Cutting a Printed circuit board

[Gixxerfool]

So I've been making a lot of my own PCBs. For the most part I do ok. I need some circular boards and in past used a hole saw which worked ok, but I find the results inconsistent. I need three circular boards in descending size that can nestle inside of each other. Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to cut these?

 

[Mike J.]

The first thing that came to my mind was a laser, but IDK if that would release toxic fumes. IIRC, boards are fiberglass, right?

Do you need hollow circular boards?

You may just have to use the hole at a slightly larger / smaller diameter and tidy them up by hand or finer power tool.


-MJ

 

[Gixxerfool]

The first thing that came to my mind was a laser, but IDK if that would release toxic fumes. IIRC, boards are fiberglass, right?

Do you need hollow circular boards?

You may just have to use the hole at a slightly larger / smaller diameter and tidy them up by hand or finer power tool.


-MJ

i need to hollow, or ringed, and one solid. The problem with hole saws, besides potentially tearing the copper from the board, is there's a ton of variance when cutting them. Even using a guide hole in the center to keep everything aligned doesn't really help. I know they aren't meant as precision cutting tools, but it's all I have that will cut the board.

 

[Mike J.]

Could you sandwich the board between two pieces of wood, held together by bolts safely inside / outside the cutting diameter? I'm thinking it would make the cutting easier and perhaps cleaner.

The other alternatives I can think of would be scoring or snapping the boards in to rough shapes and then taking a Dremel or belt sander to them to tidy them up...???


-MJ

 

[xl97]

Can you get them professionally made? takes care of the 'work' for cutting.. (will be spot on in size then)

If you can wait.... then you can get 10 pcb's for $10.00 from China..

If you need them faster.. then they will cost more. (OSH Park for example.. great quality though)

I use Eagle CAD to design all my PCB's... kind of a big learning curve, but once you get the basic understanding of it.. things fall into place.


How difficult is the pcb? I might be able to whip things up to help ya out.


Let me know.


-xl

 

[Gixxerfool]

Could you sandwich the board between two pieces of wood, held together by bolts safely inside / outside the cutting diameter? I'm thinking it would make the cutting easier and perhaps cleaner.

The other alternatives I can think of would be scoring or snapping the boards in to rough shapes and then taking a Dremel or belt sander to them to tidy them up...???


-MJ

Thats pretty much what I I do now. I get ok results but would like something a bit more precise.

Can you get them professionally made? takes care of the 'work' for cutting.. (will be spot on in size then)

If you can wait.... then you can get 10 pcb's for $10.00 from China..

If you need them faster.. then they will cost more. (OSH Park for example.. great quality though)

I use Eagle CAD to design all my PCB's... kind of a big learning curve, but once you get the basic understanding of it.. things fall into place.


How difficult is the pcb? I might be able to whip things up to help ya out.


Let me know.


-xl

I have designed a few in EAGLE with pretty good success. I just print the layout and use it as my resist. I've never ordered them though. When you say 10, is that 10 of the same?

 

[Dark Aeon]

I use Eagle CAD to design all my PCB's... kind of a big learning curve, but once you get the basic understanding of it.. things fall into place.

In University I have used eagle and DipTrace. I needed about two weeks to learn eagle and about 2 Days to learn DipTrace.

I would not recommend eagle CAD. The interface is absolutely out of date, complicated to use and the free version limits the maximum board size to half a eurocard-sized pcb (100 x 80 mm (4 x 3.2 inches)). The full version sets you back about 2500€

The free version of Diptrace has a limitation of numbers of the used pins. 200 pins for the basic version free or 500pins for the educational and non-profit version. I am not sure if its allowed to link to the website, but you can Google DipTrace. If you need the premium version its about 700€.

 

[Gixxerfool]

In University I have used eagle and DipTrace. I needed about two weeks to learn eagle and about 2 Days to learn DipTrace.

I would not recommend eagle CAD. The interface is absolutely out of date, complicated to use and the free version limits the maximum board size to half a eurocard-sized pcb (100 x 80 mm (4 x 3.2 inches)). The full version sets you back about 2500€

The free version of Diptrace has a limitation of numbers of the used pins. 200 pins for the basic version free or 500pins for the educational and non-profit version. I am not sure if its allowed to link to the website, but you can Google DipTrace. If you need the premium version its about 700€.

Thankfully I haven't needed anything outside of the max size in Eagle. I can look into dip trace as long as there is a Mac version.

 

[TheDarkPope]

I'm assuming you're wanting them nested to save on thickness. You may be able to find 2 sided laminate board. I have a bunch myself and it's .012 inch if memory serves. It is a thin fiberglass middle with thin copper on both sides. It's used to make multilayer boards. Can easily be cut with a good pair of dollar store scissors.

If you're not wanting them nested because of space, then I can't be of any help.

 

[Gixxerfool]

I'm assuming you're wanting them nested to save on thickness. You may be able to find 2 sided laminate board. I have a bunch myself and it's .012 inch if memory serves. It is a thin fiberglass middle with thin copper on both sides. It's used to make multilayer boards. Can easily be cut with a good pair of dollar store scissors.

If you're not wanting them nested because of space, then I can't be of any help.

Thanks for the reply. My original plan was one board for everything. I wasn't happy with the way it was coming together and decided to break it down to separate parts. It will consist of an outer ring with a chaser led set up, an inner ring with a chaser going the opposite direction and a small board in the center for some fill light. Thickness isn't so much the issue as alignment.

 

[xl97]

That is correct.

10 pcb's of the same design for roughly $10.00 (plus whatever shipping method you prefer.. slow shipping is roughly another $5.00 or so)

this also depends on the size of the pcb as well.. that price is for the smallest size they offer. 5cm x 5cm I believe:


https://www.itead.cc/open-pcb/pcb-prototyping/2layer-green-pcb-5cm-x-5cm-max.html

I have used iTead, SEEED and another one I cant recall off hand (elecrow)

http://www.elecrow.com/5pcs-2-layer-pcb-p-1174.html



if I recall Elecrow gives you free color choices..

all were about the same quality.. (probably all use the same fab house..lol)

but if you can wait a few weeks for the shipping time... this is a cheap solution.

You could probably even go back to your single board design without issues.. and save there too.

 

[Gixxerfool]

That is correct.

10 pcb's of the same design for roughly $10.00 (plus whatever shipping method you prefer.. slow shipping is roughly another $5.00 or so)

this also depends on the size of the pcb as well.. that price is for the smallest size they offer. 5cm x 5cm I believe:


https://www.itead.cc/open-pcb/pcb-prototyping/2layer-green-pcb-5cm-x-5cm-max.html

I have used iTead, SEEED and another one I cant recall off hand (elecrow)

http://www.elecrow.com/5pcs-2-layer-pcb-p-1174.html



if I recall Elecrow gives you free color choices..

all were about the same quality.. (probably all use the same fab house..lol)

but if you can wait a few weeks for the shipping time... this is a cheap solution.

You could probably even go back to your single board design without issues.. and save there too.

Thanks for the links. I'll need to take a look at them. I never had to go as far as verification of the gerber files and such. It's a tempting option, I'm not so sure what I would do with 10 of the same board. Haha

 

[Darth Humorous]

I don’t know what tools you have, but if you only need one pcb and you have a wood turning lathe, you could mount a pcb on a wood block with fine nails in within the desired ring area. The block of wood would be mounted on a face plate, and would be round (ideal) to the desired outer dimension. As the work is spinning (slowly, at first) you can lightly press a sanding block to the overhanging pcb edges to bring it down to the block. Then use a very sharp cutting tool to cut away the unwanted core. Best if the pcb were first made into something like a rough octagon.

Or the block could be square, though you would need to find the center, which is easy to do with the tailstock. If possible, draw the desired 2 circles on the pcb with a compass using one of its holes as the center. Then align-attach the pcb to the block through this same center with a fine nail into the already established block center. Finally, put more fine nails into some holes within the desired ring, and turn the outer part away, and then the inner part (core). Again use a very sharp cutting tool.

Probably a small parting tool would be the best choice.

Accuracy with less frustration might be achieved if you had a metal turning lathe.

Mark

 

[Dark Aeon]

Thankfully I haven't needed anything outside of the max size in Eagle. I can look into dip trace as long as there is a Mac version.

There is a mac Version. Just look in the Download Section of the website.

 

[Gixxerfool]

There is a mac Version. Just look in the Download Section of the website.

Thank you for the reply. I will look into it.