Think Im going to go with a small table saw, would love a 4" Mighty-Mite Table Saw......So extra kudos points to anyone who can find a 4" Table Saw in the UK!
here is what I normally use, although the blades dont stay uber sharp long with pcb's
Wow, are those serrated blades, Osgeld? They must be tiny teeth!
Can you buy replacement blades for them? It's not a bad price.
Here's another source of "small saws" - not really cheap, though:
http://www.micromark.com/Saws.html
So extra kudos points to anyone who can find a 4" Table Saw in the UK!
You'd want to look for a hobby, craft, and jewelry tool supplier; Micro-Mark does ship internationally - but it may not be the cheapest option for you.
I also found these remarks on the Harbor Freight saw:
Not quite as small, but still fairly compact:
Hmm - another possibility I didn't consider:
http://www.tool-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Rotozip.html
Using a spiral bit cutting tool you could make interesting shapes on a PCB fairly easily; now if you mounted that thing into a CNC rig...
Here's something closer to 4 inches (58 mm):
The closest I've been able to find to Harbor Freight in the UK has been these two stores:
Machine Mart actually has the "feel" of a Harbor Freight, IMO. Apparently, though, Harbor Freight will ship internationally:
But you have to contact them directly with the order, and they only send by FedEx (and who knows what else is involved). Still, it may work out cheaper than some of the other options.
Wow, are those serrated blades, Osgeld? They must be tiny teeth!
Can you buy replacement blades for them? It's not a bad price
.
yes those are serrated, they are larger than a hacksaw, but still tiny, and yes the blades are replaceable, I buy them at the local Michaels (hobby n crafts) I think I paied 6 bucks for the handle and 2 blades, and replacement 2 packs are like 4 bucks
The jig saw or scroll saw is reciprocal action which isn't all that clean for cutting PCBs because the recovery tends to lift the PCB up and therefore jostle it around a bit. Of course, there's a little fork that holds it down, but it might scratch your pads, and cannot be used if there are chips on your boards.
A band saw is quite nice since it it always pushing the PCB into the cutting surface. They are MUCH more powerful than a scroll saw so the cut goes faster. Also they often have clamping surfaces for guides and so forth which is also nice. So I'd go with a band saw (I have both for woodworking and have used both for PCBs).
However they make a nasty screech going thru PCB (at least mine does!), they are a bit more dangerous than a scroll saw (just a little less dangerous than a table saw I'd say), and of course while changing the blade happens much less frequently than a scroll saw, it is more expensive.
I thought I'd add that you must be careful with what the blade is made of.
Sounds like a no-brainer, but your blade might be HSS (High Speed Steel), which will dull and wear when it comes in contact with the Fiberglass in PCBs.
Also, I just saw these:
http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G17455
Anyone had any experience with them? How suitable are they for through-hole projects?
It sure would simplify cutting out the boards...
Mini Hobby Circular saw
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1268441497/0
Things I've tried... all worked with various results:
- Xacto knife (score, bend method) Kills the blade and my hand. Leaves messy edge
- Plexiglass Scoring tool... Same as above
- Dremel... Kills the blade... makes dust... (feel sick)
- Bandsaw... works great... only a few attempts will kill the blade. Roughly costs $2.00 per cut if you add it up. New blade $8.00.
- Old Paper Cutter. Not easy. Most epoxy/Glass boards are OK, FR2 = death of the PCB due to stress cracks.
- Tin Snips (see 5)
So... I bought this: 8" Bench Top Shear/Brake from Harbor Freight
Works great... and I can now bend sheet metal too.
NOTE: Cutting part is on the TOP.
I would have thought that you would have the same problems as 5&6
Mowcius
probably not because the sheer will put even force across the entire board at once, vs a paper cutter or tin snips are only forcing a very small area where the 2 edges meet
Yes... the shear does not leave or create cracks in the FR2 although it doesn't cut quite a cleanly. A few passes with a big file and all is well.
Sounds good
I have been using a paper cutter for FR4 type with good success - on thickness up to .062".... but works better for thickness <.050".
I have been looking (drooling??) at those HF shear/brake things. VERY NEAT! allowing bending up small metal cases as well as cutting PCB.
Maybe I'll have to give myself a Birthday present
Ken H>