Homebrew PCBs

I use this one at a buddies house.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90757

It's generic, but it works great. He got his on sale for $99. I'm checking
the specials every week till I see it for that price again. I've thought
about going to eBay for a used one, but I'm more concerned about a sharp,
nick free shear blade than anything else. They all look like they're built
about the same as far as the rigidity is concerned  since it's going to be
used for PCBs most of the time, and not thicker metal stock.

When cutting 1oz single sided pcbs, it leaves a nice clean sharp edge. In
fact, it's almost too sharp, and I always take a small piece of 1000P or
1500 wet-dry sandpaper to the edge to soften it up a bit and avoid those
papercut type slices. Not jagged or saw blade, it's a sharp square edge,
like on a really nice pair of steel hand shears.

I bought the little hand nibbler they sell. It was <$10 and works great for
cutting intricate shapes for tiny board mounting solutions, but a real PITA
for long straight cuts.

On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 10:04 AM, Steve <steve65@...> wrote:

>
>
> Anyone using the Micro-Mark 83213 MINI METAL SHEAR / BRAKE to cut 1/16"
> FR4? The shear is at
> http://www.micromark.com/MINI-METAL-SHEAR-and-BRAKE,8395.html
>
> What has been your experience with it? Easy to use? Clean cuts? Problems
> or deficiencies?
>
> A search of the group archives turned up two references to this tool,
> but no comments regarding its usefulness for cutting PCB material.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Steve K8JQ
>
> --
> Read The Patriot It's Right -- It's Free
> http://PatriotPost.US/subscribe/ Veritas vos Liberabit
>
>  
>


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