Pffft what do you guys know? (sarcasm inside!)

[Evad Nomenclature]

So.
I learned a new lesson today.
I yesterday for the first time etched a few patterns from tonepad to make a couple of pedals for myself.
I botched a few, and got a couple to come out nice.  One which came out, but was maybe a tiny bit spotty was the "Hexfuz"/Red Llama from Tonepad.  I figured since this one was the worst off/possibly usable PCB I had that I would try my hand at this first...

So, cool, all etched up, now all I have to do is drill it!

Now, I know everyone says "blah blah blah, you need a drill press, blah blah blah, precision, yada yada."  But I mean... what do these people know...?  seriously.
I did a beautiful job with my new dremel tool and a clamp and my steady steady (ok, i had a couple of coffees) hands...

Here's a shot of PERFECTION!  Beat that!



gorgeous, isn't it? I equate my talents with those of a 3 year old on a concoction of Crystal Meth, Coffee and Aderol. 

Ok. so now I guess I have to buy a drill press too.  I guess I could be a bit steadier! 

<3 Dave

[bluesdevil]

I use a Dremel without any problems and don't clamp the board, just hold by hand against a piece of plywood. I kept breaking drill bits when using a drill press because I was used to working fast and moving the board around, so I stick to the Dremel method. Takes some practice and a small enough bit to fit inside the pad hole so it doesn't wonder off as easily, that's all.
Also leave the pnp on and set the Dremel at the highest speed. Keep your drill straight. Keep at it!!

[GREEN FUZ]

I know you`re having a laugh at yourself ( and allowing us a smirk) but there is every chance the circuit will work as is. That said, I`d be more concerned about some of the traces which appear to have become smeared perilously close to each other. On the other hand, nothing a sharp blade couldn`t sort out.

With your coffee-jitters that last suggestion is probably inadvisable  .

[tiges_ tendres]

If you have a dremel, it's worth buying the flex shaft.  It's the weight of a pen and it attaches to your dremel with a long cable.  It's not as heavy as a dremel so it's much easier to use.

http://www.mytoolstore.com/dremel/flexaccs.html

You have to kind of lift your dremel up and give it some clearance so that the shaft can turn freely, but that isnt really too much of an issue.

[MikeH]

Practice make perf- err.... good pcbs

[jimbob]

I use a Dremel without any problems and don't clamp the board, just hold by hand against a piece of plywood. I kept breaking drill bits when using a drill press because I was used to working fast and moving the board around, so I stick to the Dremel method. Takes some practice and a small enough bit to fit inside the pad hole so it doesn't wonder off as easily, that's all.
Also leave the pnp on and set the Dremel at the highest speed. Keep your drill straight. Keep at it!!

I do the same exact method as well. Sure I go through a few drill bits now and then but there cheap. I getm at a model train hobby store. I do have to remind myself to keep the dremmel straight while drilling (over a card board box- wood dulls the bit)

[frank_p]

You have to act like a sniper. 

[davent]

Along with the flex shaft for your Dremel, get the drill press stand for it and if you haven't already the three jaw chuck as well. You're now set for anything. Oh ya, add a diamond cutoff wheel for trimming up your PCB's. Now you're set.

dave

[Evad Nomenclature]

I'll have to try that flex shaft.  The biggest issue I was having (when I started that one) was having the dremel spin off if I didn't put enough pressure (hence those asstastic marks and scrapes =)
The damn thing was flying all over the place... also it didn't help that some of my pads didn't have the center clear from copper so I didn't have a good pilot hole... er any pilot hole!

I'm taking a couple of the screwed up PCB's i had from crappy etching and doing some crappy drilling on the for practice.

oh and PS!  I broke my first drill bit already.. hah. 
God, I'm a frikken hack!

[tiges_ tendres]

I'll have to try that flex shaft.  The biggest issue I was having (when I started that one) was having the dremel spin off if I didn't put enough pressure (hence those asstastic marks and scrapes =)
The damn thing was flying all over the place... also it didn't help that some of my pads didn't have the center clear from copper so I didn't have a good pilot hole... er any pilot hole!

I'm taking a couple of the screwed up PCB's i had from crappy etching and doing some crappy drilling on the for practice.

oh and PS!  I broke my first drill bit already.. hah. 
God, I'm a frikken hack!

Yeah, drilling directly into the copper is tough, the bit will tend to skate a little.

What speed are you running the dremel at roughly?

[bluesdevil]

Everybody breaks a bit here and there, that's for sure!! Buy 3 or more at a time, if possible. I like the #68 wire bits a lot, but If you use off board wire thicker than 24 gauge it helps to move up to a thicker bit like #60. Also need the #60 for the 4001 diodes.... good to have a couple sizes around.
    If you find yourself still having problems with the wandering bit, try center punching the pad holes with something sharp, like scratch awl or ice pick. Hang in there with it, 'cause learning to make pcb's is the next important step to moving on to bigger more complex circuits.
 
   
   

[fpaul]

I've drilled probably 20 boards with just a dremel, no press, no problems except the neovibe board. I ended up buying the neo board from ggg, which I would recommend doing anyway.   I was too cheap to buy a press at first and now I don't see a need.  Maybe if I was making pedals to sell it would be worth buying one.  I do wear magnifying goggles to drill and solder though.

[drewl]

When I'm lazy I use a sharp tip soldering iron and burn holes instead of drilling.

[Evad Nomenclature]

Well..
The Dremel I bought is the series 100 (was like $37 I think)
It has one speed, 35000 rpm... the first time I fired it up it scared the hell out of me.  The only drill I've ever used is my Ryobi and I had no idea the Dremel was going to be ready to take off!

I saved my 2 good boards that I made for drilling still.  I have a Rat and a OJ squeezer waiting that are pretty clean.  I do need to make some pilot holes for sure though, I'm sure that was my biggest problem... the dremel was taking off like a shot when i hit the surface.

I'm gonna have to go and get some more drill bits tomorrow.  The one I was using was the 1/32" that I bought in the 6 or 8 piece mini bit kit.
I'll go check out some of those you mentioned for the wire and diodes, blues!

[scanlory]

When I drill boards w/ a Dremel, I first use a center punch on all of the pads that need drilled.  Then I place the Dremel in the divot (left by the center punch) and switch on the Dremel while it's resting in the divot.  That way the bit won't stray away from the pad and damage other traces.  Just be careful with the traces, they might pull off of the clad if you don't have the dremel perpendicular to the board.  This way has seemed to work better for me than just eyeballing each hole, practice makes perfect 

[Dai H.]

yeah I think you need to center punch the holes to help guide and keep the drill bit point where you want it. Haven't etched a board in a long time but I made some decent ones using a hand drill. Looking back, I probably could have used some sort of clamp and a piece of wood to clamp the to-be-drilled PCB on (so it doesn't move around esp. when breaking through the hole when it gets stiff).

[Evad Nomenclature]

wow.
I'm just plain silly...
I have an autopunch for marking enclosures to drill... earlier today I tried it on one of the destroyed PCB's and it brutalized it... but after you said this, I just came to the realization that I can actually control the pressure of the punch... duh...
duh.

Life just got sooo much easier
thanks

[yeeshkul]

Well, this is my first etching job and my first stompbox i ever made (Fuzz Face/Tone Bender in one box). It looks awful, yes it does, soldering is even worse than etching and some traces are partly destroyed by overheating. It works better than any other FF i have built since. This is what i use and never get rid of .... . Does anybody have something even more hideous to put here? Or am i the king? hahahaha

[Dai H.]

maybe you could use a scribe (if you have one) and tap lightly (smaller, easier to see the point of contact). I don't think you are supposed to use a scribe that way, but copper seems a relatively soft metal, so maybe you can get away with it (without flattening the point on the tip--I think they can be sharpened again even if that happens though). The reason the drill point veers off w/out an indent to fit into has to do with the shape of the drill bit head IIRC. As I understood there are other types of drill bits that have a point built into them already.

[Evad Nomenclature]

Well, this is my first etching job and my first stompbox i ever made (Fuzz Face/Tone Bender in one box). It looks awful, yes it does, soldering is even worse than etching and some traces are partly destroyed by overheating. It works better than any other FF i have built since. This is what i use and never get rid of .... . Does anybody have something even more hideous to put here? Or am i the king? hahahaha

lol.
That's awesome.
It looks like a decrepit cookie sheet that has been used about 7,000,000 times!