[sdiy] Re: Possibly quick / cheap pcb service - anyone interested?

[Olav Martin Kvern]

Ingo Debus wrote: "Isn't there some pin that slides on the PCB along with 
the milling tool that keeps the distance between board and milling tool 
constant? I used to work with a LPKF PCB milling machine many years ago. 
Without that "pilot pin" (or whatever it's called) it would never  have 
worked. While doing a larger board the distance still had to be  readjusted 
from time to time, probably because the tool wore down. Bowing up of the 
board was never a big problem, because the pin  pressed the board against 
the bed where the milling was done."

In my price range, no. The LPKF machines typically have depth and edge 
sensing features that interact with the milling software. My semi-DIY CNC 
setup cost about $800 US, including the software. I think Julian's is about 
the same. The LPKF machines are very nice, but they cost a lot more--and 
this is an understatement. (They're also pretty much limited to making 
PCBs--I needed a more general-purpose machine.)

Thanks,

Ole