29 Jun
2012
29 Jun
'12
7:17 a.m.
On 29 Jun 2012 at 1:23, Tothwolf wrote:
Gold plating has become much easier (it actually is
/possible/ to even
do a DIY approach with an adjustable current power supply and the
right supplies) but the consumable supplies, including the gold
solution are still somewhat expensive. I've looked into this
extensively while researching repair methods for some boards that I
picked up surplus that someone attempted to -sandpaper- the gold off
of the card edge connectors. [Yes, most likely done by a wannabe
get-rich-quick gold fever type person.] In my case the base copper and
tin plate are intact, and I'm thinking about just sending the boards
off to have someone else repair the plating. The hard part is still
justifying the cost, even though the boards are very hard to find.
You can even purchase gold electroplating pens, but the layer of gold
that's deposited is very thin and soft--not something you'd expect a
lot of life on with a surface that encounters any wear. Gold for
contacts is performed commercially in a multi-step process.
--Chuck