Post by thread:[OT]:PCB Cutting Resolve

<<opps: reposting to the piclist>> Re: PCB CUTTING? Thanks to all the thoughtful replies on this topic. I guess the best advice given by many was the health risk caution. I hadn't seen that as an issue--thinking "I was *only* going to cut a few." So now it will be with a breathing filter and be careful of what happens to the dust. I'm glad I asked, as a power saw kicks up the dust now and I'm reconsidering if I want to use that method. I hadn't tried it. The shear method is not available, but seems the best choice. :-{{ I tried the suggestion by several to score the blank PBC on both sides, like one would w/ a glass pane, only deeper. Took it to the heavy table saw table with its sharp edge and tries to split it. NO GO, this for a 4 x 4 inch piece. Even drilled about 6 fine holes on the score line across the board, still no crack. Guess what I need is a deeper score. May try again some time with a different tool. Cheers, Peter ------------------------------------------- >>> Tim McDonough <spam_OUTtimTakeThisOuTMCDONOUGH.NET> 02/11/02 10:25PM >>> > Has anyone experience using a table saw with a small dia. (4 inch) > "metal, plastics" blade? I have the saw but not the metal blade yet. The fiberglass will eat table saw blades very quickly. As others have suggested a carbide blade will probably work best. Wear a mask! You do not want to breathe in the dust from this. If the fiberglass chews up metal saw blades you can imagine what it does to your lungs. Tim -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

what about a band saw?? I was going to try this, has anyone mentioned this yet? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Barick" <.....A20PJB1KILLspam@spam@WPO.CSO.NIU.EDU> To: <PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 3:00 PM Subject: [OT]:PCB Cutting Resolve {Quote hidden}> <<opps: reposting to the piclist>> > > Re: PCB CUTTING? > > Thanks to all the thoughtful replies on this topic. > > I guess the best advice given by many was the health risk caution. I > hadn't seen that as an issue--thinking "I was *only* going to cut a > few." So now it will be with a breathing filter and be careful of what > happens to the dust. I'm glad I asked, as a power saw kicks up the dust > now and I'm reconsidering if I want to use that method. I hadn't tried > it. > > The shear method is not available, but seems the best choice. :-{{ > > I tried the suggestion by several to score the blank PBC on both sides, > like one would w/ a glass pane, only deeper. Took it to the heavy table > saw table with its sharp edge and tries to split it. NO GO, this for a 4 > x 4 inch piece. Even drilled about 6 fine holes on the score line across > the board, still no crack. > > Guess what I need is a deeper score. May try again some time with a > different tool. > > Cheers, Peter > ------------------------------------------- > > >>> Tim McDonough <.....timKILLspam.....MCDONOUGH.NET> 02/11/02 10:25PM >>> > > Has anyone experience using a table saw with a small dia. (4 inch) > > "metal, plastics" blade? I have the saw but not the metal blade yet. > > The fiberglass will eat table saw blades very quickly. As others have > suggested a carbide blade will probably work best. > > Wear a mask! You do not want to breathe in the dust from this. If the > fiberglass chews up metal saw blades you can imagine what it does to > your lungs. > Tim > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Peter Barick wrote: > I tried the suggestion by several to score the blank PBC on both sides, > like one would w/ a glass pane, only deeper. Took it to the heavy table > saw table with its sharp edge and tries to split it. NO GO, this for a 4 > x 4 inch piece. Even drilled about 6 fine holes on the score line across > the board, still no crack. > > Guess what I need is a deeper score. May try again some time with a > different tool. That's because it's glass fibre mixed in a semi flexible resin. (Very tough for it's size) It won't 'crack' as such. Bending it will tend to tear the fibres apart and pull them from the stressed out breaking resin, leaving a messy edge. This can end up in unpredictable (costly) breaks. Try this as a demo. Cut a 1" square section out from the middle of a PCB edge. ------- -------- | | | | ------- The method I used was to cut down the sides with a hack saw and then place the PCB in a vice such that the bottom edge of the cutout lined up with the top edge of the vice jaws. I then used some flat nose pliers, positioned close to the jaw edge, to bend the cutout section of PCB and break it off. You will see that the section comes away nicely, but the break is 'fluffy' at the edges and needs dressing by a file. If you don't clamp both edges of the break line like this, the break will be a lot messier. You can cut reasonably straight edges along a PCB with a hacksaw if you cut the board so that the blade is nearly parallel with it. You get much greater control than by cutting it at right angles. A band saw is quite good, but the blade can 'wobble' in the cut giving a crooked edge, and you can veer of the mark if not careful, even with a straight edge to follow. You could use a router, but that requires some sort of jig setup and is dusty. A guillotine is probably the best, although hardest to get. -- Best regards Tony mICros http://www.bubblesoftonline.com EraseMEsalesspam_OUTTakeThisOuTbubblesoftonline.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

yes it works very well. just hit edge with a file or sander after cutting. regards Victor Faria -----Original Message----- From: rad0 <rden25spam_OUTMINDSPRING.COM> To: @spam@PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU <KILLspamPICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU> Date: Monday, February 18, 2002 7:00 PM Subject: Re: [OT]:PCB Cutting Resolve {Quote hidden}>what about a band saw?? I was going to try this, >has anyone mentioned this yet? > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Peter Barick" <RemoveMEA20PJB1TakeThisOuTWPO.CSO.NIU.EDU> >To: <spamBeGonePICLISTspamBeGoneMITVMA.MIT.EDU> >Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 3:00 PM >Subject: [OT]:PCB Cutting Resolve > > >> <<opps: reposting to the piclist>> >> >> Re: PCB CUTTING? >> >> Thanks to all the thoughtful replies on this topic. >> >> I guess the best advice given by many was the health risk caution. I >> hadn't seen that as an issue--thinking "I was *only* going to cut a >> few." So now it will be with a breathing filter and be careful of what >> happens to the dust. I'm glad I asked, as a power saw kicks up the dust >> now and I'm reconsidering if I want to use that method. I hadn't tried >> it. >> >> The shear method is not available, but seems the best choice. :-{{ >> >> I tried the suggestion by several to score the blank PBC on both sides, >> like one would w/ a glass pane, only deeper. Took it to the heavy table >> saw table with its sharp edge and tries to split it. NO GO, this for a 4 >> x 4 inch piece. Even drilled about 6 fine holes on the score line across >> the board, still no crack. >> >> Guess what I need is a deeper score. May try again some time with a >> different tool. >> >> Cheers, Peter >> ------------------------------------------- >> >> >>> Tim McDonough <TakeThisOuTtimEraseMEspam_OUTMCDONOUGH.NET> 02/11/02 10:25PM >>> >> > Has anyone experience using a table saw with a small dia. (4 inch) >> > "metal, plastics" blade? I have the saw but not the metal blade yet. >> >> The fiberglass will eat table saw blades very quickly. As others have >> suggested a carbide blade will probably work best. >> >> Wear a mask! You do not want to breathe in the dust from this. If the >> fiberglass chews up metal saw blades you can imagine what it does to >> your lungs. >> Tim >> >> -- >> http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different >> ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. >> >> > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different >ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

rad0 wrote: > > did it eat the blade? or chew up the pcb? > > how was the pcb? I might be willing to buy more blades? > > just curious. thanks If you do, make sure it has fine teeth on the blade, and it is 'taut' in the maching. Cut slowly with a straight edge to follow. I don't think that you will get perfect results however. I cut on them all the time, and clean the edges up with a flat bed belt sander if need be. -- Best regards Tony mICros http://www.bubblesoftonline.com RemoveMEsalesTakeThisOuTbubblesoftonline.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

i use a dremel with the reinforced composite cut-off wheels. it just buzzes right through it. at least it does on prototyping vector board, and old PC motherboards (hehe). once i have cut it, then i change to a sanding drum and clean up my edges. i haven't done this on any long boards. just some small stuff. up to 4" there are two types of cutoff wheel. don't bother with the thin non-reinforced type. they aren't good for anything, and have a tendancy to explode into a lot of shrapnel (the thing is rotating at 30k rpms) if you accidently flex it. the reinforced type i use to cut all kinds of stuff up to about 1/8" after that, i go with my angle grinder with a zip blade. so, that being said, WEAR EYE PROTECTION in addition to the breathing filter. hope that helps. moose. On February 18, 2002 06:23 pm, you wrote: > did it eat the blade? or chew up the pcb? > > how was the pcb? I might be willing to buy more blades? > > just curious. thanks > > > ----- Original Message ----- <snip> -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.