Homebrew PCBs

Stefan,
       I sell plans for a PCBMill called the Brute. (US and Canada 
only) It does not use a foot! Yes you will see some variation in the 
isolation channel. I milled and sold Piker boards for over a year. 
They were milled on my older Brute design called the PCBMill. Like I 
said, if you stick with 4" X 6" boards you will be fine.  

                                               John





--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Stefan Trethan 
<stefan_trethan@g...> wrote:
> I have no mill (until now)
> but on a german page i read he couldn't manage to get a board 
milled 
> without "depth foot".
> he wrote the board material was not flat enough and the triangular 
shape of 
> the bit
> caused the resulting milled grooves to be wider/narrower depending 
on 
> height of pcb.
> he also wrote this effect is very dependent of the mill bit tip 
angle.
> and i assume it is also very dependent of the board quality.
> 
> i don't remember the url but if you can read german i may search it.
> but i have seen several pages where a sensing head is described.
> 
> the device the guy uses is made on a lathe (i think of aluminium.).
> it is VERY important to use a vacuum then for dust because 
otherwise it 
> will lift up the sensing foot.
> 
> also i may suggest you think about this dremel tool again.
> i have seen a handful of webpages where the guys ended up building 
their 
> own spindle
> with loaded bearings because the dremel was too bad.
> 
> maybe you can use a proxxon IB/E or another better motor....
> 
> if you design a motor mount for your new spindle maybe you want to 
add 
> sliding
> capability if you ever need the sensing depth foot....
> 
> 
> st
> 
> On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 23:27:43 -0000, crankorgan <john@k...> wrote:
> 
> > Arnie,
> > I buy 4" X 6" single sided boards. I mount the board on a piece 
of 1/4" 
> > pvc plastic which is mounted to the bed of my machine. The blank 
board is 
> > held by the edges to the PVC using the heads of 4-40 bolts. The 
board is 
> > held on three sides with two bolts per side. one bolt is added to 
the 
> > forth side after the blank is slid in and the bolts tightened. 
Because 
> > the tip of the bit is triangular, variations in board thickness 
and 
> > flatness do not show up if you stick with boards 4" X 6" or 
under. The 
> > real machine has an adjustable foot and a vacuum system to remove 
the 
> > dust so it does not affect the foot.
> >
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "acfrankenberger" 
> > <acfrankenberger@y...> wrote:
> >> I wasn't planning on using a depth guide. If I keep the boards 
flat will 
> >> I be ok, or am I kidding myself?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Arnie
> >>
> >> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Stefan Trethan 
> >> <stefan_trethan@g...> wrote:
> >> > why don't you use a household hoover with a flexible
> >> > hose (for electrical installations there are thinner ones) to 
get rid 
> >> of > the dust?
> >> > > the glass is bad for the bits...
> >> > > > here nearly anyone offering fr4 has phenolic too...
> >> > > any supplier should have it..
> >> > > i can't tell you names because i am too far away...
> >> > > > you should have a sliding milling depth guide for 
isolation 
> >> milling. have > you?
> >> > > st
> >> > > On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 20:08:05 -0000, acfrankenberger > 
> >> <acfrankenberger@y...> wrote:
> >> > > > I have a Taig mill I was hoping to use to mill out (trace 
> >> isolation) and > > drill some circuit boards. Would phenolic 
based 
> >> boards make the milling > > process less demanding on the tool 
bits?  
> >> Could I avoid dust collection?
> >> > >
> >> > > Does anyone have a source for phenolic copper clad boards?
> >> > >
> >> > > Thank you,
> >> > > Arnie