>When I look at the specs from board houses, they all say similar things:
>
>        xx oz copper laminated on board...
>        xx more copper plated on after etching...
>        xx solder reflow after plating ...
>
>So, how can I as a homebrewer "reuse" all this extra copper and plate
>it back on my board where I want it instead of on my nails:-)

I doubt it is plated on after etching.

My understanding is that the normal way to do things is to put on a resist
over the areas that are going to be etched away.

Then drill the holes (or these first two steps may be reversed).

The board is then put in a solution to chemically deposit a base for the
copper down the drilled holes.

The board is then electroplated with copper to get the plated through holes
to have copper to the desired thickness. An inherent part of this process is
that the copper lands also receive a plating of copper, increasing their
thickness.

The tin electroplate is then plated on.

The resist is then removed.

The board is then etched to the desired pattern, using the tin electroplate
as a resist for the etchant.

This is the way I was told it is done. I have never actually tried it. It
may be that processes have changed since then, as it was a while ago that it
was described to me.

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic:
[PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads