Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Stefan Trethan <stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
>
> That's because most cheap tools have a laser or two now, the lasers
> they use are inaccurate (not set correctly), and bright enough to
> blind you for the rest of the day (probably intentional so you don't
> see how off they are).
> 
> I don't know if you can make laser crosshairs fine enough to be useful
> for PCB work, the ones I have seen on saws and drill presses would be
> worthless for the purpose because the line is too wide.
> 
> ST
> 
>


It would certainly be possible, probably easiest to use a dot. Find a cheap surplus low power HeNe laser tube. Gas lasers have far better beam quality than diode lasers, and get a nice glass collimating lens and use that to adjust the focus to a tiny spot.

Friend of a friend made a PCB drill with a laser pointing down from the top, then a foot pedal makes the drill bit poke up from the bottom. I just eyeball it with the little drill press I made but it is difficult tell where the bit is in more than one dimension before you plunge. It's so small and close up that depth perception is tricky.