Can I borrow your bandsaw? (UK)

Is that Holt, nr Melksham, Wiltshire?

JB

It's Holt near Cromer on the North Norfolk coast.

Cheers

Ian

That's buggered that then!

JB

Find someone with a shear and get them to cut it. There will be zero kerf. FR4 is abrasive and will quickly dull the blade, so don't be surprised if they don't like doing it too often. I have half a dozen places within cycling distance that have showrooms with metalworking shears set up.. maybe you could ask for a demo.

Hmm.. I wonder if anyone makes a shear with a tungsten carbide blade..

"JB" wrote in news:i435r8$btt$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

is it possible to RENT one?

do you have any local equivalent of Craigslist?

Other replies are correct, its very hard on saw blades - my small bandsaw generates sparks cutting FR4 pcb material...

Another option that I use is block the pcb between a couple of pieces of scrap wood in the vice. Rough cut to size with a hacksaw. Then sand to size on a linishing belt or sanding wheel. Use a dust mask.

Gee, I'm afraid to tell you but if you're that bad with a hacksaw, you're going to be only slightly less dreadful with a bandsaw. I suggest bringing a beer or two (payment) and let them do it...

Tim

-- Deep Friar: a very philosophical monk. Website:

At least you won't lose any fingers with a hacksaw

I would clamp a piece of angle aluminum or iron to it, use this as a guide to keep your line straight, start slow with light pressure and use a box knife to put a deep score in the board. If needed, do it on both sides, it will break clean at the score. Done it many times, you might need to change the blade once if you decide to flip the board. Then sand to square the edge. MikeK

--->

"Just call me Mr. Butterfingers!"

I've found that even dull shears actually still cut FR4 pretty well; sometimes it's preferable to a saw.

---Joel

How come the pcb manufacurer didn't cut it to size?

"Tim Williams" wrote in news:Nhc9o.15530$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe09.iad:

I believe that using a bandsaw is much easier than using a hacksaw. the bandsaw is doing all the muscle work,and you just guide the workpiece.

With a hacksaw,you have to be applying muscle to the back and forth action while trying to keep the blade straight and cut a straight line. IMO,that's harder.

He will need a bandsaw with the correct blade,however,and enough throat depth for the workpiece. cutting fiberglass will dull the blade faster,too.(if you cut a lot of it)

I've had reasonably good success using a hacksaw to _score_ the front and back of a board... providing you're trying to make a straight cut :-) ...Jim Thompson

For prototype use - why not just pull out a good pair of industrial- duty hand shears and cut it to size that way?

Cutting PCB with a hacksaw I agree is a PITA. But a good pair of shears will do 1/16" G-10 and similar just wonderfully. My favorites by far are McMaster-Carr 7102A15. And they are a true joy to use on nearly any non-brittle pastic sheet: polycarbonate, delrin, PVC, etc. as well. Get a good pair and you'll wonder why you ever wasted your time and effort using saws for any plastic under 3/32" or 1/8" thick.

Some claim to use heavy duty paper cutters for slicing and dicing PCB but I've been unable to do it well with this method.

Tim.

I have used thin PCB (

Sometimes it's nice (and useful) to be able to put them in the case.

I like combining milling with v-score so you can get mostly clean edges (V-scored edges are nasty).

I can scissors cut thin stock (~0.03", just shy of 1mm), but it's a pain to do it by utility blade. Often the cut doesn't go deep enough and I end up peeling the laminate apart instead of snapping it. Probably cheap stock anyway.

Tim

I prefer the 1/32" (0.031) for prototypes & homebrews as well, for the reasons stated. But I wonder if the "normal" 1/16" 0.062 FR4 would cut well with a Fein MultiMaster or one of the recent clones? Either scoring a break-line with one of the round blades or just cutting with one of the bi-metal cutters. Have to give it a try ...

I prefer to get it made the right size in the first place.... bit differenet if you brew your own :( That's a real PITA