Homebrew PCBs

Hi,

I'm assuming if you use a hack saw, it will let sun light in at edges,
so is there a better way?

Regards 


Gary

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Gary" <questuk1@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 11:32 AM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie...how best to cut pre sensitised pcb?


> Hi,
>
> I'm assuming if you use a hack saw, it will let sun light in at edges,
> so is there a better way?

I score it deeply on both sides with a Stanley knife, then snap it. It's 
much easier with the board material I use (fibreglass/paper composite) than 
with FR4.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
leon.heller@...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

On Sat, 21 Jan 2006 12:32:02 +0100, Gary <questuk1@...> wrote:

> Hi,
>
>
> I'm assuming if you use a hack saw, it will let sun light in at edges,
>
> so is there a better way?
>
>
> Regards
>
>
>
> Gary
>


Not really, i sawed it in the past and it didn't damage the protective  
coating much at the edges.

These days i prefer using a lever shear to cut PCBs, the glass kills most  
sawblades too fast, although a tile blade in a jigsaw worked ok. A small  
circular saw with a carbide blade produces the best edge, but is also much  
dust and noise. Some people apparently use tile saws with diamont blades  
that cut wet.

ST

Hi leon,

Where do you get the (fibreglass/paper composite) from? i haven't seen
any in the UK?


Regards 


Gary


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Leon Heller" <leon.heller@b...>
wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Gary" <questuk1@h...>
> To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 11:32 AM
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie...how best to cut pre sensitised pcb?
> 
> 
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm assuming if you use a hack saw, it will let sun light in at edges,
> > so is there a better way?
> 
> I score it deeply on both sides with a Stanley knife, then snap it.
It's 
> much easier with the board material I use (fibreglass/paper
composite) than 

> with FR4.
> 
> Leon
> --
> Leon Heller, G1HSM
> leon.heller@b...
> http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller
>

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Gary" <questuk1@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 12:10 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Newbie...how best to cut pre sensitised pcb?


> Hi leon,
> 
> Where do you get the (fibreglass/paper composite) from? i haven't seen
> any in the UK?

Mega Electronics, Rapid Electronics, ESR and Farnell.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
leon.heller@...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

I use a junior hack say to cut all my boards now. I also have one of those
really small circular saws but it wears out the blades too quickly.

To smooth the rough edges I just file them with a really small file or a
Stanley blade. Drag the blade along the edges but not trying to cut
otherwise it will dig in. Does kind of blunt them rather quickly so I have a
Stanley just for this. All my stuff is ones and twos though - no volume
stuff.

I use FR4 as I don't like the other stuff mentioned due to some bad
experiences that may or may not have been the board.

Ian

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Leon Heller
> Sent: 21 January 2006 11:45
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie...how best to cut pre sensitised
> pcb?
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gary" <questuk1@...>
> To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 11:32 AM
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Newbie...how best to cut pre sensitised pcb?
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm assuming if you use a hack saw, it will let sun light in at edges,
> > so is there a better way?
>
> I score it deeply on both sides with a Stanley knife, then snap it. It's
> much easier with the board material I use (fibreglass/paper
> composite) than
> with FR4.
>
> Leon
> --
> Leon Heller, G1HSM
> leon.heller@...
> http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller
>
>
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files,
> and Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>
> If Files or Photos are running short of space, post them here:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs_Archives/
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

In a message dated 1/21/2006 11:46:02 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
Ian@... writes:

I also  have one of those really small circular saws but it wears out the 
blades too  quickly.<<
Surely only HSS blades!  Use carbide blades!  The  ONLY thing for properly 
cutting FR-4, etc., with glass in it!





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

fwiw, I use a shear.

I have a Pexto 37" kick-shear, but I only use that
when I'm making panels out of full 36x48" sheets.

I picked up one of those old Kepro aluminum-body
12" tabletop shears a few years back, for a couple
hundred bucks.  This is what I use 95% of the time;
for all small work.  It's really a sweet tool to have
around.

If you ever see one in decent shape for, say, $100,
snap that puppy up.  You will NOT be sorry...even
if it eats 3-4 months of your beer-money... <g>

I have done some field-hacking of PCB material
with a 4.5" angle-grinder and one of those thin
cut-off blades.  Slices right through it.  Takes a
steady hand tho... <ggg>

If size is small enough, and clean cuts are desired,
and I didn't own many tools; my preferred hand-tool
would be a hacksaw.  Vise the board with a protective
layer on the resist-side, and hacksaw it.

If you have material to spare, and a decent guide
setup, the cleanest nicest cut is a router with a
carbide cutter.  All commercial boards, with those
beautiful edges, are routed out on their CNC-drilling
machine.

PS;  I have also cut a lot of small boards out over
the years with nothing but a pair of aviation-snips.

Works fine...can warp the board a bit....but some
hand-twisting straightens it out.  Anyway, that's one
cheap hand-tool method that works well and leaves
a pretty straight and clean edge...doesn't make dust;
and is also very quick.

hope this helps...

Richard
--
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