Material for scrubbing Cu-clad boards
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From: pimpom on 16 Mar 2010 14:48 tlbs101 wrote: > On Mar 16, 8:05 am, John Larkin > <jjlar...(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote: >> On Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:21:22 +0530, "pimpom" >> <pim...(a)invalid.invalid> >> wrote: >> >>> This is for those of you who are making their own PCBs for >>> hobby, >>> prototyping and low-volume production. >> >>> I've seen things like fine sandpaper and steelwool >>> recommended on >>> hobbyist websites for cleaning copper-clad boards prior to >>> transferring the pattern and etching. 40 years ago, I used >>> wood >>> ash. It worked quite well but wasn't always readily >>> available. >>> Then I tried tooth powder as it's more abrasive than >>> toothpaste. >>> It sort of worked, but required too much scrubbing. Then I >>> got >>> the idea of using household scrubbing powder. It works fast, >>> having just the right amount of abrasive property with no >>> danger >>> of inflicting deep scratches. Vim and Biz are two popular >>> Indian >>> brands. >> >>> I feel no need to look for a better material, but I'm curious >>> about what others are using. >> >> Scotchbrite, with soapy water. When scotchbrite was first >> invented, >> it was a very expensive industrial product and one of the >> first >> markets was PCB fabbers. Years later it became a household >> product. >> >> Use the green kind, the more agressive stuff, not the gentle >> version. >> >> John > > I'm with John... I use a Scotchbrite pad with soap, too. > > Tom P. I have no reason to doubt that Scotchbrite works well, but it's not available where I am.
From: pimpom on 16 Mar 2010 14:55 Dave Platt wrote: >> I've seen things like fine sandpaper and steelwool recommended >> on >> hobbyist websites for cleaning copper-clad boards prior to >> transferring the pattern and etching. 40 years ago, I used >> wood >> ash. It worked quite well but wasn't always readily available. >> Then I tried tooth powder as it's more abrasive than >> toothpaste. >> It sort of worked, but required too much scrubbing. Then I got >> the idea of using household scrubbing powder. It works fast, >> having just the right amount of abrasive property with no >> danger >> of inflicting deep scratches. Vim and Biz are two popular >> Indian >> brands. > > I use a green nylon scrubbing pad (3M or generic equivalent) > with > either some Comet household scrubbing powder (for fast cutting) > or a > squirt of Gojo hand cleaner (an orange-scented gel which > contains some > pumice). I tried using the green pad too, but I really prefer scrubbing with my fingers. Of course, I wouldn't recommend it for mass production! > > On the last board I did, I scrubbed down the board in this way, > rinsed > well, and then dipped it into the PC-board etchant solution for > a few > seconds and then rinsed again. The brief dip in the etchant > left the > copper surface with a very uniform matte appearance - I think > it > evened out the larger scratches left by the pumice/cleanser. > > The pattern ironed on quite well and etched nicely. I sometimes do the pre-etch (brief dipping) too, but somehow I don't have the patience to make it a regular practice. No logic here as I'm normally a very patient type.
From: Artemus on 16 Mar 2010 18:00 "Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon(a)My-Web-Site.com> wrote in message news:ee9vp5lr5kpo5ur1lp2mlkcd15n0891j75(a)4ax.com... > > There used to be a liquid cleaner for "Revere Ware", the copper > -bottom cooking pots. Use with a plastic or nylon scrubbing pad. > > ...Jim Thompson > -- Kleen King worked like a champ for me. Art
From: John Larkin on 16 Mar 2010 17:31 On Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:18:21 +0530, "pimpom" <pimpom(a)invalid.invalid> wrote: >tlbs101 wrote: >> On Mar 16, 8:05 am, John Larkin >> <jjlar...(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote: >>> On Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:21:22 +0530, "pimpom" >>> <pim...(a)invalid.invalid> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> This is for those of you who are making their own PCBs for >>>> hobby, >>>> prototyping and low-volume production. >>> >>>> I've seen things like fine sandpaper and steelwool >>>> recommended on >>>> hobbyist websites for cleaning copper-clad boards prior to >>>> transferring the pattern and etching. 40 years ago, I used >>>> wood >>>> ash. It worked quite well but wasn't always readily >>>> available. >>>> Then I tried tooth powder as it's more abrasive than >>>> toothpaste. >>>> It sort of worked, but required too much scrubbing. Then I >>>> got >>>> the idea of using household scrubbing powder. It works fast, >>>> having just the right amount of abrasive property with no >>>> danger >>>> of inflicting deep scratches. Vim and Biz are two popular >>>> Indian >>>> brands. >>> >>>> I feel no need to look for a better material, but I'm curious >>>> about what others are using. >>> >>> Scotchbrite, with soapy water. When scotchbrite was first >>> invented, >>> it was a very expensive industrial product and one of the >>> first >>> markets was PCB fabbers. Years later it became a household >>> product. >>> >>> Use the green kind, the more agressive stuff, not the gentle >>> version. >>> >>> John >> >> I'm with John... I use a Scotchbrite pad with soap, too. >> >> Tom P. > >I have no reason to doubt that Scotchbrite works well, but it's >not available where I am. > Where's that? In supermarkets here, we have several brands of kitchen sponges that have generic Scotchbrite on one side. They work great to clean up pc boards. John
From: Archimedes' Lever on 16 Mar 2010 20:24
On Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:05:30 -0700, John Larkin <jjlarkin(a)highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote: >On Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:21:22 +0530, "pimpom" <pimpom(a)invalid.invalid> >wrote: > >>This is for those of you who are making their own PCBs for hobby, >>prototyping and low-volume production. >> >>I've seen things like fine sandpaper and steelwool recommended on >>hobbyist websites for cleaning copper-clad boards prior to >>transferring the pattern and etching. 40 years ago, I used wood >>ash. It worked quite well but wasn't always readily available. >>Then I tried tooth powder as it's more abrasive than toothpaste. >>It sort of worked, but required too much scrubbing. Then I got >>the idea of using household scrubbing powder. It works fast, >>having just the right amount of abrasive property with no danger >>of inflicting deep scratches. Vim and Biz are two popular Indian >>brands. >> >>I feel no need to look for a better material, but I'm curious >>about what others are using. >> > >Scotchbrite, with soapy water. When scotchbrite was first invented, it >was a very expensive industrial product and one of the first markets >was PCB fabbers. Years later it became a household product. > >Use the green kind, the more agressive stuff, not the gentle version. > >John > NEVR-DULL tarnish removal wadding will aid in getting the stuff scrubbed off too. Also a very good pre-prep for the HASL to follow. |