I was removing some bulging capacitors from my circa 2002 Shannon Parks ST35 and overheated the board. A couple of traces lifted off and they're not in good spots to use jumpers, though I may resort to that. I've seen conductive ink pens and copper tape. What works?
Larry
Larry
Get some thin wire like this https://www.amazon.com/Solid-Kynar-EX-ELECTRONIX-EXPRESS/dp/B07V5K4B97 and route as needed. Apply a few blobs of epoxy to hold it down.
You can also cut narrow strips of artist´s bronze paper with scissors, and Epoxy them to PCB base material.
First scratch, clean and degrease its surface with acetone or toluene, or Epoxy will not stick well enough.
First scratch, clean and degrease its surface with acetone or toluene, or Epoxy will not stick well enough.
Part of my apprenticeship was the test and repair of faulty circuit boards. If it is just a pad that has lifted you can use the lead of the component to cover the missing track. Clean the resist off and pre solder the end of the remaining track, bend the lead to the required shape and length and solder. If the component is large or the new solder point is a long way from the hole you may want to add a small amount of epoxy adhesive to the lead to give support.
If you have damaged a large amount of track use track from a donor board. I keep a few old circuit boards for this purpose. Choose track of the same width you are replacing, heat the pad with a soldering iron and carefully lift it with a craft knife. Side the iron along the track and lift the track as you go till you have enough for a repair. Remove the damaged track from the board you are repairing in the same way.
Lay the replacement track on the board and align with the component hole. Cut a butt joint between the new and old track and remove the resist so you can form a solder joint across it. Use a quick set epoxy to secure the track and once set replace your component and solder across the but joint. I had to do this on military spec gold boards and leave no sign they had been repaired. 😧
If you have damaged a large amount of track use track from a donor board. I keep a few old circuit boards for this purpose. Choose track of the same width you are replacing, heat the pad with a soldering iron and carefully lift it with a craft knife. Side the iron along the track and lift the track as you go till you have enough for a repair. Remove the damaged track from the board you are repairing in the same way.
Lay the replacement track on the board and align with the component hole. Cut a butt joint between the new and old track and remove the resist so you can form a solder joint across it. Use a quick set epoxy to secure the track and once set replace your component and solder across the but joint. I had to do this on military spec gold boards and leave no sign they had been repaired. 😧
Yes, no need to strictly follow original track path.
PCBs are practical exercises on very complex maze solving, because they can´t cross paths on the same plane, but a flying wire .... "flies" over everything else, so .... 😉
In my own PCBs, I still use "antiquated" wire jumpers, not obsessive on solving everything with an etched track,; and sometimes on purpose I use a flying wire or two, specially for ground, where I prefer their path as straight and clean as possible.
In my view, the single most important track in a PCB.
PCBs are practical exercises on very complex maze solving, because they can´t cross paths on the same plane, but a flying wire .... "flies" over everything else, so .... 😉
In my own PCBs, I still use "antiquated" wire jumpers, not obsessive on solving everything with an etched track,; and sometimes on purpose I use a flying wire or two, specially for ground, where I prefer their path as straight and clean as possible.
In my view, the single most important track in a PCB.
I would use wire.
If your lifting pads and tracks then you maybe need a hot air heat gun to heat area and let component drop out.
I use my heat gun on SMD and through hole with good results.
I bought a ebay cheapie one and it was less than £20. Paid for itself many times over.
Or maybe one of those soldering irons with a air sucker on it. They seem to be popular now.
If your lifting pads and tracks then you maybe need a hot air heat gun to heat area and let component drop out.
I use my heat gun on SMD and through hole with good results.
I bought a ebay cheapie one and it was less than £20. Paid for itself many times over.
Or maybe one of those soldering irons with a air sucker on it. They seem to be popular now.
I have seen enamel (motor winding) wire used to repair tracks, it was stripped at the ends, and bent to follow the track.
Ends soldered to the component.
Bit neater than jumpers.
Ends soldered to the component.
Bit neater than jumpers.
Thanks to all for your input. I wound up selling it to a guy who was following my thread on Audio Asylum and is confident he can make it work. He's also willing to sell it back to me, so who knows, it may come home eventually.
