Homebrew PCBs

I have been using my table saw to make all the bigger cuts and the 
bandsaw to make the smaller "nibble" cuts. Table saw worked good, 
band saw blade doesn't like PCB material at all - dulls very fast.

This morning I thought I would try cutting up a circuit board with 
tin snips. I only have the "aviator" style and it worked much better 
than I thought, however, making a long cut was a bitch because the 
material would not flex enough to easily slide past the jaws.

I can see where that shear would make quick work of cutting up a 
circuit board, it also looks like it would be handy for cutting up 
sheet metal for a small enclosure.

Chris




--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Stefan Trethan" 
<stefan_trethan@g...> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Just discovered slitting/lever shears work real well for cutting.
> Something like that:
> <http://www.vansantent.com/images/slittingshear.gif>
> 
> 
> I always used a handheld shear, but it was a right-handed one and 
awkward  
> to cut along the line, and you need several cuts, which always 
leaves me  
> with a slightly wobbly result.
> 
> 
> Now i had this idea to try the lever shear, and it works real well 
after  
> adjusting the distance between the blades a bit closer by shimming 
the  
> lower blade.
> 
> 
> i was looking out for a big shear (the kind with a long blade), 
but they  
> are SO expensive... And i had that lever shear with only a few 
parts  
> missing which could be fabricated.. ;-)
> 
> The 16cm blade is enough for most of my boards in one, straight 
go. Even  
> with two cuts it will be staighter than a handheld shear.
> 
> 
> ST