Prototype PCB Manufacture.

Guest
I have prototype PCB manufacturing at my work and I'm trying to set up
a lower cost facility at home.
The pcb drill press we have is a SAKAI (see
http://www.computronics.com.au/kinsten/) which is really nice but
outside my budget. We also have a guillotine for cutting the board and
I'm wondering what other people use (but not as bodgy as tin snips).
Everything else like light box and etch tank I already have but any
suggestions on drill press and Guillotine would be appreciated.

Regards,
Dean.
 
dean@impartsp.com.au wrote:
I have prototype PCB manufacturing at my work and I'm trying to set up
a lower cost facility at home.
The pcb drill press we have is a SAKAI (see
http://www.computronics.com.au/kinsten/) which is really nice but
outside my budget. We also have a guillotine for cutting the board and
I'm wondering what other people use (but not as bodgy as tin snips).
Click to expand...
What's wrong with Tin snips? :->

Everything else like light box and etch tank I already have but any
suggestions on drill press and Guillotine would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
I just score the board with a stanley knife and snap it off on the edge
of the bench. Easy to do and gives a nice straight edge. Of course you
have to leave enough material around the edge. Do this before etching
of course, no point etching extra copper if you don't have to.

I drill by hand, don't do enough boards these days to justify a drill
press.
Design using surface mount and often you can eliminate most of your
holes. Sometimes I don't have to drill any holes at all - nice.

Dave :)
 
Howdy,

I use a full sized pedestal drill with a "PCB drill chuck" from jaycar.
stock code td2010 about 9 bucks.

A pedestal drill press from bunnings these days can be had pretty cheap, a
LOT less then the $740 aud computronics is asking, also Kalex in Melbourne
are an alternative supplier of the Kinston range www.kalex.net.au and are
where I get my drill bits and pcb's cheap.

After much trial and error, I no longer use clear plastic to print my
circuit onto for the UV mask, I print my flipped circuit onto plain paper so
that the laser ink is touching the kinston board and expose for longer,
doing this I can cleanly etch super fine tracks for smd work down to 5mils.
I also built my own UV box, with 15w tubes almost touching, I found the real
Kinston box didn't have an even spread of light for super find SMD work


Good luck with the project,

Mark





"David L. Jones" <altzone@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1117780104.644012.283810@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
dean@impartsp.com.au wrote:
I have prototype PCB manufacturing at my work and I'm trying to set up
a lower cost facility at home.
The pcb drill press we have is a SAKAI (see
http://www.computronics.com.au/kinsten/) which is really nice but
outside my budget. We also have a guillotine for cutting the board and
I'm wondering what other people use (but not as bodgy as tin snips).

What's wrong with Tin snips? :-

Everything else like light box and etch tank I already have but any
suggestions on drill press and Guillotine would be appreciated.

I just score the board with a stanley knife and snap it off on the edge
of the bench. Easy to do and gives a nice straight edge. Of course you
have to leave enough material around the edge. Do this before etching
of course, no point etching extra copper if you don't have to.

I drill by hand, don't do enough boards these days to justify a drill
press.
Design using surface mount and often you can eliminate most of your
holes. Sometimes I don't have to drill any holes at all - nice.

Dave :)
Click to expand...
 
On 2 Jun 2005 19:09:28 -0700, dean@impartsp.com.au wrote:

I have prototype PCB manufacturing at my work and I'm trying to set up
a lower cost facility at home.
The pcb drill press we have is a SAKAI (see
http://www.computronics.com.au/kinsten/) which is really nice but
outside my budget. We also have a guillotine for cutting the board and
I'm wondering what other people use (but not as bodgy as tin snips).
Everything else like light box and etch tank I already have but any
suggestions on drill press and Guillotine would be appreciated.

Regards,
Dean.
Click to expand...
As for the drill press, a cheaper version of the Dremel tool is available
at Bunnings (I think) as well as a drill stand. This is only for high speed
drilling of the pcbs, typically 2mm and smaller holes. Tungsten carbide
bits are also highly recommended. I also recommend David L. Jones'
suggestion in that using SMD components just about eliminates the
need to drill holes, with some exceptions of course.
 
"dmm" <dmmilne_REMOVE_@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:0fn4a1l0fsobsibd4agt40c3b0a62156a4@4ax.com...
On 2 Jun 2005 19:09:28 -0700, dean@impartsp.com.au wrote:

I have prototype PCB manufacturing at my work and I'm trying to set up
a lower cost facility at home.
The pcb drill press we have is a SAKAI (see
http://www.computronics.com.au/kinsten/) which is really nice but
outside my budget. We also have a guillotine for cutting the board and
I'm wondering what other people use (but not as bodgy as tin snips).
Everything else like light box and etch tank I already have but any
suggestions on drill press and Guillotine would be appreciated.

Regards,
Dean.

As for the drill press, a cheaper version of the Dremel tool is available
at Bunnings (I think) as well as a drill stand. This is only for high
speed
drilling of the pcbs, typically 2mm and smaller holes. Tungsten carbide
bits are also highly recommended. I also recommend David L. Jones'
suggestion in that using SMD components just about eliminates the
need to drill holes, with some exceptions of course.
Click to expand...
I've tried drilling PCBs (FR4) with my Dremel using HSS drill bits - it
works but the speed is too high and I have found that it wears out the drill
bits really quickly - they tend to "burn" their way through. Carbide bits
may be better. I've resorted to using my bench drill press at it's highest
speed (guess speed is about 2000 RPM) with a smaller chuck held in the large
chuck, it works fine.

I use the Dremel with a cut off disk for cutting boards to size - beware of
the dust.

rob
 
dean@impartsp.com.au wrote in
news:1117764568.404934.157950@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

I have prototype PCB manufacturing at my work and I'm trying to set up
a lower cost facility at home.
The pcb drill press we have is a SAKAI (see
http://www.computronics.com.au/kinsten/) which is really nice but
outside my budget. We also have a guillotine for cutting the board and
I'm wondering what other people use (but not as bodgy as tin snips).
Everything else like light box and etch tank I already have but any
suggestions on drill press and Guillotine would be appreciated.

Regards,
Dea
Click to expand...
 
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