Stefan Trethan wrote:
> It appears much easier, IMO, to just buy a big spool of thin wire, and
> thread it through all vias in a board (in one piece). then solder, then
> cut the crisscross pieces away. I think the CNC would be more work.
Yeah for 1 or 2 maybe, but try doing about 10 or 20 per board. Punch a
button, go away, and come back and they're all done is way easier. You'll
easily make up the difference with a machine in no time. Get it reliable and
50+ via tight boards may not even be a problem.. Real work is locating the
right holes in a dense board, that's why the CNC would be such a boon doing it
by itself from the drill file.
>
> Maybe it is practical to make small studs of copper, just a bit longer
> than the hole. Place the board on spacers to allow the studs to protrude
> maybe 0.5mm or less, above a steel plate. then take a hammer and hammer on
> the board, so that the studs are riveted in place.
>
There are some like that, with more of a press than a hammer. Still easier
to not be there, I'd want to CNC even this method. But thin wire needing only a
slight bend and light cut would be easier still, doesn't even need the studs or
press. Especially good when you can drill the board with the same machine. I
rarely drill or via, doing SMT and wire jumpers on single sided for ease. But a
decent automated via machine would bring them back into play. Still easier to
not have 2 sides to align, but it'd be worth it sometimes.
While I have a full gantry CNC system, a simple seperated XY slide
arrangement for the PC board would be easier for most to build. I'm going to
play around a bit and see about the simplest design I can come up with, it may
be very practical.
But after a trip to the store for some Reynold's paper. Should have thought
of that myself, not like I haven't used it before and noticed how good it was at
non-stick cooking. But wasn't doing boards at that time so didn't put 2 and 2
together.
Alan