Homebrew PCBs

a) The best quality cut i get with a circular/table saw.
There are small units with 50 and 100mm blade diameter.
The blade should be a carbide blade for Fiber reinforced pcbs.

With the full material carbide blade you get very smooth accurate cuts.
They have a glossy surface like the pcb top/bottom. no rework needed 
(wouldn't make it better).

Looks really just perfect.



b) The common method seems to be what is called "schlagschere" in german.
I forgot the English word and my dictionary doesn't know either.
To find out what i mean look at the following url:
<http://www.bungard.com/seiten/p-necut.htm#techn>
The cuts are rather rough, i don't like this method.


c) I have read about people using paper cutters but i think the results 
will be similar to b).

d) plate shears are useable.
With the ones i have i can cut 1.5mm fr4 easily.
The disadvantage is as you said the board gets warped.
I have to use this method currently because the flimsy motor of my table 
saw decided to rather burn then turn. Building a new saw with better motor 
is on the "to do" list.
It is fast, and no dust involved. The shears i have seem to cope well with 
the glass fibers.

e) i tried diamond blade for padsaw (tile cutting blade).
works but far from perfect.
A padsaw blade works in any case, for some boards.
But i don't think the glass dust is good for the padsaw "piston" bearing.
It is a bit hard to get a really straight cut with a padsaw (for me).

f) other types of saws will work, but a steel blade is dulled fast by glass 
fibers.


As a conclusion i suggest the following:
If you want good quality work buy a circular saw with a carbide blade.
I don't know if carbide-populated blades (like for cutting formica coated 
wood) work well, never tried.
A full carbide metal blade with rather small teeth works just perfect.
Get yourself such a saw and you will be happy. but it will also set you 
back 100\ufffd or so.
For me this is no problem as i use the saw for model building too.




Stefan



On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 21:49:47 -0000, javaguy11111 <javaguy11111@...> 
wrote:

> Any suggestions on cutting circuit boards. I have used a bandsaw, but
> it tends to be slow, dusty and inaccurate. I have tried paper shears,
> but the board tends to get warped and is only good for about two
> inches and it is too hard to cut any further.
>
> I have seen a few references to using a diamond tile saw.  They have
> wet tile saws with a diamond blade at home depot for $88 but it seems
> that the blade would get gummed up with epoxy and not cut.
>
>
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