Synth-DIY Yahoo! Groups Archives

Thread

Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-09 by Steve

There was some discussion recently on another reflector regarding the
use of a Proxxon KS230 table saw for cutting circuit boards. This saw
was praised for its usefulness in cutting circuit board material. It
seems the KS230 is the 230VAC version while the KS115 (120VAC) would be
more applicable in the US.

I have a tile cutting saw that I bought at Home Depot for (as I recall)
something under $60 a year or two ago based on recommendations from
members of this group. I use it with the 0.008in blade (again, as
recommended on this reflector) and it seems to do an adequate job on
circuit boards. I don't do a lot of circuit board cutting, just what I
need for my rather modest hobby activities.

The Proxxon saw costs around $130 from a source I found in the US. It
seems likely that the Proxxon is a better quality saw in general than
the tile saw.

Is there anything to gain by upgrading from the tile saw to the Proxxon?
If so, how and in what areas would the Proxxon provide better
performance than the table saw for cutting circuit board material?

Thanks.

Steve

Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-09 by bebx2000

Steve,

I use the diamond setup you reference and I think it is the most cost effective solution for cutting PCBs. Proxxon makes superior products, but I don't think their saw is suitable for cutting dry abrasive materials like FR-4. The dust will take out the bearings pretty fast. Also, it appears that the saw is underpowered. See the one star review here,

http://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-37006-115-Bench-Circular/product-reviews/B0017TO806/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Baxter

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> I have a tile cutting saw that I bought at Home Depot for (as I recall)
> something under $60 a year or two ago based on recommendations from
> members of this group. I use it with the 0.008in blade (again, as
> recommended on this reflector) and it seems to do an adequate job

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-10 by Steve

Baxter,

Thanks for the info and link to the review. Looks like at least one guy
is not very satisfied with his Proxxon table saw.

I've had pretty good success with the Home Depot saw and the Lopacki
diamond saw blade. Wonder how much FR4 cutting one can do with that
blade before it has to be replaced?

Steve

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On 3/9/2011 2:03 PM, bebx2000 wrote:
>
> Steve,
>
> I use the diamond setup you reference and I think it is the most cost effective solution for cutting PCBs. Proxxon makes superior products, but I don't think their saw is suitable for cutting dry abrasive materials like FR-4. The dust will take out the bearings pretty fast. Also, it appears that the saw is underpowered. See the one star review here,
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-37006-115-Bench-Circular/product-reviews/B0017TO806/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
>
> Baxter
>
>> I have a tile cutting saw that I bought at Home Depot for (as I recall)
>> something under $60 a year or two ago based on recommendations from
>> members of this group. I use it with the 0.008in blade (again, as
>> recommended on this reflector) and it seems to do an adequate job
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

--
Read The Patriot Post Vertitas vos Liberabit
http://patriotpost.us/subscription/

Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-10 by bebx2000

Steve,

Probably a lot; after all, they are rock saw blades. I find the Lopacki blade to be a bit flexible for a straight cut unless I go slow. When cutting thicker material this doesn't seem to be a problem.

Baxter

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> diamond saw blade. Wonder how much FR4 cutting one can do with that
> blade before it has to be replaced?

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-10 by Robert Blumer

Hi
I use the diamond blade on the tile saw and use it wet. Which keep the
dust down a lot.
Have cut quite a lot of Fiberglass pcb and the blade keep working.
Its been on the saw for a long time.
Robert

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On 3/9/2011 6:29 PM, Steve wrote:
> Baxter,
>
> Thanks for the info and link to the review. Looks like at least one guy
> is not very satisfied with his Proxxon table saw.
>
> I've had pretty good success with the Home Depot saw and the Lopacki
> diamond saw blade. Wonder how much FR4 cutting one can do with that
> blade before it has to be replaced?
>
> Steve
>
> On 3/9/2011 2:03 PM, bebx2000 wrote:
>> Steve,
>>
>> I use the diamond setup you reference and I think it is the most cost effective solution for cutting PCBs. Proxxon makes superior products, but I don't think their saw is suitable for cutting dry abrasive materials like FR-4. The dust will take out the bearings pretty fast. Also, it appears that the saw is underpowered. See the one star review here,
>>
>> http://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-37006-115-Bench-Circular/product-reviews/B0017TO806/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
>>
>> Baxter
>>
>>> I have a tile cutting saw that I bought at Home Depot for (as I recall)
>>> something under $60 a year or two ago based on recommendations from
>>> members of this group. I use it with the 0.008in blade (again, as
>>> recommended on this reflector) and it seems to do an adequate job
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-10 by Steve

I have also noticed the blade flexibility and have likewise found that
going slow allows me to control it pretty well.

Do you use water in the base of the saw table? I do and, while it can
sling a good bit of water around, there is no dust.

Steve

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On 3/9/2011 9:58 PM, bebx2000 wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Steve,
>
> Probably a lot; after all, they are rock saw blades. I find the Lopacki blade to be a bit flexible for a straight cut unless I go slow. When cutting thicker material this doesn't seem to be a problem.
>
> Baxter
>
>> diamond saw blade. Wonder how much FR4 cutting one can do with that
>> blade before it has to be replaced?
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

--
Read The Patriot Post Vertitas vos Liberabit
http://patriotpost.us/subscription/

Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-10 by Ben L

> I use the diamond setup you reference and I think it is the most cost effective solution for cutting PCBs. Proxxon makes superior products, but I don't think their saw is suitable for cutting dry abrasive materials like FR-4. The dust will take out the bearings pretty fast. Also, it appears that the saw is underpowered. See the one star review here,
>
>

Some use Wet Tile saw to keep the dust down. I have used table saw but dust is a problem. You need to setup some good dust collection and Yes put a filter over the air intake of the motor but it may still get into the front bearing good dust collection helps on that. I change to a Shear but tends to be hard to get nice square cuts on FR4 because sometimes the board seems to slip as your cutting it. Been thinking about getting a table saw setup again to do my cutting with a better designed dust collection. Get you or make some kind of panel sled to use on the table saw, maybe design some stops on to it if you do repeated board sizes.

Ben

Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-10 by gmanca101

I too had that issue of cutting boards, using utility knifes to score, then moving on to hacksaw use, and I finally used a Dremel extension wand secured into a piece of scrap MDF to cut the boards but the dust is a major issue so I only cut outdoors and with a mask.

I do like the idea of a wet tile saw/diamond blade and you can easily find a used one at a pawn shop or classified listing. Having used one, noise would be a factor but you trade off not having to worry about the dust.

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-10 by Ryan Bray

The absolute BEST method:

Tablesaw + NonFerous Metal & Plastic tablesawblade. Perfect cuts every
single time without any issues.

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On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 4:12 PM, gmanca101 <gmanca101@...> wrote:

>
>
> I too had that issue of cutting boards, using utility knifes to score, then
> moving on to hacksaw use, and I finally used a Dremel extension wand secured
> into a piece of scrap MDF to cut the boards but the dust is a major issue so
> I only cut outdoors and with a mask.
>
> I do like the idea of a wet tile saw/diamond blade and you can easily find
> a used one at a pawn shop or classified listing. Having used one, noise
> would be a factor but you trade off not having to worry about the dust.
>
>
>

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

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-11 by Harvey White

On Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:38:32 -0700, you wrote:

>The absolute BEST method:

Metal shear. Use a carbide rasp as a mill to do odd corners. Works
for me.

Harvey

Show quoted textHide quoted text

>
>Tablesaw + NonFerous Metal & Plastic tablesawblade. Perfect cuts every
>single time without any issues.
>
>On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 4:12 PM, gmanca101 <gmanca101@...> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I too had that issue of cutting boards, using utility knifes to score, then
>> moving on to hacksaw use, and I finally used a Dremel extension wand secured
>> into a piece of scrap MDF to cut the boards but the dust is a major issue so
>> I only cut outdoors and with a mask.
>>
>> I do like the idea of a wet tile saw/diamond blade and you can easily find
>> a used one at a pawn shop or classified listing. Having used one, noise
>> would be a factor but you trade off not having to worry about the dust.
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Cutting circuit boards . . . again

2011-03-11 by Erik Knise

On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 6:32 AM, Harvey White <madyn@...> wrote:

Show quoted textHide quoted text

> On Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:38:32 -0700, you wrote:
>
>>The absolute BEST method:
>
> Metal shear. Use a carbide rasp as a mill to do odd corners. Works
> for me.
>
> Harvey
>

Thin boards I always cut with tin snips. At my last job we had a 48"
sheet metal sheer so I used to use that sometimes. I'm pretty sure
there is one of those home depot 4" wet tile saws in my mom's garage
from a bathroom remodel we did about 12 years ago so I'll have to go
over there and dig it out and try cutting PCB's with it. For cutting
tiles I liked it A LOT more than the score and snap variety.

As for the rasp that seems like a good idea. I used to have to mill
slots in circuit boards every once in a while to get connectors to
fit. I just held the shop-vac up to it while cutting and there was
almost no dust in the air.

--
Erik L. Knise
Seattle, WA