cutting glass fibre PCB?

[admc007]

is there a good way to cut a glass fibre PCB?

I bought some glass fibre board to make my own PCBs. I have just started trying to cut it. I'm beginning to think it will blunt some of my cutting tools. I'm beginning to think it was a mistake buying glass fibre PCB!

thought I'd ask before going any further!

 

[nigelwright7557]

Fiberglass is a man-made material found in many consumer and industrial products. Airborne dust containing fiberglass may irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. High levels of exposure to airborne fiberglass may aggravate asthma or bronchitis.

 

[vacuphile]

Just use a small blade metal hacksaw.

 

[CanAm Man]

1. Use a Dremel roto-tool with an abrasive rotary disk. Clean edges with fine sandpaper, or a fine-tooth file, or

2. (try this on a SCRAP piece of PCB....!) Score the PCB glass (and copper) several times with a sharp razor knife or box cutter. Place the scored line over a edge (a piece of wood, edge of a table, whatever) and snap the PCB along the score. Clean with fine sandpaper or a fine-tooth file.

Both methods have worked for me, for the last four decades.

 

[admc007]

I've been using hand tools so far, so not much in the way of dust. The dust particles are too big to become airborne. They just kinda sit there.

Maybe if I use a Dremel it will kick up more dust. I can't use a Dremel right now cause the neighbours are trying to sleep!

 

[admc007]

I tried one of those little scalpel blades with serrated teeth. It definitely blunted some of the teeth. I think the serrated scalpel blade is made from stamped steel and is maybe not as hard as the steel usually used in scalpel blades.

 

[vacuphile]

Those are good for balsa wood.

 

[Tubelab_com]

In order of preference (assuming a board cutter isn't available):

1) sheet metal shear
2) Table saw with a blade suitable for plywood.
3) Band Saw
4) Dremel with a cutoff wheel
5) Sharp Xacto knife, scribe and break method in post #4

Items 1 through 3 are found in the shop class at many high schools. I take adult night wood shop classes just to use the shop. Otherwise, got school age kids?

 

[wrenchone]

I use the shear at work. A largish paper cutter will also do the trick. Both of these methods leave a fairly clean edge and don't generate any dust to speak of. I didn't check your location, but Harbor Freight sells a small shear.

 

[admc007]

I used a silicon carbide tile cutter, which seemed to work OK. Well, it OK for small quantities. Better than some craft knife.

 

[ArtG]

2) Table saw with a blade suitable for plywood.

In my table saw, I'm using an abrasive blade, available at Lowes, etc. It's inexpensive and works very well, although like any abrasive cutting methods, edge cleanup with a sanding block is necessary. Use a disposable dust mask and goggles when using this method, as the dust really flies, as anyone using a table saw already knows.

 

[CanAm Man]

I take adult night wood shop classes just to use the shop.

Good comment. I've taken evening "industrial arts" classes. For the usually nominal price of admission, I've gotten the access to lathes, mills, CNC machines and MIG/TIG welding equipment I've used to build major race car parts.....(!)

 

[dangus]

A hand hacksaw with metal-cutting blade works fine for me. Keep the angle low, to get the straightest cut. Then lay a file or sandpaper down on a hard surface and smooth the edges.

 

[admc007]

OK, I'm going to try a hand hacksaw just to see how it works out! I tried a razor saw and it was a bit tricky. I only needed a 3cm by 4cm little piece which I had to cut out of A4.

I ended up just cutting a 3cm thick strip using the tile cutter and then cutting a 4cm chunk off using the razor saw.

 

[ashok]

I score the copper side with a sharpened box cutter blade. Use a steel rule as a guide. You will need to score it several times. Then turn over the board and score it again several times over the visible score you made earlier. ( for single side board !)
Then place the scored portion over a sharp edge like a table. Hold one corner of the free edge with your hand and slowly push it down ( maybe rock it a bit!). It will give way ( only that portion of the board). Then keep doing that along the cut bit by bit and you can break off the whole board. Sand paper the edge as it will be very rough. I do this all the time.
It helps to make the tip of the sharpened blade a bit flat when it tends to make a wider score than a sharp V shaped edge. This makes the breaking off process much easier.

One catch is that you need to cut the full length of a board and cannot cut , say 3x4 cm from a large board ! Maybe you can use a small router for that ?

 

[terranigma]

A hand hacksaw with metal-cutting blade works fine for me.

Me too. Metal cutting blade works fine. Clamping a straight thing as a guide across cutting line helps too much.

 

[frank1]

A table-type diamond tile saw works brilliantly on glassfibre PCB. Use dry.
Frank

 

[mr_push_pull]

shears.

 

[Jsixis]

1. Use a Dremel roto-tool with an abrasive rotary disk. Clean edges with fine sandpaper, or a fine-tooth file, or

Works the best for me too, sheet metal shears will cut it but they will dull over time. With the dremel there is very little dust.

 

[rephil]

Hi admc007,

I have tried several ways in order to cut pcbs. The best I have found and not dangerous for your health is : shears. Look at these fine shears :

Mega-UK - Shears

Not cheap, but last foerever, and no problem to cut quickly your pcbs.

Best regards

rephil