Homebrew PCBs

How about drill bits for PCB work?

What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?

How about a good supplier?

Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.

Chuck
WB2EDV

Hi Chuck,

I use carbide bits, something around 0.029 for most things, 0.035 
for header posts and 0.041 for TO-220 and trimmers.

You should use a drill press with minimal runout if you don't have a 
steady hand.  I drilled hundreds of holes with a hand held Dremel 
tool before I bought a stand.  Wear eye protection and be mindful of 
dust.

I bought on eBay and from Harbor Freight.

Regards,
Dennis
--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Kelsey" <wb2edv@...> 
wrote:

>
> How about drill bits for PCB work?
> 
> What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?
> 
> How about a good supplier?
> 
> Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.
> 
> Chuck
> WB2EDV
>

I bought my drill bits at drillbitcity.com . I manage to break the
smaller ones  through my clumsiness before they wear out. They have
some good variety packs that will probably handle most of your
drilling needs. 

I did not have much luck with a dremel. Mine had too much runout. I
ended up buying a high precision mini drill press for drilling my
really small holes. For a less expensive option I think some people in
this group have attached a high speed motor to a long cantilever and
used that for the drill press. 

Sizes can vary, but one thing I learned is when I create my pads in
Eagle Cad I make the holes undersize so when I drill I get copper
right to the edge. 

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Kelsey" <wb2edv@...> wrote:

>
> How about drill bits for PCB work?
> 
> What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?
> 
> How about a good supplier?
> 
> Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.
> 
> Chuck
> WB2EDV
>

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

From: "Chuck Kelsey" <wb2edv@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 9:16 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] drill bits


> How about drill bits for PCB work?
>
> What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?
>
> How about a good supplier?
>
> Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.

Tungsten carbide reduced shank 0.7 or 0.8 mm. I use resharpened ones as they 
are cheaper.

Leon

In article <000901c87017$fcf8c660$800101df@charles8u4rnw9>,
   Chuck Kelsey <wb2edv@...> wrote:
> How about drill bits for PCB work?

I use solid Carbide. You can often get re-sharpened ones they are cheaper
than new.

> What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?

With resistors and other compenents it depends on the diameter of the
leads. For most things, including ICs, I use 0.8mm but some require 1mm or
larger. Small diodes will often go through 0.6mm which is the smallest I
use. I also use 0.6mm for vias using thin wire (I don't do PTH)

> How about a good supplier?

In the UK:

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/home/homepage.jsp

or

http://www.megauk.com/index.php

> Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.

Ideally some sort of drill press with a precision drill. I put my own
together, largely from scrap, and it has a vice on an X-Y table like a
small milling machine.

I never bothered with anything to back the boards though I know a lot of
people do. Speed should be high but if you get a proper drill it will be
anyway.

Stuart

On Fri, 15 Feb 2008, Chuck Kelsey wrote:

> How about drill bits for PCB work?
>
> What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?

I just use 0.8mm and 1.0mm HSS bits in a drill press. They seem to last
long enough (I've got hundreds of holes out of the 0.8mm bits) and are
often available at the hardware store.

0.8mm for IC pins and most passives
1.0mm for things like jumpers, connectors etc.

Hi,

I use Proxxon speerdrills. I can even drill .6mm without using a drill 
column.And they're very durable
For backingmaterial I use an old piece of PCB or, and that's what PCB 
manufacturers use, a piece of MDF with a sort of hard coating

P



--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Kelsey" <wb2edv@...> wrote:

>
> How about drill bits for PCB work?
> 
> What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?
> 
> How about a good supplier?
> 
> Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.
> 
> Chuck
> WB2EDV
>

My PCB manufacturer (which i use at work) uses a green material as
backing, with a white coating on both sides. The stuff is a bit like
MDF, but i don't think it contains wood chips. It's more like very bad
phenolic board if that makes sense. They sometimes send pieces of it
(used, you can see the drill pattern of other people's mighty
complicated boards) with the PCBs, and it makes good workbench surface
protection because it is sort of heat resistant.

I suppose the proxxon drills are by far not as brittle as carbide
drills, good idea if someone doesn't want to make a drill press for
this purpose.

ST

On Feb 16, 2008 5:45 PM, P <apache2000_nl@...> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I use Proxxon speerdrills. I can even drill .6mm without using a drill
> column.And they're very durable
> For backingmaterial I use an old piece of PCB or, and that's what PCB
> manufacturers use, a piece of MDF with a sort of hard coating
>
> P
>
>

Electronic Goldmine has good prices for quantity PC drill 
bits.  http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com

At 09:40 PM 2/15/2008, javaguy11111 wrote:
>I bought my drill bits at drillbitcity.com . I manage to break the
>smaller ones  through my clumsiness before they wear out. They have
>some good variety packs that will probably handle most of your
>drilling needs.
>
>I did not have much luck with a dremel. Mine had too much runout. I
>ended up buying a high precision mini drill press for drilling my
>really small holes. For a less expensive option I think some people in
>this group have attached a high speed motor to a long cantilever and
>used that for the drill press.
>
>Sizes can vary, but one thing I learned is when I create my pads in
>Eagle Cad I make the holes undersize so when I drill I get copper
>right to the edge.
>
>--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Kelsey" <wb2edv@...> wrote:
> >
> > How about drill bits for PCB work?
> >
> > What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?
> >
> > How about a good supplier?
> >
> > Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.
> >
> > Chuck
> > WB2EDV
> >
>
>
>
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

         73,
         Mike, K4GMH 

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

> > How about drill bits for PCB work?
> > 
> > What's the best size for DIP IC's, resistors, etc?
> > 
> > How about a good supplier?
> > 
> > Do's and don't about drilling - speed, backing material, etc.

Carbide bits work best in FR-4 material, HSS will dull very fast but 
will not break as easy as Carbide bits.  So depends on material and 
how much drilling you intend to do.

To get started the Dermmal drill press and high speed tools work 
good, and then there are others like it out there too.

I use a shop vac set up to suck up the dust as you drill, helps keeps 
the work clear and dust out of you.

Drilling speed I run the Dermmal on High Speed. With these small bits 
the higher speed is better.

Safety glasses are a must.

Bit sizes depend on the leads.  The smallest I use is .7mm .0280" 
upto 2mm .0787".

Dips I normally use .8mm  .0315".  Resistor depends on wattage, the 
1/4 watts that I normally use I use .8mm  .0315".  

Drill Bits:
Think & Tinker   http://www.thinktink.com/

Ebay                    www.ebay.com      Most likely the cheapest 
choice for anyone size

Harbor Freight   http://www.harborfreight.com/


Ben

Chuck,

At the risk of sounding like a broken disc here - try to contact a local 
board house. They use TONS of carbide drill bits, and they have to 
replace them shortly before they are going bad. In other words, what 
they throw away as unseable, will let you drill hunderds of holes per 
bit, and chances that you get them for free are high.

That's the way I got the ones I use.

HTH

Markus

Chuck Kelsey schrieb:

>
> How about a good supplier?
>

"P" <apache2000_nl@...> writes:
> For backingmaterial I use an old piece of PCB or, and that's what PCB 
> manufacturers use, a piece of MDF with a sort of hard coating

Since my drill press is wooden, I just fill the hole with wood filler
when I'm done.  The next time I use it, it's hard and I just sand it
smooth.

That's kind of what I was wondering. Can I simply drill through the glass 
epoxy into a piece of soft pine, or is that a no-no???

Chuck
WB2EDV



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

From: "DJ Delorie" <dj@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: drill bits


>
> "P" <apache2000_nl@...> writes:
>> For backingmaterial I use an old piece of PCB or, and that's what PCB
>> manufacturers use, a piece of MDF with a sort of hard coating
>
> Since my drill press is wooden, I just fill the hole with wood filler
> when I'm done.  The next time I use it, it's hard and I just sand it
> smooth.
>
>

In a message dated 2/16/2008 11:00:05 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
wb2edv@... writes:

Can I  simply drill through the glass epoxy into a piece of soft pine, or is 
that a  no-no???<<
Yes, but better, aluminum-clad fiberboard MADE for "backup" purposes.   It 
reduces the "exit burr" even a sharp, high-speed makes upon leaving the  copper 
on a PCB.
 
One other point:  A "drill press" MUST be used if you use carbide  bits!  A 
hand-held Dremel, no matter HOW fine and new the bearings may be,  and no 
matter HOW steady your hand is, will BUST carbide bits after one or two  holes!  
(Maybe you can do a few with a 1/16" or larger dia. bit, but NOT a  #56 or 
smaller!)
 
A HSS bit is perhaps flexible enough to tolerate hand-held drilling if you  
are SUPER-careful and accurate, but it will DULL in FR-4 after two holes!   
Carbide bits in a drill-press are the ONLY way to do it!  




**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)


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

"Chuck Kelsey" <wb2edv@...> writes:
> That's kind of what I was wondering. Can I simply drill through the
> glass epoxy into a piece of soft pine, or is that a no-no???

http://www.delorie.com/pcb/dremel-stand/

The base is oak plywood, not pine.  Even so, I've never had a problem
using any type of wood as a backer, as long as it's flat enough to
contact the pcb.

On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 JanRwl@... wrote:

> A HSS bit is perhaps flexible enough to tolerate hand-held drilling if you
> are SUPER-careful and accurate, but it will DULL in FR-4 after two holes!
> Carbide bits in a drill-press are the ONLY way to do it!

I've done hundreds of holes with an 0.8mm HSS bit, they don't seem to dull
_that_ quickly.

In a message dated 2/17/2008 12:51:03 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
dyls@... writes:

I've  done hundreds of holes with an 0.8mm HSS bit, they don't seem to 
dull_that_  quickly.<<
In phenolic?




**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)


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

Not in FR4. If you use HSS in FR4 you drill the first 10 holes, and
you just friction melt them from that point on with a rounded stick.
The hole quality is bad with a blunt drill, burr on the top, large
burr on the bottom, and delamination from heat.

In phenolic paperboard i will believe it easily, but not FR4.

Been there, done that. By the way a HSS drill just broken off flat
drills PCBs almost as good as one with a proper tip at high speed. So
instead of re-grinding the tiny cutting edges just hold it end on
against the grinding wheel.

ST

On Feb 17, 2008 7:50 AM, Dylan Smith <dyls@...> wrote:
> On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 JanRwl@... wrote:
>
> > A HSS bit is perhaps flexible enough to tolerate hand-held drilling if you
> > are SUPER-careful and accurate, but it will DULL in FR-4 after two holes!
> > Carbide bits in a drill-press are the ONLY way to do it!
>
> I've done hundreds of holes with an 0.8mm HSS bit, they don't seem to dull
> _that_ quickly.
>

Nice design!

You can tell you are an experienced woodworker.

Using the flexibilty of the wood as a spring, is simple and elegant.

Myc

On 17 Feb 2008 00:54:28 -0500, DJ Delorie <dj@...> wrote:

>
> "Chuck Kelsey" <wb2edv@... <wb2edv%40roadrunner.com>> writes:
> > That's kind of what I was wondering. Can I simply drill through the
> > glass epoxy into a piece of soft pine, or is that a no-no???
>
> http://www.delorie.com/pcb/dremel-stand/
>
> The base is oak plywood, not pine. Even so, I've never had a problem
> using any type of wood as a backer, as long as it's flat enough to
> contact the pcb.
>
> 
>


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