Homebrew PCBs

I realize that a shear is the best way to cut PCB.   But
I am looking for a cheap way first.    Has anybody tried
cutting either single or double-sided PCB with an office
paper cutting machine?  

If nobody has tried it yet, I will try it.   If someone
has already tried, let us know.

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 20:10:32 +0200, alan00463 <alan00463@...> wrote:

> I realize that a shear is the best way to cut PCB.   But
> I am looking for a cheap way first.    Has anybody tried
> cutting either single or double-sided PCB with an office
> paper cutting machine?
> If nobody has tried it yet, I will try it.   If someone
> has already tried, let us know.
>


Some have tried with very good results and some had bad experiences.
I use a lever shear, much cheaper than a normal shear, probably even  
cheaper than a paper cutter.


ST

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "alan00463" <alan00463@...> wrote:
>
> I realize that a shear is the best way to cut PCB.   But
> I am looking for a cheap way first.    Has anybody tried
> cutting either single or double-sided PCB with an office
> paper cutting machine?  
> 
> If nobody has tried it yet, I will try it.   If someone
> has already tried, let us know.

There are two kinds of office paper cutters, one with
a circular blade and the other with a straight blade
that pivots at one end.  I have used a straight blade
one on PCB stock without any real troubles.  I suspect
that cutting PCB's on the office shear is bit rough on
it, but what the heck.  I doubt that the circular blade
paper cutters would work on PCB's at all.

I eventually purchased a 12" (Enco #: 130-5700) shear
from Enco that cuts through PCB's like butter.  I got
mine on sale for approximately $70.  The current
non sale price is $107.

Hope this helps,

-Wayne

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "alan00463" <alan00463@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 7:10 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Paper cutter for cutting PCB


>I realize that a shear is the best way to cut PCB.   But
> I am looking for a cheap way first.    Has anybody tried
> cutting either single or double-sided PCB with an office
> paper cutting machine?
>
> If nobody has tried it yet, I will try it.   If someone
> has already tried, let us know.

I don't think it has the correct cutting action. I think it'll blunt it very 
quickly, even if it does cut it. Tile cutters work very well, I've heard. I 
used to get them guillotined where I once worked, in the metalworking shop.

Leon

On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 20:06:48 +0200, Leon Heller  
<leon.heller@bulldoghome.com> wrote:

>
> I don't think it has the correct cutting action. I think it'll blunt it  
> very
> quickly, even if it does cut it. Tile cutters work very well, I've  
> heard. I
> used to get them guillotined where I once worked, in the metalworking  
> shop.
> Leon


Strangely enough the shearing action doesn not seem to dull the tools very  
fast.

I wouldn't expect any visible difference between a PCB cut with a paper  
cutter and one cut with a sheetmetal guillotine/shear.

Tile cutters make loads of dust or water spray.

ST

hi,
   
  you can preheat the board and then cut, works fine for me.

Leon Heller <leon.heller@...> wrote:

          ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "alan00463" <alan00463@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 7:10 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Paper cutter for cutting PCB

>I realize that a shear is the best way to cut PCB. But
> I am looking for a cheap way first. Has anybody tried
> cutting either single or double-sided PCB with an office
> paper cutting machine?
>
> If nobody has tried it yet, I will try it. If someone
> has already tried, let us know.

I don't think it has the correct cutting action. I think it'll blunt it very 
quickly, even if it does cut it. Tile cutters work very well, I've heard. I 
used to get them guillotined where I once worked, in the metalworking shop.

Leon 



         


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

I bought a paper cutter from Office Depot for about $30, but it has a
blade that is less then 1/16 inch thick. I tried to cut some 1/16
thick FR4, but I wasn't willing to apply enough force to actually
start the cut. I was afraid it would ruin the cutter.

I just picked up another paper cutter, this time from Harbor Freight.
It was on sale for $13, regular price is about $20. This has a 6mm
thick blade, much sturdier. I had no trouble cutting some 1/16 thick
FR4 with it. It produced a straight, reasonably smooth edge.

The latter paper cutter looks similar to a cutter that I saw used in a
university's prototype PCB shop.

Cheers,
- Jan