Homebrew_PCBs

I saw a website where someone just took a dremel and fiber cutting
wheel, mounted the dremel over the top of the board and then just
pushes the board underneath it. I think he used one of those
flexible extensions so he could get the cutting wheel low enough to
the board and still at 90 degrees to it.

You could do the same with that small air die grinder at Harbor
Freight Tools, it is about the diameter of a marker.

Of course, with a shear you don't have the worries about dust. You
do -not- want to breath the fiberglass and resin dust from cutting
PCBs.

Steve Greenfield

--- Don Papp <donp+srs@...> wrote:

>
> Hi - I've used a small brake (to bend sheet metal) that was
> hand-operated
> and only about a foot and a half wide.
>
> I'm wondering if there is an equivalent-sized shear. Anyone know
> of any
> and where they can be ordered?
>
> Or, has anyone found a good alternative to a shear? I'd be using
> it to
> cut circuit boards... maybe someone on the list has a preferred
> method for
> that.
>
> Shears work great, but are plenty expensive and big and heavy.
> Not the
> sort of thing you can get for your workbench.
>
> Don Papp
> http://AEinnovations.com

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Steve,
I use precut surplus PCB stock. I think I saw on Think and
Tinker that the Mechanical Etching bits can be used to scribe and
snap board. I have a feeling this only works with some types. I
scribe and snap Perfboard on the holes.

John

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., Steve Greenfield <alienrelics@y...> wrote:
> I saw a website where someone just took a dremel and fiber cutting
> wheel, mounted the dremel over the top of the board and then just
> pushes the board underneath it. I think he used one of those
> flexible extensions so he could get the cutting wheel low enough to
> the board and still at 90 degrees to it.
>
> You could do the same with that small air die grinder at Harbor
> Freight Tools, it is about the diameter of a marker.
>
> Of course, with a shear you don't have the worries about dust. You
> do -not- want to breath the fiberglass and resin dust from cutting
> PCBs.
>
> Steve Greenfield
>
> --- Don Papp <donp+srs@a...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi - I've used a small brake (to bend sheet metal) that was
> > hand-operated
> > and only about a foot and a half wide.
> >
> > I'm wondering if there is an equivalent-sized shear. Anyone know
> > of any
> > and where they can be ordered?
> >
> > Or, has anyone found a good alternative to a shear? I'd be using
> > it to
> > cut circuit boards... maybe someone on the list has a preferred
> > method for
> > that.
> >
> > Shears work great, but are plenty expensive and big and heavy.
> > Not the
> > sort of thing you can get for your workbench.
> >
> > Don Papp
> > http://AEinnovations.com
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
> http://taxes.yahoo.com/

Have you tried using a jigsaw with a tungston carbide tooth blade ?

crankorgan wrote:

> Steve,
> I use precut surplus PCB stock. I think I saw on Think and
> Tinker that the Mechanical Etching bits can be used to scribe and
> snap board. I have a feeling this only works with some types. I
> scribe and snap Perfboard on the holes.
>
> John
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., Steve Greenfield <alienrelics@y...> wrote:
> > I saw a website where someone just took a dremel and fiber cutting
> > wheel, mounted the dremel over the top of the board and then just
> > pushes the board underneath it. I think he used one of those
> > flexible extensions so he could get the cutting wheel low enough to
> > the board and still at 90 degrees to it.
> >
> > You could do the same with that small air die grinder at Harbor
> > Freight Tools, it is about the diameter of a marker.
> >
> > Of course, with a shear you don't have the worries about dust. You
> > do -not- want to breath the fiberglass and resin dust from cutting
> > PCBs.
> >
> > Steve Greenfield
> >
> > --- Don Papp <donp+srs@a...> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi - I've used a small brake (to bend sheet metal) that was
> > > hand-operated
> > > and only about a foot and a half wide.
> > >
> > > I'm wondering if there is an equivalent-sized shear. Anyone know
> > > of any
> > > and where they can be ordered?
> > >
> > > Or, has anyone found a good alternative to a shear? I'd be using
> > > it to
> > > cut circuit boards... maybe someone on the list has a preferred
> > > method for
> > > that.
> > >
> > > Shears work great, but are plenty expensive and big and heavy.
> > > Not the
> > > sort of thing you can get for your workbench.
> > >
> > > Don Papp
> > > http://AEinnovations.com
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
> > http://taxes.yahoo.com/
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

I'm figuring that with your milling setup, you could have another
pass, set to cut deeper, then just snap them along that line.

Of course, from what you say the PCB stock wears bits out -very-
fast so that might not be the most financially wise way to do that.

Steve Greenfield

--- crankorgan <john@...> wrote:

> Steve,
> I use precut surplus PCB stock. I think I saw on Think and
> Tinker that the Mechanical Etching bits can be used to scribe and
> snap board. I have a feeling this only works with some types. I
> scribe and snap Perfboard on the holes.
>
> John
>
>
>
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., Steve Greenfield <alienrelics@y...>
> wrote:
> > I saw a website where someone just took a dremel and fiber
> cutting
> > wheel, mounted the dremel over the top of the board and then
> just
> > pushes the board underneath it. I think he used one of those
> > flexible extensions so he could get the cutting wheel low
> enough to
> > the board and still at 90 degrees to it.
> >
> > You could do the same with that small air die grinder at Harbor
> > Freight Tools, it is about the diameter of a marker.
> >
> > Of course, with a shear you don't have the worries about dust.
> You
> > do -not- want to breath the fiberglass and resin dust from
> cutting
> > PCBs.
> >
> > Steve Greenfield

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/

Well Steve,
I think you hit a home run with that idea! After the
bit does a large board it's just about shot. Having it mill a
spliting line is doable at the end of the run. The boards I buy
look snapped after being scribed. A milling channel is much deeper so
it should work better.

John

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., Steve Greenfield <alienrelics@y...> wrote:
> I'm figuring that with your milling setup, you could have another
> pass, set to cut deeper, then just snap them along that line.
>
> Of course, from what you say the PCB stock wears bits out -very-
> fast so that might not be the most financially wise way to do that.
>
> Steve Greenfield
>
> --- crankorgan <john@k...> wrote:
> > Steve,
> > I use precut surplus PCB stock. I think I saw on Think and
> > Tinker that the Mechanical Etching bits can be used to scribe and
> > snap board. I have a feeling this only works with some types. I
> > scribe and snap Perfboard on the holes.
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In Homebrew_PCBs@y..., Steve Greenfield <alienrelics@y...>
> > wrote:
> > > I saw a website where someone just took a dremel and fiber
> > cutting
> > > wheel, mounted the dremel over the top of the board and then
> > just
> > > pushes the board underneath it. I think he used one of those
> > > flexible extensions so he could get the cutting wheel low
> > enough to
> > > the board and still at 90 degrees to it.
> > >
> > > You could do the same with that small air die grinder at Harbor
> > > Freight Tools, it is about the diameter of a marker.
> > >
> > > Of course, with a shear you don't have the worries about dust.
> > You
> > > do -not- want to breath the fiberglass and resin dust from
> > cutting
> > > PCBs.
> > >
> > > Steve Greenfield
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
> http://taxes.yahoo.com/

I've used my tablesaw. I have a carbide toothed blade in it. Kinda
scary, though, as most boards are pretty small (the ones I make,
anyway) so I usually end up either scoring and snapping, cutting
with a dremel w/fiber blade, or using a hacksaw. None of which is
ideal, IMHO.

Steve Greenfield

--- Adam Seychell <adam_seychell@...> wrote:

> Have you tried using a jigsaw with a tungston carbide tooth blade
> ?
>
> crankorgan wrote:
>
> > Steve,
> > I use precut surplus PCB stock. I think I saw on Think
> and
> > Tinker that the Mechanical Etching bits can be used to scribe
> and
> > snap board. I have a feeling this only works with some types. I
> > scribe and snap Perfboard on the holes.
> >
> > John
> >

__________________________________________________
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Oh, I wouldn't use a table saw bench designed for woodwork. The circular
blade is a way bit fast. My variable speed jigsaw does it well, but make sure
you use carbide tooth blades. Standard steel blades in a jigsaw become blunt
after about 30 cm of cut. Hacksaw blades are also short lived.

Steve Greenfield wrote:

> I've used my tablesaw. I have a carbide toothed blade in it. Kinda
> scary, though, as most boards are pretty small (the ones I make,
> anyway) so I usually end up either scoring and snapping, cutting
> with a dremel w/fiber blade, or using a hacksaw. None of which is
> ideal, IMHO.
>
> Steve Greenfield
>
> --- Adam Seychell <adam_seychell@...> wrote:
> > Have you tried using a jigsaw with a tungston carbide tooth blade
> > ?
> >
> > crankorgan wrote:
> >
> > > Steve,
> > > I use precut surplus PCB stock. I think I saw on Think
> > and
> > > Tinker that the Mechanical Etching bits can be used to scribe
> > and
> > > snap board. I have a feeling this only works with some types. I
> > > scribe and snap Perfboard on the holes.
> > >
> > > John
> > >
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Games - play chess, backgammon, pool and more
> http://games.yahoo.com/
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Homebrew_PCBs-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

At 01:17 PM 4/21/02 +1000, Adam Seychell wrote:

>Oh, I wouldn't use a table saw bench designed for woodwork. The circular
>blade is a way bit fast. My variable speed jigsaw does it well, but make sure
>you use carbide tooth blades. Standard steel blades in a jigsaw become blunt
>after about 30 cm of cut. Hacksaw blades are also short lived.

Gosh - I've been using a radial arm saw to cut FR4 PCB material for at
least 20 years. The blades are 10" carbide with 60 or more teeth. Nice
clean cuts so long as the blade is sharp - which is quite some time. I
don't have hour figures at hand but I have half a dozen blades (all used
for different purposes) that I get sharpened about once a year.

The bi-metal blades for my Bosch jigsaw work OK as well and seem to be
fairly long lived.

I currently use the saws to cut 3' x 4' panels down to the size my 30"
shear can handle. Before we had a shear, we used the radial arm saw to do
all the cutting. Although the radial arm saw is noisy and dangerous, it
had NO problem cutting all the PC material we threw (and throw) at it. A
table saw with a nice, sharp carbide tooth blade and a fence that is
accurately aligned should work just as well.

dwayne


Dwayne Reid <dwayner@...>
Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA
(780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax

Celebrating 18 years of Engineering Innovation (1984 - 2002)
.-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-
`-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-'
Do NOT send unsolicited commercial email to this email address.
This message neither grants consent to receive unsolicited
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Dwayne Reid wrote:

>At 01:17 PM 4/21/02 +1000, Adam Seychell wrote:
>
>>Oh, I wouldn't use a table saw bench designed for woodwork. The circular
>>blade is a way bit fast. My variable speed jigsaw does it well, but make sure
>>you use carbide tooth blades. Standard steel blades in a jigsaw become blunt
>>after about 30 cm of cut. Hacksaw blades are also short lived.
>>
>
>Gosh - I've been using a radial arm saw to cut FR4 PCB material for at
>least 20 years. The blades are 10" carbide with 60 or more teeth. Nice
>clean cuts so long as the blade is sharp - which is quite some time. I
>don't have hour figures at hand but I have half a dozen blades (all used
>for different purposes) that I get sharpened about once a year.
>
>The bi-metal blades for my Bosch jigsaw work OK as well and seem to be
>fairly long lived.
>
>I currently use the saws to cut 3' x 4' panels down to the size my 30"
>shear can handle. Before we had a shear, we used the radial arm saw to do
>all the cutting. Although the radial arm saw is noisy and dangerous, it
>had NO problem cutting all the PC material we threw (and throw) at it. A
>table saw with a nice, sharp carbide tooth blade and a fence that is
>accurately aligned should work just as well.
>
>dwayne
>

Hi, dwayne

Well, if your experience shows there is no problem with table saws, then
I should give it a try myself. The 60 tooth blade in my saw bench
(Triton 2000) cost a me bit so I was weary about using it on "FR4"
material knowing how abrasive this stuff can be.

In a message dated 21-Apr-02 21:30:53 Central Daylight Time,
adam_seychell@... writes:

> The 60 tooth blade in my saw bench
> (Triton 2000) cost a me bit so I was weary about using it on "FR4"
> material knowing how abrasive this stuff can be.

Adam: Know this! It may cut FR4 (G10, etc.) OK, if the blade is properly
sharp and PERFECTLY-concentric, but once you cut 2" of the stuff, even if it
will continue to "do good" on FR4, it is NO good for woodworking (esp.
plywood) until diamond-sharpened, again!

Same with a steel bandsaw blade. A BS will cut FR4 "just fine" for a time,
but after only 1" of cut, it is RUINED for further woodworking!

Jan Rowland, OLD [deleted] who had BEEN there; DONE that!


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

At 12:44 PM 4/22/02 +1000, Adam Seychell wrote:

>Well, if your experience shows there is no problem with table saws, then
>I should give it a try myself. The 60 tooth blade in my saw bench
>(Triton 2000) cost a me bit so I was weary about using it on "FR4"
>material knowing how abrasive this stuff can be.

Make sure you have a local saw sharpening outfit handy first if this is
your only good blade. What I should have mentioned in my earlier message
is that once you start using a blade to cut FR4, that blade is great for
FR4 but nothing else until it is sharpened. I solve that problem by having
several blades: a couple for cutting PCB material, 3 or 4 for cutting wood,
a couple for cutting plastic (Lexan and acrylic sheet), etc. The blades
are marked with felt marker as to their purpose.

I am lucky in that I can walk to my local saw sharpening service - it is
just across the road from me. But I only go there maybe once a year -
maybe even less.

dwayne


Dwayne Reid <dwayner@...>
Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA
(780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax

Celebrating 18 years of Engineering Innovation (1984 - 2002)
.-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-
`-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-'
Do NOT send unsolicited commercial email to this email address.
This message neither grants consent to receive unsolicited
commercial email nor is intended to solicit commercial email.