Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #02799
To: Jacob Booth J.Booth@mackillop.acu.edu.au
From: James Niemasik jfn@best.com
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 21:53:40 -0700
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: was PCB, now cheap drills
Interesting idea. What PCB material are you using - the paper stuff or the
fiberglass stuff (FR-4, something like that)?
Jacob Booth wrote:
> At 12:11 30/04/99 +1000, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >I hope to be able to put up a page on this on my webpage soon. However, you
> >will
> >need the means to
> >a) get artwork onto a PCB
> >b) etch the PCB
> >c) drill the PCB
> >
> >For artwork, you can draw with resist pens (only useful for small circuits
> >or
> >artwork touch-ups), you can use little resist stickers, or you can design
> >your
> >artwork on a computer, and print it either to iron-on paper for PCBs or
> >transparencies, which you can use an ultraviolent lamp with for special UV
> >PCBs.
> >
> >After you've got the artwork on the PCB, use Ferric Chloride or Ammonium
> >Persulvate in crystal (dissolve it) or liquid form. Heat the liquid and put
> >the
> >board in, then agitate it for 5-25 minutes. Then use an SOS pad or a wire
> >brush
> >(or dremel) to scratch the resist off the board, leaving the copper traces.
> >
> >Now you just need to drill the board, unless you're using a predrilled
> >board.
> >Use a dremel or drill that can accept a small bit, and drill those holes!
> >"centerpunching", which makes a small imprint where you plan to drill,
> >helps you
> >keep your bit from sliding around.
> >
>
> Just my seasonally adjusted $0.000023 worth: If you keep snapping those tiny
> drill bits (a bad habit of mine) in deseperation I found a nice, quick,
> cheap and nasty (but very effective) way to drill those component holes.
> Find a cut off component lead (the stiffer the better, eg a LED lead or
> capacitor one). Mount it in the dremel etc (this ONLY works in high speed
> tools such as the dremel, it won't work in a drill... at least, mine is too
> slow for this to work). Cut the end of the lead poking out of the dremel at
> 45 degrees or so and bingo... a drill. You don't believe me? Try it! Yes, I
> know they are usually only copper, and they are soft, but They last a
> surprisingly long time. And if it gets blunt, just a little snip and back to
> new!
>
> A few hints: keep the lead only poking out of the chuck as little as
> possible to avoid bending it. If the lead is too small to hold securely in
> the chuck, just thicken it up with some solder. If the lead is bent (it
> usually will be when you first try to use it) just spin it up to speed, and
> gently apply some pressure to the side of the 'bit' - it will straighten
> itself out. I doubt very much that these 'bits' will drill anything other
> than plastic, pcb material and cardboard. I use these all the time now, and
> save the real bits for other jobs.
>
> I hope at least one other person tries this now, or else a lot of typing was
> wasted :) - let me know how you go!
> Later
> Jacob
> -----------------------------
> j.booth@mackillop.acu.edu.au
--
* James Niemasik
* jfn@best.com
* James' BEAM Robotics Page:
* http://welcome.to/jamesbeam
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