) graphics. As far as I know it can not do a
> true solder mask.
>
> Daniel Johnson
> aka 3v0
>
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com <Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com>,
> "mycroft2152" <mycroft2152y@...> wrote:
> >
> > There is a new silk screening kit for crafters and soccer moms called the
> Yudu. At $299 it is a bit expensive.
> >
> > It looks like a real no brainer.
> >
> > It uses a photo based process and there is some very forgiving technology
> in it and the supplies are available at your local craft store (Michaels).
> >
> > I am thinking that it could be used to silk screen solder mask. Or at
> least use the film and a smaller silk screen.
> >
> > Myc
> >
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Various acrylic sprays can be used to provide color and protection.  I use a clear acrylic and others have used Testors semi transparent acrylic paint to fake a solder mask.

A thin coat of acrylic is a solder through coating and you can use it prior to assembling the PCB.  To a degree it will act as a solder mask.  Does not work with SMD.

I have used Fusion paint on the top side of SS PCBs prior to adding a toner transfer silk screen layer.  Next I coat with a clear acrylic to protect the toner or laminate a TRF to the toner to color the graphics.

Daniel Johnson
aka 3v0 

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Myc Holmes <mycroft2152y@...> wrote:

>
> Leon,
> It's a personal preference.
> 
> Some people like the "look" of a green solder mask, and it does protect the
> copper traces form oxidation and shorting.
> 
> It is also another tool in the pcb making kit.
> 
> Myc
> 
> 
> 
> On Sun, Jun 14, 2009 at 9:40 AM, leon Heller <leon355@...> wrote:
>