Homebrew PCBs

hi to all group members can u suggest me any simple & cheap method 
for drilling my home made pcb's

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:41:58 +0200, prashantfordwivedi  
<prashantfordwivedi@...> wrote:

> hi to all group members can u suggest me any simple & cheap method
> for drilling my home made pcb's
>


You can use a small drill, similar to proxxon (or dremel). The better the  
collets and bearings the happier you will be. Proxxon has very good  
collets, i have heard of problems with dremel and co.. Any straight  
grinder or router might be used too.


You also need a drill stand. again there should be no play, so use a  
better quality. I use a homemade pivoting drill press which also works  
very well.

Carbide drills are what you want for higher numbers of holes, but if you  
really only need one or two boards you can use cheap HSS drills. Those can  
be used free-hand without a drill stand/press and also work ok in lage  
power drills as play and runout is generally not an issue. However, the  
glassfiber makes them dull REAL fast.

ST

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005, prashantfordwivedi wrote:

> hi to all group members can u suggest me any simple & cheap method
> for drilling my home made pcb's

I put a 1/32" bit in my dremel with a tiny amount of bit sticking out.
This effectively prevents the bit from flexing and skipping.

-- 
David Griffith
dgriffi@...

In a message dated 10/19/2005 9:29:20 A.M. Central Daylight Time,  
prashantfordwivedi@... writes:

simple  & cheap method 


Use a fine small drill-press, spindle rotating AT  LEAST 3600 RPM, preferably 
12,000 or more!   Suggest a thin  rubber mat on the drill-press work-surface 
so the board will not slip  around.  Use solid-carbide drill-bits made 
specifically for PCB  drilling.  (all have 0.125" dia. shanks.)  Reconditioned bits 
in boxes  of 50 are available nowadays for 1/4 to 1/3 the "new price".  
 
HSS bits will simply not last for more than a dozen holes in  FR-4 
(fiber-glass epoxy).  Carbide will last for 2000 holes before becoming  dull, but they 
are SO  brittle that they will break LONG before they become  dull, 
particularly if you move the work-piece under the drill-spindle "by  hand".  


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

This has been working for me.  I have a drill press - any type will 
do fine.  I buy carbide drill bits from Harbor Freight tools - about 
$20.00 for a box of 50 random sizes.  There is a reseller on E-Bay 
selling random sized boxes as well.

This next part I do this way, but keep in mind I have many years 
experience running machinery.  I put a piece of wood (any flat wood 
is fine, MDF, Particle board etc.) on the drill press table.  I then 
start drilling holes in the circuit board.  The wood provides 
backing so I can drill through, and it helps to prevent the PCB from 
climbing up the flutes of the drill bit (not a lot, but does help).

I have only done a dozen PCBs, so I am a newbie, but not a newbie at 
drilling holes :-)

Chris









--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "prashantfordwivedi" 
<prashantfordwivedi@y...> wrote:

>
> hi to all group members can u suggest me any simple & cheap method 
> for drilling my home made pcb's
>

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "prashantfordwivedi"
<prashantfordwivedi@y...> wrote:
>
> hi to all group members can u suggest me any simple & cheap method 
> for drilling my home made pcb's

I use a cheap Harbor Freight $39 drill press.  It has lots of runout.

From Enco I purchased a microdrill chuck for $7.50 and 1/32 drill bits
by the dozen at $0.22 each.  This combination makes a spinning drill
with lots of runout.

I design my boards so the center of each drill hole is etched.  This
creates a starting point for a wobbly drill.  The drill centers on
this hole and does its work cleanly.  I replace the cheap bit when it
gets dull.

A head mounted magnifier, bought for $8, provides a closeup view of
the procedings. 

For the occasional builder this is a nice system.  You can spend lots
of money and time trying to get a "no-runout" system to use carbide
bits.  I decided to just forget about them.
>