I use the Dremel cut-off wheels (the small thin brittle ones) to cut FRP.
They are cheap.

Larry


At 03:55 PM 5/2/2002 -0700, you wrote:
>A while ago I suggested (along with others) that cutting copper-clad,
>photo-sensitized boards with a paper cutter type sheer was the way to go.  And
>it is easy, and it does work, at least for larger boards.  I have since found,
>however, that it does not work for cutting smaller pieces like 1.5 in. wide.
>The damage to the resist is just too extensive -- as much as a third of the
>board on each edge.
>
>So, needing some way to cut boads 2 in. or 1in. wide, I turned to my trusty
>Dremel drill press.  That is, I turned the drill head to its horizontal
>position, and used a diamond cutoff wheel at about 80% speed.  Works like a
>charm.  NO damage to the resist.
>
>However, this wheel was expensive, and I have no idea how long it's going to
>last.  I'm cutting 1/32 in. FR4, and I've only cut about 10 inches so far.
>
>If you want to try this, here's what  to do:
>
>1.  Switch the drill head to its horizontal mode, lever upward, bit
forward, on
>the left of the post.
>
>2. Move the board, that's attached to the base of the drill press, forward so
>it just clears the collar of the drill head.   You do have a board attached to
>the base, right?
>
>3. With the tool in the drill head, cut a groove in the board about 1/8 in.
>deep with, say, a reinforced cutoff wheel.
>
>4. Insert the diamond cutoff wheel and set the height so the edge of the wheel
>is in the groove, just below the surface of the board.
>
>5. Use a 3/4 in. or 1/2 in. long bolt, and the existing nut, to set the
height.
>Add a little bumper of some kind to the end of the bolt.  Set it tight enough
>that it holds the height, but loose enough that you can still move it a little
>side-to-side.
>
>6. Chuck up a long 1/8 in. drill bit, like a drywall cutting bit, and square
>that to your fence.  The fence can be just about anything you clamp to the
>board.  Tighten down the bolt.
>
>And that's it.
>
>Cut resist-side down,
>Colin
>
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>

Larry Bradley
Orleans (Ottawa), Ontario, CANADA

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