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Homebrew PCBs

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Message

Re: Making PCBs - The other tasks

2005-04-25 by Ben H. Lanmon

> I know  Dremel do a few add-ons for their hand held drills, but 
are they any  
> good?<<
> Simple, accurate answer:  NO.
> 

> 2).  Drilling
> I can't really see any other way than a Dremel by  hand...<<
> Then you obviously haven't SEEN much!  You will NEVER drill PCB 
holes  with 
> proper solid-carbide PCB drills with a Dremel.  Even with 
their "drill  press 
> stand" thing, there's little chance!  
>  
> You MUST use a proper and accurate drill-press.  If you can find 
one  of the 
> little versions at HF (better:  Enco, though not much!) with no  
runout (15% 
> chance?) that may do if you can hold the board steady on the  
table.  

Drilling

Well I agree that the Dremel is not the best but they do work and 
work pretty good.  I drilled over 6000 holes just the other day with 
a Dermel Tool and Dermel Drill Press using Carbide bits from .7mm to 
2mm did not break a bit.  When I do break a bit it is due to not 
holding the board down good.

What HF drill press are you talking about?  Not too sure a HF drill 
press would be any better than a Dremel Tool.

Cutting PCB's

1.  A table saw with a diamond blade works good, but you need very 
good dust collection to go with it, and put a filter on your motor 
air intake. 

2.  Bench Type Sheet Metal Shears work good.  I have a Kepro PCB 
Shear that works nice.

Have not gotten into the Screen Printing just yet but I am 
interested in screen printing labeling, and then maybe mask.  don't 
really know of any other method, some say that Toner Transfer works 
good for the Labeling.  

I currently use positive photo for layout, once you are set up to do 
it, it is easy and give good repeatable results.  Use MG Chemical's 
600 series boards.


Ben

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