Cheap Alternative to apply solder mask

[lynessmy]

Is there any cheap alternative to apply solder mask to DIY pcb?
Investing in silk screen is way too big invesment.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I guess it depends on what you are wanting the solder mask to do.
Why *I* like solder mask, is it helps me not short stuff out by careless soldering. So in my case, it would hav eto be screened on.
But if you are wanting it to prevent leads tarnishing, then I guess some kind of non-conductive & non-corrosive coating material would do, applied after soldering.
Though that is going to make any repairs or mods a bitch.

[gez]

Some photo board acts as a mask (if the adverts are to be believed).  Just don't clean it off after you've etched.  Well, you did say cheap!

[darron]

i've been curious to see how the photo resist would work, if that's what you mean by photo board. aside from the developer, and the copper etcher, you can also get a stripper. i have some. when you dunk the board in all of the photo resist comes off right away  regardless of it being uv exposed or now. you could dab this on with a cotton bud i suppose to just the solder joints. unfortunately you wouldn't get the cool effect if it covering the rest of the board though, unless you wanted to respray the pcb after etching

[gez]

you could dab this on with a cotton bud i suppose to just the solder joints. unfortunately you wouldn't get the cool effect if it covering the rest of the board though, unless you wanted to respray the pcb after etching

There was one brand I came across during a google that reckoned you could just solder directly, without any cleaning, and the stuff would 'dissolve' with heat.  Didn't work with my board and I did exactly what you outlined: cotton earbud dipped into nail-polish remover.  Not easy.  I'd only recommend doing it when you have large traces and big pads (polish remover tended to run a little and remove large areas of resist).

[lynessmy]

Hmmm...seem there is no easy way out and the best thing for me now is comformal coating after soldering but that wouldn't meet the purpose of preventing short already.
And it make rework / mod difficult.

Thanks for your idea...