In a message dated 10/16/2005 5:41:58 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
lcdpublishing@... writes:
So, if you all don't mind, can we discuss the merits of the various
materials?<<
Chris:
I use ONLY FR-4 (green fiber-glass epoxy impregnated). Reason: It is THROWN
away by the local PCB house when 4" or less (usually 4.5" or less!). A
stack of 2" of that waste will last me years! It WILL nupper a bandsaw blade
rapidly, but if you have to cut more than one or two, it is worth the sacrifice.
Then I always disk-sand the edges before attempting to etc. Carbide
router-bits for odd shapes or "square holes", etc. I can't even FIND phenolic
("Bakelite") copper-clad! I use ONLY "PCB drill-bits" which are solid-carbide
with 1/8" dia. shank, regardless of drill-size. These are available in various
commonly-used diameters from the usual mail-order vendors in standard boxes
of 50 for about half or less the usual "new price" of about $2.00 per bit. I
have a little home-brew CNC X-Y drill (resting, now, until I can get a "PC"
connected to it, as its "master", a 1978 "PET" died a year back, and, well .
. .).
ONE caveat: The "professional" stuff is usually only 1/2 oz. copper, as it
is ALWAYS used for plated-through hole work, and that increases the copper to
1 oz. or more. But if you work carefully, you can "live with it" for the
PRICE of the stuff!
I just wish it were EASY to plate-through! I'd MUCH rather be able to do
that than to use "jumpers" and "soldered-in vias" etc. BOO HOO ! ! !
ONE thing about FR-4: It is THE industry-standard, and GOOD stuff!
Jan Rowland
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]