How to through plate DIY 2-layer PCB

[sam9]

Does anyone know a means and a source (cheap) for a means to throughplate home made PCBs? Specifically one that lets component leads pass through - not just a short piece of wire to make a via.

[Elkaid]

Take a look at the following item at Digikey
(www.digikey.ca or www.digikey.com)

182-1005-nd

If you need liquid tin to add a "silver" touch to your pcb's, then take a look at this one : 182-1010-nd

I'm currently using M.G. Chemicals part# 421-1 and does a good job but make sure that you've cleaned your pcb with alchool or whatever.

Hope this helps !

[Bobken]

Hi,

I have a kit to do this, purchased from Farnell in the UK, which cost about £30 from memory.

It is made in the UK by Multicore Solders under a license from Telco International, with a USA patent, so it is probably available in many parts of the world, and is called "Copperset".

It is the easiest thing to use which you can imagine, and it covers various different sized holes from 0.8, to 1.2mm.

Supplied are colour-coded drills/reamers, 'bails' in snap-off strip form, punches, and anvils etc.

After reaming the hole out to size (by hand), a bail is inserted in the hole via a feeder tube and snapped off, and then clinched over at each end with a suitable hand-held punch & anvil.

The assembly is then 'soldered over' in place to ensure an electrically sound joint both sides, but the mechanical strength comes from 'riveting' over the bail's ends, each side of the board.

The 'strip' bails are made of a thin tube of copper filled with solder for support, and when you 'solder' over the ends, the solder gets sucked out of the bail to leave a hole for the components lead. The result is very neat, and looks just like a plated thro' hole with a very slight 'ring' around the hole overlapping the copper traces each side of the board.

It takes longer to describe the procedure than to carry it out, it is so quick and easy, and it has been a Godsend in my repair work, as nothing fancy is needed to effect the job.

Everything is supplied, and there are 1500 bails of differing sizes in the kit, with further supplies of bails (the only parts which could get 'used up') also being avaliable.

I hope this helps you.

Regards,

[daatkins]

Bobken,
I've used the same set and highly recomend it. The price is more like £140 though!

Nice one,
David.

[carlmart]

Originally posted by Elkaid
Take a look at the following item at Digikey
(www.digikey.ca or www.digikey.com)

182-1005-nd

If you need liquid tin to add a "silver" touch to your pcb's, then take a look at this one : 182-1010-nd

I think the thru-hole kit is 182-1001-ND from Digi-Key.

It costs $70.


Carlos

[Elkaid]

I think the thru-hole kit is 182-1001-ND from Digi-Key.

Sorry, my mistake !

It is in fact 182-1001-ND.

[Bobken]

Originally posted by daatkins
Bobken,
I've used the same set and highly recomend it. The price is more like £140 though!

Nice one,
David.

Hi,

I must have got a better deal than I realised then, because I am sure I paid in the region of £30. (plus the dreaded VAT, of course!)
. For my uses, it would simply not have been worth the much higher sum you mention.

It was several years ago, and it was an introductory offer (or one of their "Select" items) and I reckon the full price was about £45 then.

Interestingly, at $70 from Digikey, when converted this works out close to £45, so I don't know what Farnell have done with their price here?

Very good bit of kit though, as we both agree.

[sam9]

Thanks for the info. I must have thumbed past that page in the catalog a doxen timeswithout spotting that particular item.

I will be giving them a try.