Homebrew PCBs

I'm still using the same two reconditioned HF bits
from their $9.95 box of bits package.  Over 600 holes
drilled so far.

Based on the comment as to how best to cut PC board
material, I'm looking at their $59.99 4" wet tile saw
with diamond blade.  I have their sheet metal brake
and one of the famous circular punches, and I'm
satisfied with the quality.

Ted Bruce KX4OM

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--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Ted Bruce <kilocycles@y...> wrote:
>
> I'm still using the same two reconditioned HF bits
> from their $9.95 box of bits package.  Over 600 holes
> drilled so far.
> 
> Based on the comment as to how best to cut PC board
> material, I'm looking at their $59.99 4" wet tile saw
> with diamond blade.  I have their sheet metal brake
> and one of the famous circular punches, and I'm
> satisfied with the quality.
> 
> Ted Bruce KX4OM

Let us know how that works on PC board.   Now that you men-
tioned it, I think I will see about getting a diamond blade
for my table saw to cut PC board.

Alan

Alan,
Now that you mention it, I have a saw table I haven't used in years
that mounts a regular 7 - 7/14-in circular saw.  The carbide blades
for those saws are pretty thick, since their application is not
usually fine finish work, but I haven't investigated diamond blades. 
The diamond-edge tile saws are made to cut ceramic material, so I
figure they'll do pretty well on fiberglass-epoxy.

The reground router bits I use are carbide, and they have no problem
at all with the PC boards.  In the meantime, I quickly dulled two
regular Dremel "hobby" bits drilling the stuff.  The downside to the
box of 40 reground bit deals is that there are only 4 or five sizes
that I'd ever use, at least for PC boards.  Still, they're very
economical when on sale.

Ted

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "alan00463" <alan00463@y...> wrote:

>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Ted Bruce <kilocycles@y...> wrote:
> >
> > I'm still using the same two reconditioned HF bits
> > from their $9.95 box of bits package.  Over 600 holes
> > drilled so far.
> > 
> > Based on the comment as to how best to cut PC board
> > material, I'm looking at their $59.99 4" wet tile saw
> > with diamond blade.  I have their sheet metal brake
> > and one of the famous circular punches, and I'm
> > satisfied with the quality.
> > 
> > Ted Bruce KX4OM
> 
> Let us know how that works on PC board.   Now that you men-
> tioned it, I think I will see about getting a diamond blade
> for my table saw to cut PC board.
> 
> Alan
>

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "kilocycles" <kilocycles@y...>
wrote:
>
> Alan,
> Now that you mention it, I have a saw table I haven't used in years
> that mounts a regular 7 - 7/14-in circular saw.  The carbide blades
> for those saws are pretty thick, since their application is not
> usually fine finish work, but I haven't investigated diamond blades. 
> The diamond-edge tile saws are made to cut ceramic material, so I
> figure they'll do pretty well on fiberglass-epoxy.
> 
> The reground router bits I use are carbide, and they have no problem
> at all with the PC boards.  In the meantime, I quickly dulled two
> regular Dremel "hobby" bits drilling the stuff.  The downside to the
> box of 40 reground bit deals is that there are only 4 or five sizes
> that I'd ever use, at least for PC boards.  Still, they're very
> economical when on sale.
> 
> Ted

Yes, that would work fine, I'd think.   How about the score-n-snap
method, i.e. score with a razor-knife and a metal straitedge, then
snap it on the edge of a table ?   

Has anybody been successful using this technique on fiberglass-epoxy?

I always like to try the simplest way first.

Alan

Different methods work, I have used successfully: a heavy duty paper 
guillotine and a sheet metal shear. 

There are small relatively inexpensive shears available. 

The other recommended method is to use a water-cooled tile saw --- again 
relatively inexpensive, the water captures most of the dust.

I have also used a abrasive cutting disk on a dremel -- poor cut and 
very messy.  Table saw -- messy.  The dust is relatively toxic, so this 
is a poor method. 

David

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

From: "alan00463" <alan00463@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 5:49 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Cheap rotary tools at Harbor Freight


> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "kilocycles" <kilocycles@y...>
> wrote:
>>
>> Alan,
>> Now that you mention it, I have a saw table I haven't used in years
>> that mounts a regular 7 - 7/14-in circular saw.  The carbide blades
>> for those saws are pretty thick, since their application is not
>> usually fine finish work, but I haven't investigated diamond blades. 
>> The diamond-edge tile saws are made to cut ceramic material, so I
>> figure they'll do pretty well on fiberglass-epoxy.
>> 
>> The reground router bits I use are carbide, and they have no problem
>> at all with the PC boards.  In the meantime, I quickly dulled two
>> regular Dremel "hobby" bits drilling the stuff.  The downside to the
>> box of 40 reground bit deals is that there are only 4 or five sizes
>> that I'd ever use, at least for PC boards.  Still, they're very
>> economical when on sale.
>> 
>> Ted
> 
> Yes, that would work fine, I'd think.   How about the score-n-snap
> method, i.e. score with a razor-knife and a metal straitedge, then
> snap it on the edge of a table ?   
> 
> Has anybody been successful using this technique on fiberglass-epoxy?

That's what I do. I use a Stanley knife, it works very well.

Leon
---
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--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "alan00463" <alan00463@y...> wrote:
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "kilocycles" <kilocycles@y...>
> wrote:
> >
> > Alan,
> > Now that you mention it, I have a saw table I haven't used in years
> > that mounts a regular 7 - 7/14-in circular saw.  The carbide blades
> > for those saws are pretty thick, since their application is not
> > usually fine finish work, but I haven't investigated diamond blades. 
> > The diamond-edge tile saws are made to cut ceramic material, so I
> > figure they'll do pretty well on fiberglass-epoxy.
---snip---
> > Ted
> 
> Yes, that would work fine, I'd think.   How about the score-n-snap
> method, i.e. score with a razor-knife and a metal straitedge, then
> snap it on the edge of a table ?   
> 
> Has anybody been successful using this technique on fiberglass-epoxy?
> 
> I always like to try the simplest way first.
> 
> Alan
>

Well, some of the stuff I do falls under the "Homebrew_PCBs" topic,
but it's not related to printing and etching.  For example, I need to
make four 2 x 8 inch pieces, with two 2 x 2 pieces for the ends, of
double-sided board to make a box for resistive decade box, soldering
the box edges.  So, I need to be pretty accurate with my edges.  I've
made some small boxes using sheet metal shears.  I really don't know
if I can score and snap a good edge with double-sided FR4 epoxy board.

I recently made a smaller box for an RF filter of the same form factor
out of precut brass sheets from Ace Hardware, but it's more difficult
to solder, and it turned out...well, butt-ugly!  They also carry thin
brass angle stock, so maybe I'll just use screws instead of solering
the edges.

Long term, I do need the ability to cut PCB stock accurately, not only
for the boxes, but also to make my PCBs a bit more square than I've
been able to do with the shears.  I also have a combo router
table-sabre saw table I haven't used in awhile, and it has a sliding
push-guide.  If one of the fine-tooth sabre saw blades can do the
double-sided copper without ripping it up along the edges, that will
be good.  I'll try that first and report back to the group.

Cheers,
Ted

Table Saw or a Sheet Metal Shear are the best ways that I have found.

I have used a Table Saw with a Dry/Wet Diamond blade, Table saw is a 
10" but Diamond blade is a 7 1/4",  also a fine tooth Carbide blade 
should work good but will have a wider Kerf.  For the board sizes you 
listed one of the small bench models should work for you.
If you use your Table Saw to cut PCB material be sure and have a good 
vacuum system on it for dust collection and also put a filter on the 
motor's air intake.  On the motor air intake I used a cloth type 
filter for a shop vac, and be sure and clean it.

Currently I use a Kepro shear that I picked up on Ebay at a good 
price, you can also get a sheet metal shear which is really what the 
Kepro shear is.

Also the Wet tile saws with a diamond blade should work, also guess 
would help keep the dust down.


Ben

I have a small table saw that I use, i got it on ebay for about $40.  It's
just a very small saw, uses a 4" or 4-1/2" blade (can't remember), the blade
that came with it is a simple carbide-tooth blade, and it's worked fine,
with no signs of dulling after a lot of cutting.  It's loud, and like any
table saw there's always that risk of getting your finger in the blade, but
it makes very fast, perfect cuts, no rough edges or anything.

I generally set it in a shallow box to catch the shavings/dust.

-Evan

On 1/23/06, Ben <bhleavi@...> wrote:
>
> Table Saw or a Sheet Metal Shear are the best ways that I have found.
>
> I have used a Table Saw with a Dry/Wet Diamond blade, Table saw is a
> 10" but Diamond blade is a 7 1/4",  also a fine tooth Carbide blade
> should work good but will have a wider Kerf.  For the board sizes you
> listed one of the small bench models should work for you.
> If you use your Table Saw to cut PCB material be sure and have a good
> vacuum system on it for dust collection and also put a filter on the
> motor's air intake.  On the motor air intake I used a cloth type
> filter for a shop vac, and be sure and clean it.
>
> Currently I use a Kepro shear that I picked up on Ebay at a good
> price, you can also get a sheet metal shear which is really what the
> Kepro shear is.
>
> Also the Wet tile saws with a diamond blade should work, also guess
> would help keep the dust down.
>
>
> Ben
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


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

I use this 8" shear from Harbor Freight 
(http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?
Itemnumber=90757).  Works great if your material is under 8" in one 
direction.  It costs $125, but it's a lot easier than the methods I 
tried before (jig saw, hack saw, mitre saw, power mitre saw, utility 
knife, utility cutter (one of those Sears tools that will cut garden 
hoses), and metal cutters/snips).

If you buy one, watch out for cutter alignment.  Mine wasn't adjusted 
correctly and I could have damaged it if I hadn't noticed...

Regards,
Dennis

> Well, some of the stuff I do falls under the "Homebrew_PCBs" topic,
> but it's not related to printing and etching.  For example, I need to
> make four 2 x 8 inch pieces, with two 2 x 2 pieces for the ends, of
> double-sided board to make a box for resistive decade box, soldering
> the box edges.  So, I need to be pretty accurate with my edges.  I've
> made some small boxes using sheet metal shears.  I really don't know
> if I can score and snap a good edge with double-sided FR4 epoxy 
board.