PCB backing tape/card/paper?

[slashandburn]

I've seen some of you using some tape type stuff to decorate the component side of your homemade pcb's. Anyone mind telling me what the best stuff to use is? Concerned about gaffer tape and the like melting a bit around the component legs.

I've found an old Tonepad Comp '99 board I mustve drilled before I got my micromot, it looks usable but certainly ain't pretty. Was gonna populate it today but would like to find a way to cover up the multitude of sins I committed drilling it. Ideally something quite thin, since most of my IC sockets have frustratingly short legs.

Any ideas?

[davent]

I've used acrylic paint on the top of boards for years and then a mist coat of lacquer on the copper side to prevent oxidization.

Paint the top anyway you like then used a wet toner transfer method to put on a pseudo-silkscreen.





dave

[bloxstompboxes]

Those are awesome dave. I often thought about a waterslide for a silkscreen but never tried it. The toner method seems like an obvious choice. I wonder why more people don't do it. I may give it a try next time. Those look old/antiqued. I like very much!

[tonyharker]

I just print onto a sticky label and put it on top.

[slashandburn]

Awesome, those look great, Dave. Giving me ideas now for my better boards. I was really after something much more crude for this one though, along the lines of the sticky label Tony suggested. Only blank. Really just wanted to make the surface look flat. It's too late now anyway, I started soldering before realising I was short a few components!

Good ideas for next time though!

Got a feeling I'll be trying out your method at some point soon, Dave. Never tried the wet toner transfer, how does it compare to the ironing method in terms of difficulty?

Cheers!