Homebrew PCBs

Hi,

An couple of upcoming projects of mine will require traces between pads of 100mil through-hole headers and, probably, some TH ICs. The projects wouldn't be practical if I didn't run between the pads. Now, maybe some of you youngsters with sharp eyes and steady hands wouldn't blink twice at hand-soldering this, but I foresee problems. With my elderly eyes and shaky hands, I sometimes have trouble not solder-bridging 100mil pads alone, much less with a trace between them.

So, I'm searching for some sort of goo that I can paint over those traces with a small paintbrush to prevent soldering to them. It needs to be removable with acetone or IPA or the like in case I make a painting mistake. I suppose this could be called a solder mask of sorts; would some chemical used in solder masking work here? If, so what is it and who sells it?

(This, BTW, is why I'm not considering getting into SMD unless someone comes up with an easy way to apply a solder mask. I, for one, am not capable of hand-soldering those tiny, tiny parts.)

Other suggestions are welcome, too.

Jim

You could try machinist's layout fluid.  It's commonly available, easily 
removed with acetone, denatured alcohol or layout fluid remover.  It 
seems to stand up to temperature.  I have it in a spray can, but I 
believe you can get brush-on as well.

Kerry


jimofc300 wrote:

> Hi,
>
> An couple of upcoming projects of mine will require traces between pads of 100mil through-hole headers and, probably, some TH ICs. The projects wouldn't be practical if I didn't run between the pads. Now, maybe some of you youngsters with sharp eyes and steady hands wouldn't blink twice at hand-soldering this, but I foresee problems. With my elderly eyes and shaky hands, I sometimes have trouble not solder-bridging 100mil pads alone, much less with a trace between them.
>
> So, I'm searching for some sort of goo that I can paint over those traces with a small paintbrush to prevent soldering to them. It needs to be removable with acetone or IPA or the like in case I make a painting mistake. I suppose this could be called a solder mask of sorts; would some chemical used in solder masking work here? If, so what is it and who sells it?
>
> (This, BTW, is why I'm not considering getting into SMD unless someone comes up with an easy way to apply a solder mask. I, for one, am not capable of hand-soldering those tiny, tiny parts.)
>
> Other suggestions are welcome, too.
>
> Jim
>

Hotplate soldering not an option? Traces under 0603 components not a problem
that way - no bridges 'cos no fingers involved in the soldering.

PG


On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 1:26 PM, jimofc300 <jim@...> wrote:

>
>
> Hi,
>
> An couple of upcoming projects of mine will require traces between pads of
> 100mil through-hole headers and, probably, some TH ICs. The projects
> wouldn't be practical if I didn't run between the pads. Now, maybe some of
> you youngsters with sharp eyes and steady hands wouldn't blink twice at
> hand-soldering this, but I foresee problems. With my elderly eyes and shaky
> hands, I sometimes have trouble not solder-bridging 100mil pads alone, much
> less with a trace between them.
>
> So, I'm searching for some sort of goo that I can paint over those traces
> with a small paintbrush to prevent soldering to them. It needs to be
> removable with acetone or IPA or the like in case I make a painting mistake.
> I suppose this could be called a solder mask of sorts; would some chemical
> used in solder masking work here? If, so what is it and who sells it?
>
> (This, BTW, is why I'm not considering getting into SMD unless someone
> comes up with an easy way to apply a solder mask. I, for one, am not capable
> of hand-soldering those tiny, tiny parts.)
>
> Other suggestions are welcome, too.
>
> Jim
>
>  
>


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

On 12/03/2010 02:26, jimofc300 wrote:
> Hi,
>
> An couple of upcoming projects of mine will require traces between pads of 100mil through-hole headers and, probably, some TH ICs. The projects wouldn't be practical if I didn't run between the pads. Now, maybe some of you youngsters with sharp eyes and steady hands wouldn't blink twice at hand-soldering this, but I foresee problems. With my elderly eyes and shaky hands, I sometimes have trouble not solder-bridging 100mil pads alone, much less with a trace between them.
>
> So, I'm searching for some sort of goo that I can paint over those traces with a small paintbrush to prevent soldering to them. It needs to be removable with acetone or IPA or the like in case I make a painting mistake. I suppose this could be called a solder mask of sorts; would some chemical used in solder masking work here? If, so what is it and who sells it?
>
> (This, BTW, is why I'm not considering getting into SMD unless someone comes up with an easy way to apply a solder mask. I, for one, am not capable of hand-soldering those tiny, tiny parts.)
>
> Other suggestions are welcome, too.

I'm coming up to 68 and my eyes aren't anything like as good as they 
were, but I don't have any problems with tracks between pads on my 
home-made PCBs. I get the occasional short, but it's easily removed.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

Can't you just apply super glue to act as a solder mask between the pins?

I haven't tried it but I imagine it should work.

If not then heat resistant epoxy + a toothpick to apply it definitely would
work.

I used UV curable adhesive in some tests and it works well + is fast curing.
On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 6:26 PM, jimofc300 <jim@...> wrote:

>
>
> Hi,
>
> An couple of upcoming projects of mine will require traces between pads of
> 100mil through-hole headers and, probably, some TH ICs. The projects
> wouldn't be practical if I didn't run between the pads. Now, maybe some of
> you youngsters with sharp eyes and steady hands wouldn't blink twice at
> hand-soldering this, but I foresee problems. With my elderly eyes and shaky
> hands, I sometimes have trouble not solder-bridging 100mil pads alone, much
> less with a trace between them.
>
> So, I'm searching for some sort of goo that I can paint over those traces
> with a small paintbrush to prevent soldering to them. It needs to be
> removable with acetone or IPA or the like in case I make a painting mistake.
> I suppose this could be called a solder mask of sorts; would some chemical
> used in solder masking work here? If, so what is it and who sells it?
>
> (This, BTW, is why I'm not considering getting into SMD unless someone
> comes up with an easy way to apply a solder mask. I, for one, am not capable
> of hand-soldering those tiny, tiny parts.)
>
> Other suggestions are welcome, too.
>
> Jim
>
> 
>


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

Buy some kapton tape and stick it there. May need to cut it into
narrower strips.


ST

On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 3:26 AM, jimofc300 <jim@...> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> An couple of upcoming projects of mine will require traces between pads of 100mil through-hole headers and, probably, some TH ICs. The projects wouldn't be practical if I didn't run between the pads. Now, maybe some of you youngsters with sharp eyes and steady hands wouldn't blink twice at hand-soldering this, but I foresee problems. With my elderly eyes and shaky hands, I sometimes have trouble not solder-bridging 100mil pads alone, much less with a trace between them.
>
> So, I'm searching for some sort of goo that I can paint over those traces with a small paintbrush to prevent soldering to them. It needs to be removable with acetone or IPA or the like in case I make a painting mistake. I suppose this could be called a solder mask of sorts; would some chemical used in solder masking work here? If, so what is it and who sells it?
>
> (This, BTW, is why I'm not considering getting into SMD unless someone comes up with an easy way to apply a solder mask. I, for one, am not capable of hand-soldering those tiny, tiny parts.)
>
> Other suggestions are welcome, too.
>
> Jim
>
>

I have not used it myself but there is a peelable solder mask.  I believe both Allied Electronics www.alliedelec.com and Mouser  www.mouser.com as well as other electronic supply houses carry.

Ben

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "jimofc300" <jim@...> wrote:

>
> Hi,
> 
> An couple of upcoming projects of mine will require traces between pads of 100mil through-hole headers and, probably, some TH ICs. The projects wouldn't be practical if I didn't run between the pads. Now, maybe some of you youngsters with sharp eyes and steady hands wouldn't blink twice at hand-soldering this, but I foresee problems. With my elderly eyes and shaky hands, I sometimes have trouble not solder-bridging 100mil pads alone, much less with a trace between them.
> 
> So, I'm searching for some sort of goo that I can paint over those traces with a small paintbrush to prevent soldering to them. It needs to be removable with acetone or IPA or the like in case I make a painting mistake. I suppose this could be called a solder mask of sorts; would some chemical used in solder masking work here? If, so what is it and who sells it?
> 
> (This, BTW, is why I'm not considering getting into SMD unless someone comes up with an easy way to apply a solder mask. I, for one, am not capable of hand-soldering those tiny, tiny parts.)
> 
> Other suggestions are welcome, too.
> 
> Jim
>