Your favorite PCB trace repair method

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spaceian
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Your favorite PCB trace repair method

Post by spaceian »

What's everyone's favorite trace repair methods? Any pro-tips or valuable lessons learned? Unexpected tools that you're now a fan of?

Its just a thing that every time I do it, I can't help but think, "I'm certain there's better/more professional ways to do this"... or I just patch the connections with 30awg and call it a day.
mvsfan
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Re: Your favorite PCB trace repair method

Post by mvsfan »

i like it when i have a broken or cracked trace thats still close together and all i have to do to fix it is scrape the green coating off and drag solder across the gap to fix it.

other than that, i usually trace the trace back to the 2 nearest solder pads or chip pins that connect to it, and jump them with a piece of wire.
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FinalBaton
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Re: Your favorite PCB trace repair method

Post by FinalBaton »

Isn't there a pen that draws conductive traces now?

Could be a good option for repairing a small trace or two, if it works as advertised :)


EDIT : https://www.amazon.com/CircuitWriter-Pr ... B00B88B9KI
some people in the review section say that it worked for repairing traces. Have never tried it myself though
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
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spaceian
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Re: Your favorite PCB trace repair method

Post by spaceian »

FinalBaton wrote:Isn't there a pen that draws conductive traces now?

Could be a good option for repairing a small trace or two, if it works as advertised :)


EDIT : https://www.amazon.com/CircuitWriter-Pr ... B00B88B9KI
some people in the review section say that it worked for repairing traces. Have never tried it myself though

Ooh, that's pretty cool! Especially if its precision/fine point Anyone tried it yet? My experience with conductive ink in the past has been less than stellar (usually goopy and altogether inelegant).
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FinalBaton
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Re: Your favorite PCB trace repair method

Post by FinalBaton »

not sure if it's a fine point

some reviewers used a trick though : they put two pieces of tape parallel to each other with a tiny space in between, where they rolled the pen. take the tape off and you've got a fine, straight and clean trace.
-FM Synth & Black Metal-
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Ed Oscuro
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Re: Your favorite PCB trace repair method

Post by Ed Oscuro »

Ooh, I might try that thing on my Heated Barrel sometime (has a pin and part of a trace lifted).
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