Hello.
I'm sure that this topic has been around many times.
I know phenolic, gpo3, ptfe.
But this implies to buy from very specific stores (vintage amp related). For me this means online. I'd like to use a more common material.
Common FR4 boards would be great, but are sold either with copper side(s), photosensitive or pre-drilled (copper side also, or copper strips). This makes them expensive. No bare FR4 on electronics or hardware store.
I know methacrylate is not safe, and while there're lot of plastic derivatives, I tend to avoid experimenting when safety is involved.
Do you know any common (and safe) alternative to specialized turret boards?
Thanks
I'm sure that this topic has been around many times.
I know phenolic, gpo3, ptfe.
But this implies to buy from very specific stores (vintage amp related). For me this means online. I'd like to use a more common material.
Common FR4 boards would be great, but are sold either with copper side(s), photosensitive or pre-drilled (copper side also, or copper strips). This makes them expensive. No bare FR4 on electronics or hardware store.
I know methacrylate is not safe, and while there're lot of plastic derivatives, I tend to avoid experimenting when safety is involved.
Do you know any common (and safe) alternative to specialized turret boards?
Thanks
I use Nema CE laminate, canvas impregnated with phenolic resin. Drills more easily than fiberglass. No glass trash to breathe. There are various grades, look towards the bottom of this selector page. McMaster-Carr
Mcmaster is calling it garolite now, a trademark of the defunct Westinghouse group I believe. GE called it textolite. Micarta was another house's name.
Mcmaster is calling it garolite now, a trademark of the defunct Westinghouse group I believe. GE called it textolite. Micarta was another house's name.
Unclad fibre glass boards seem to be common in the United States (also found them in Germany and UK), but very uncommon near me.
indianajo said:
I heard phenolic stuff is toxic, primarily when heated, and that fiber glass (FR4, or G10) is safer to work with (cutting, drilling,...), at leats if using a simple mask to avoid inhaling particles (but this is the same or even worse with phenolic, I suppose).
McMaster-Carr seems great, but buying from overseas is not something I'm considering now.
What about "High-density polyethylene" ?
Thermal, water, corrosion and chemical resistant. Hard to break, flexible.
Seems like a good candidate, doesn't it?
Can be bought as 5mm thick boards.
There's also "polycarbonate". Hard, fire resistant and easy to work with.
What I do know is not a good idea is methacrylate. Can be dangerous if heated, if I recall.
Any more ideas?
Thermal, water, corrosion and chemical resistant. Hard to break, flexible.
Seems like a good candidate, doesn't it?
Can be bought as 5mm thick boards.
There's also "polycarbonate". Hard, fire resistant and easy to work with.
What I do know is not a good idea is methacrylate. Can be dangerous if heated, if I recall.
Any more ideas?
Both HDPE and PC are thermoplasts. So they're not too useful, unless you decide not to solder :-D.
Best regards!
Best regards!
Yes, polycarbonate can withstand 130ºC or so. HDPE even a little bit lower.
I heard about Formica. As I know, it is not tolerant to high temperatures, and it can absorb humidity.
I think that I'll stick to good fibre glass (FR4) boards 🙂
I have ferric chloride. 160x100mm single side copper boards are quite cheap and readily available. Just let them 30 minutes in ferric chloride, and I can get some good boards.
Of course, people who live somewhere where they can buy unclad boards, won't find this idea very clever.
I tried polycarbonate sheet from the lumberyard, but the solder sticks to it. Solder made some bridges between pins on DIP sockets. I'll still use it for the odd large project, only leaded resistors, rectifiers, and leaded or snap in capacitors.
Problem with ferric chloride, the legal way to dispose of it here is rent a 55 gal drum from Safety Klean for $15 a month and then have them haul it away when full at $450. One reason I build everything point to point with wire on Nema CE board instead of etching preclad boards.
Problem with ferric chloride, the legal way to dispose of it here is rent a 55 gal drum from Safety Klean for $15 a month and then have them haul it away when full at $450. One reason I build everything point to point with wire on Nema CE board instead of etching preclad boards.
I finally found unclad FR4 boards.
The only issue they being 1,6 mm thick, while the turrets I use fit well in 3 mm boards.
It might be too much difference to become a problem.
I could also get Formica nearby, but using a wood board is not something I would consider by common sense in a high voltage project.
The only issue they being 1,6 mm thick, while the turrets I use fit well in 3 mm boards.
It might be too much difference to become a problem.
I could also get Formica nearby, but using a wood board is not something I would consider by common sense in a high voltage project.
I am using these boards a lot, I don't think they are expensive.
10PCS Double Side Prototype PCB Bread board Tinned Universal FR4 2x8cm - 9x15cm | eBay
There may be even cheaper ones, I havent looked that well.
10PCS Double Side Prototype PCB Bread board Tinned Universal FR4 2x8cm - 9x15cm | eBay
There may be even cheaper ones, I havent looked that well.
I typed "laminate canvas phenolic europe" in bing and got a list of 7 US Nema CE suppliers, not including mcmaster. That's micarta or garolite etc.
If you try it from your country, bing or another search engine might be able to find distributors in your country or free trade group. I never worked a harbor office or ship chandler so I don't know your flag. I don't know the former trademark in your country or home language, either.
bing won't find me distributors in your country on the first page, anyway. No advertising money in it.
Actual terminal boards from ***** are made of paper phenolic material, which is a grade lower than canvas phenolic in tensile strength.
I don't understand the phobia about phenolic. Machinists at my former employer turned hundreds of pounds of textolite into test jigs and prototypes without noticable health effects. whereas silica particles in worker's lungs in India made the front page of bbcnews.com health page last week. White cells can't carry off silica; it just keeps poking holes in the lung.
If you try it from your country, bing or another search engine might be able to find distributors in your country or free trade group. I never worked a harbor office or ship chandler so I don't know your flag. I don't know the former trademark in your country or home language, either.
bing won't find me distributors in your country on the first page, anyway. No advertising money in it.
Actual terminal boards from ***** are made of paper phenolic material, which is a grade lower than canvas phenolic in tensile strength.
I don't understand the phobia about phenolic. Machinists at my former employer turned hundreds of pounds of textolite into test jigs and prototypes without noticable health effects. whereas silica particles in worker's lungs in India made the front page of bbcnews.com health page last week. White cells can't carry off silica; it just keeps poking holes in the lung.
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I finally tried 2mm and even 1,6mm fiberglass (FR4) boards with turrets that are recommended for 3mm boards, successfully. They even fit better than on 3mm boards 🙂
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