Homebrew PCBs

I have one of those optical punches.  For me, it was
well worth the money to purchase that.  If your buy it
from Grizzly tools, it comes in a kit in a wood box.  There's
a holder, two "lenses" with two different marks to locate
the center of the hole you want to drill.  Then there are
two types on center punches, one is more pointed than
the other.

One interesting property of the "lenses", which are solid, clear plastic,
cylinders is that they gather ambient light to illuminate the
marks (cross-hair or small circle) and the material you want
to center punch.

So, to use the tool, you use the lense to locate where you want to center
punch, hold the holder in place (it has a rubberized cork bottom so
it won't slip), remove the lense then insert the punch and give
it a tap with a small hammer to make the mark.  Simple to use.

Accuracy is certainly well within a few thousandths of an inch.

Charlie

On Sun, 19 Jun 2016 23:02:14 -0400 "Brad Thompson
brad.thompson@... [Homebrew_PCBs]" <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
writes:
> 
> 
> On 6/19/2016 10:35 PM, 'Brad' unclefalter@... [Homebrew_PCBs] 
> wrote:
> >
> > So I\ufffdve etched my boards for my TV Typewriter reproduction.  I\ufffdm 
> quite 
> > happy with the result, however now comes the hard part \ufffd drilling 
> and 
> > cutting.
> >
> > For drilling, I have a dremel press with 1/32 and up bits.  I did 
> some 
> > experimental drilling with it and managed to drill fairly 
> accurately 
> > where I can see the holes.  However, some of the holes were 
> > obliterated during my efforts to enhance the PCB artwork, and 
> > especially for ICs I\ufffdm finding it hard to keep them aligned.  I 
> know I 
> > have a tiny bit of flexibility there, but I\ufffdd like to keep em 
> > straight.  I find it very hard to gauge where the bit is.  I was 
> > tempted to get a full drill press for this but reasoned the sight 
> > laser probably was going to be too big anyway.  Anyway, advice?
> >
> > The next thing is cuttin g \ufffd I found a fiberglass jigsaw blade and 
> 
> > man, it cuts like butter.  But keeping it straight is another 
> matter.. 
> > wondering if there\ufffds a better avenue?
> >
> >
> 
> Hello--
> 
> You  might want to evaluate an "optical center punch" as an aid to 
> spotting the centers of pads
> that you need to drill.The device consists of a base that has a 
> removable lens-- slide the base over the pad,
> center it by viewing the lens, remove the lens, insert the punch and 
> 
> lightly tap the punch. Remove
> the base and drill the hole via the punched point.
> 
> 73--
> 
> Brad  AA1IP... Writing from New Hampshire's west coast.
> 
> 
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