I was looking at my cheap mandrel mount hole saw as a way of cutting 1" to 1-1/8" holes for bottom mount octal sockets in double sided pcb material (polyimide) but as I have a few to do and don't like dust was wondering if a GreenLee might not be a better way.
Anybody done this? Not sure if the board material might crack with this method. If you have had good luck with this or any other method for that matter, any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks
Anybody done this? Not sure if the board material might crack with this method. If you have had good luck with this or any other method for that matter, any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks
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That's worked when I tried it. Use a scrap 1/16" pcb and see, but a newer, sharper punch is best.
You can first apply masking tape on both sides to catch any dust.
The bottom copper may be pushed down around the edge of the hole a little depending on the punch,
but you can use a very thin layer of steel etc. on the bottom side to reduce that.
You can first apply masking tape on both sides to catch any dust.
The bottom copper may be pushed down around the edge of the hole a little depending on the punch,
but you can use a very thin layer of steel etc. on the bottom side to reduce that.
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if not FR4 types, paper phenolic is used, i heat the later in a stove so that i am able to use big scissors to cut them to size, a hot board is so easy to cut...
I've never liked hole saws for neat, clean holes. Tried many brands and price points, and never seem to be able to get a good result. They all seem to wander and give a messy edge, even when clamping the work in a press.
A Greenlee would work, but on double-sided board might pull away the copper on the blowout side as these punches have large clearances. I once tried this method on a Strippit Custom AG press at work, and even with a very tight die clearance this was an issue.
Step drills are my go-to for most manual jobs. On FR4 PC boards I have no problems. On double-sided board I would recommend starting from one side and then finishing from the other. That gives a nice clean edge on both sides.
Unfortunately, any method (other than punch) is going to create dust, but a shop vac can mitigate this issue considerably
A Greenlee would work, but on double-sided board might pull away the copper on the blowout side as these punches have large clearances. I once tried this method on a Strippit Custom AG press at work, and even with a very tight die clearance this was an issue.
Step drills are my go-to for most manual jobs. On FR4 PC boards I have no problems. On double-sided board I would recommend starting from one side and then finishing from the other. That gives a nice clean edge on both sides.
Unfortunately, any method (other than punch) is going to create dust, but a shop vac can mitigate this issue considerably
A good way is with a plain piece of pcb (no copper) underneath, and punch from the top.
The extra pcb material will prevent the top pcb's bottom copper from being drawn downward
when the punch cuts through it.
The extra pcb material will prevent the top pcb's bottom copper from being drawn downward
when the punch cuts through it.
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> plain piece of pcb
this^^^
Holesaw work really needs hard scrap on both sides. On steel fuseboxes I use oak flooring, top and bottom. Once you get through the top oak you have a guide while you chew the steel (less stress on the pilot). Breaking-through with a 2" saw on a NEC-legal steel box is always fraught with peril, but breaking into hard oak is a heap better than 99 teeth in thin air and 1 tooth still in the steel.
this^^^
Holesaw work really needs hard scrap on both sides. On steel fuseboxes I use oak flooring, top and bottom. Once you get through the top oak you have a guide while you chew the steel (less stress on the pilot). Breaking-through with a 2" saw on a NEC-legal steel box is always fraught with peril, but breaking into hard oak is a heap better than 99 teeth in thin air and 1 tooth still in the steel.