[sdiy] Cutting PCBs

[Adam Schabtach]

In my brief experience, a paper cutter is useful only for fairly thin
boards. A commercially fabricated board is probably too thick.

Hack saws work, but using one is surprisingly laborious. Use a new,
fine-toothed blade and work slowly. A trip to a hardware store for a new
blade might be a good idea. PCB stock seems to be able to dull a blade
fairly rapidly, too.

Dremels also work, but are a little tricky to control which may be a concern
because of your small margin of error.

Scoring and snapping the board might actually be the best approach. I would
clamp a metal straightedge down on the board (i.e., put the PCB on a
workbench or flat piece of wood, put a metal straightedge on top of the PCB,
use a C clamp or two to hold everything) and score the board many times with
a new razor knife. Scoring both sides would be wise.

Good luck! I was personally somewhat surprised to discover how difficult it
is to cut PCB stock when I started making my own.

--Adam

> -----Original Message-----
> From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl 
> [mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of mark verbos
> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:00 AM
> To: tsheets at saturn5.com
> Cc: Synth DIY
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Cutting PCBs
> 
> I have heard of a tabletop paper cutter working really well 
> for that.  
> Maybe at Kinko's or the library or somewhere?
> 
> Mark
> 
> 
> 
> >
> > tsheets at saturn5.com wrote:
> >>
> >> I am finally getting around to building my AVR-X synth 
> (www.avrx.se), 
> >> but the PCB they sent me that needs to be broken into two has no 
> >> break- away tabs or anything on it.  I need to saw this 
> thing in half 
> >> but I have very little margin of error.  Any suggestions?  
> A jigsaw 
> >> (skillsaw) seems too rough.
> >> A hack saw does not seem very accurate.  I do have a dremmel, but 
> >> that seems like it could take forever.
> >>
> >> I wanted to discuss this on the AVR-X forum, but I have not gotten 
> >> accepted yet.  I think everyone is Europe is on holiday 
> right now.. 
> >> :)
> >>
> >> -troy