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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: robmdall on November 23, 2010, 11:48:24 AM

Title: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: robmdall on November 23, 2010, 11:48:24 AM
Found today at Home Depot for only $4.88. Works like a charm. Makes nice long, straight cuts , even trimmed of about 1mm of board with no problems.

Thought I would share with the community at such a great price.

Of course, YMMV....

http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/robmdall/photo.jpg (http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/robmdall/photo.jpg)


28if
Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: jasperoosthoek on November 23, 2010, 01:34:03 PM
Cool! I've only cut perfboard which I scratch with a knife and break. This should be perfect for perf too.

Did you have the brown or green boards? The green ones are a lot tougher.
Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: mikemaddux on November 23, 2010, 09:28:14 PM
how thick was the board?
Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: robmdall on November 24, 2010, 07:19:18 AM
Sorry about that, forgot to mention. I use 1/16" MG Chemical presensitized (1/2 ounce copper- single side) board.

28if
Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: therecordingart on November 24, 2010, 07:27:24 AM
Nice find! I've been using a pair of tin snips the past few years which work pretty well.
Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: Kearns892 on November 24, 2010, 04:34:32 PM
Thanks! I had been using a hacksaw which took a lot of time and blunted blades so fast.
Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: John Lyons on November 24, 2010, 06:00:06 PM
The board you use will make a big difference in how it cuts.
If you use FR-4 (usually light green) then it will cut snoother
and without chipping. The brown CEM (composite epoxy material)
as well as other colors will chip and or fracture as it cuts if you use
hand shears.


Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: alanlan on November 24, 2010, 06:03:20 PM
I use a tile saw which has the added bonus of being lubricated with water which eliminates dust.  No good if the board is already populated though.
Title: Re: Good tool for cutting PCB material
Post by: caress on November 24, 2010, 06:08:30 PM
Quote from: John Lyons on November 24, 2010, 06:00:06 PM
The board you use will make a big difference in how it cuts.
If you use FR-4 (usually light green) then it will cut snoother
and without chipping. The brown CEM (composite epoxy material)
as well as other colors will chip and or fracture as it cuts if you use
hand shears.




yep.  i've found that if you score the brown boards with a razor or exacto first it's much easier to trim without fracturing.