On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 15:01:19 -0000, mr_gees100_peas <
geovar13@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi I've ben reading this group for a while and I feel confident
> enough to make my firt PCB. I decided to use the PnP transfer paper
> and iron it on. Right now I manage to transfer my design to a copper
> bard fairly well. The thing is that I see all those holes and they
> are so smal. I hear some people drill the holes after they etch
> becase they can use the hole as a guide. Well, I tried driling a few
> holes in a practice pice of copper board nd I keep missing the mark.
> The board an't een etch yet but I wondering if I should drill the
> holes fist that way I can add more resist in case I screw up.
>
I know that a hand-fed drill will always center very easily in the hole.
it is really just aiming close to it and drill.
If you have problems try to use no drill press, hold a small drilling
spindle
in your hand and drill manually.
Of course you can't use carbide drills. get HSS and grind them every now
and then.
(easy enough to grind).
The aiming is slightly harder with a drill press because the drill can not
really move,
you have to be spot on with aiming or let the board move.
It all depends on the quality of equipment you use. a good drill press
with no runout
and a very sharp bit drills very easy, so it is very easy to drill the
edge of the hole.
A rather dull HSS bit in a bad wobbly spindle will center itself much
better.
If you need no high-quality hole walls it is really fast to work with a
handheld drill.
you will not break HSS bits.
I do not like the "add more copper when i screw up" approach.
Also make BIG pads! the standard pads are for throughhole plating.
ST