Homebrew PCBs

Richard wrote:


> Buy one decent spindle, and be done with the problem
> forever.  But the market is probably too small for anyone
> to make such a thing; especially if nobody is willing to
> spend more than $39.

There seems to be the conventional electric die grinders at < US$150, 
and the > $2000 specialized CNC PCB drilling spinals, like those made by 
Westwind. There is nothing in between. As you say the PCB hobbyist 
market is too small and I guess no one needs a 30000+ RPM electric die 
grinder. Anything faster and the customer must go for pneumatic die 
grinders. All the CNC PCB spindles are driven by 3 phase variable 
frequency variable voltage power sources. 50~150 kRPM is typical for 
such spindles. This is your ideal spindle, but even a secondhand one 
comes with a hefty price tag, not to mention the power driver cost. And 
noise ? Well, I've seen these PCB drilling machines with their own 
enclosure sealing some of the noise, and the machines themselves located 
in a soundproofed room, separate from the main factory.

Sorry, but you gonna need to get used to wearing ear muffs.


> Air:  I've always kept my compressor outside under a
> little 'shelter', for lack of a better word.  Also, I chose
> a unit with a 60-gal tank...it hardly runs at all.  So the
> worry about compressor-noise hasn't been an issue for
> me.

Well, in that case a pneumatic die grinder may be worth considering.

> 
> Heck, it's not like these cheap electric tools are very quiet
> themselves... <g>

I agree totally. Especially hand operated drill presses where your head 
is several inches away. Even a lousy Dremel produces potential ear 
damaging noise. Nature had never intended our cochlear hair cells to 
take that kind of abuse.