Hi,

Did anyone try to paint the side of your veroboard with the desired colors you want, perhaps with spray paint or some other suitable coloring materials?

I would like to paint my veroboard black (component facing side of course), to give that extra aesthetic impact!

Any good and viable suggestion?

 

You can actually order various solder mask colors from certain PCB makers. Nothing wrong with painting your veroboard. I'd give it a light sanding so the paint has something to sink it's teeth into. Make certain to clean the board with isopropyl alcohol before painting, or your finger oils will cause the paint to fail to bond.

 

Years ago I used Veroboard epoxy-fiberglass dark blue stuff.

 

Hallo,

Also take care NOT to use metalic paint, it may cause a short.

Bertus

 

Just wanted to mention I've had good results using paper silk screens laminated with plastic tape and glued to the top of Radio Shack prototype boards...

Food for thought...

Regards, Mike

 

I would perhaps wait to all the soldering was done, and the project was checked out as working. But it will be OK to sand down the top in before placing components

 

Just wanted to mention I've had good results using paper silk screens laminated with plastic tape and glued to the top of Radio Shack prototype boards...

Food for thought...

Regards, Mike

Nowdays I'm addicted to etching boards, but it is a nice thought.

 

To expand on MMclaren's idea, you could print out the silk screen layer on a self-stick label blank a apply it to the board. Available in many colors from places like Staples, or here - http://www.worldlabel.com/Pages/wl-ol175.htm

 

I would perhaps wait to all the soldering was done, and the project was checked out as working. But it will be OK to sand down the top in before placing components

I think the OP wants to improve the visual impact of some LEDs. If so, painting after the components are mounted would be difficult at best. However, he can paint over any other components before mounting the LEDs if he likes.

 

I think the OP wants to improve the visual impact of some LEDs. If so, painting after the components are mounted would be difficult at best. However, he can paint over any other components before mounting the LEDs if he likes.

Thank you KJ6EAD for your reply, nope, what I intend to do is an effort in making the base board (which is the veroboard for my case) a more "professional", more refined piece of board or work.

Perhaps something that can made my product exquisite, not so much of a "prototype", "temporary" feel.

Yah, cheers!

 

Hello,

The copper side of my stripboard starts to become dull with spreading microscopic dark patches after I've lift off the sticky tape to prevent the spraying paint (see attached).

I would like to reinstate its shinyness back and when I've read up, some said using a PCB eraser would do the job (just like this one I thought of buying: http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/58855.pdf), while others recommend kitchen scourer with water?

Is there a better way to clean the tracks to change it to like what I've attached next?

 

A chemical copper cleaner made for kitchen pans will do nicely. Be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. You could use a paste of cream of tartar (tartaric acid anhydride) and water, another common kitchen item but it will be slower.

 

A chemical copper cleaner made for kitchen pans will do nicely. Be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. You could use a paste of cream of tartar (tartaric acid anhydride) and water, another common kitchen item but it will be slower.

Thanks for your reply, but do you think the PCB eraser will be useful at all? I've already placed an order and it is a little jiterring when you said nothing about it.

 

I'm not sure what it is. People have used rubber erasers that have some small ceramic grit in them to clean PCB edge connector contacts. It's not a big deal but I prefer to chemically reduce the oxidation layer if possible because it's a discriminatory process while the various mechanical abrasion methods remove both oxides and pure copper indiscriminately. On a badly oxidized board I'd do both, using the chemical cleaner first. The green Scotchbrite pads are okay but if you ever get a chance to get the milder white industrial version, they're a little better for PCBs.

 

Unless your cleaner is going to affect the paint you should be OK. "Try it first on a small inconspicuous place first." I have had good luck with just some fine steel wool lightly rubbed. The dust needs to be removed, so a water rinse is good.

I've done something similar to MMcLaren technique to make front panel printings. I use 8 1/2" by 11" label paper, lay out my artwork in 1:1 scale (Autocad is one good choice) and print this out on a laser printer if possible. You should place a blank label sheet down first to make the white "pop," and a clear plastic overlay will greatly extend the life and keep smudges off the thing. Contact paper has a clear roll.

Works best on panels with some sore of raised or sunken edge to act as a guild: you apply an over sized label and slice off the excess with a sharp razor blade.

 

Thanks, I've just come across this video on cleaning copper cookwares: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfWF5zkwsJQ.

However I do not know if it's the same cause that turns the copper cookware dull as it had on the stripboard copper threads. As anyone try the salt and lemon method on veroboard and it works? Or it doesn't?

 

I've painted some of my boards:

This one is spray painted with green coat.

This one is painted with a pencil and acrylic paint. The color is Emerald green.

Both boards have been rubbed with superfine sandpaper.

 

I've painted some of my boards:

This one is spray painted with green coat.

This one is painted with a pencil and acrylic paint. The color is Emerald green.

Both boards have been rubbed with superfine sandpaper.

Hi Nerdegutta,

Nice work there. But isn't the original color of the board already green? Why paint over with the same color?

 

Thanks.

No, they are not green. I etch my own boards. When the etching is finished, the boards are either nearly transparent, or some sort of brown.

Check my albums for more pictures of circuits.