Have you had a pedal go bad because of corroded copper track? do you protect?

[jimmybjj]

I pulled apart one of my builds and noticed some tarnishing of the copper. Could you use something like a simple spray can clear coat? It there a purpose built product? What do you guys normally do?

[Steve Mavronis]

Tinning? I used electroplated tinning on my 250 Overdrive clone project PCB's.

[Bad Chizzle]

Yeah, I had to replace a trace on a friends vintage MXR comp cause it had been eaten away completely. Don't know what you should use, but clean it up n coat it with something!

[boogietube]

Here's an awesome thread:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=50074.0

[jimmybjj]

Here's an awesome thread:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=50074.0

Thanks for the link. Is there a spray that can be applied after the board is done? Can i just use regular krylon clear or is there a problem with doing that?

[deadastronaut]

i use clear coat..once it has been thoroughly tested though.....it works..ive had no bad effects with it..

just a quick light spray....just to stop any corrosion/copper going green...will last for years.......

[Nasse]

http://www.soselectronic.com/a_info/resource/pdf/ine/flux_sk_10.pdf

I have a can of this, maybe it is not necessary for home studio use

Not sure but I wonder if some ready made boards and stripboard and others too have similar added

[Galego]

You can use nail polish.

[Mark Hammer]

Generally, when I make a board, once it is etched, drilled, and cleaned up, I buff with superfine steel wool, then I sit down with some cotton-tipped applicators (Q-tips), wipe the board with liquid flux, and tin the thing.  If I was making highly complex and large boards, that would be one thing, but the brunt of these boards are small enough that the exercise is quick and painless.

I do it for several reasons.  First, the fact that a board is etched and drilled is separate from whether I have the time to get around to populating it.  So, rather than risk having a solder joint be difficult due to corrosion/tarnish, I prefer to tin it immediately.  Second, I'm a tinkerer, and often like to add components that can be toggled in/out, post-build.  Having the entire board tinned means there are lots of places where I can easily tack on parallel components on the copper side, or pop a couple of small holes in and add  them on the component side.

If you use liquid flux (which, assuming you don't spill it, will likely cost you a mere $10 for the rest of your life), you'll find that a tiny amount of solder goes an awful long way.  You can wipe off the excess flux, post-tinning, with a bit of methyl hydrate.

Once the board is properly tinned, you don't have to worry about corrosion over time.

[nomorebetts]

I'm in Australia and use a purpose designed solder through clear lacquer spray available from JayCar:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=NA1002&keywords=spray&form=KEYWORD

A light spray does the trick perfectly.

[MmmPedals]

For tinning
http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=14896+DT

[jimmybjj]

going with liquid flux idea. would "kester 951" work? it seems to be fairly cheap on eBay.

[Mark Hammer]

Seems to be the right stuff.  I forget what it is that I bought/use.  It is much less than a gallow jug, but more than a pen, and it came in a dark brown plastic bottle of about 4oz or so.