freestompboxes.org

Hi there
can anyone help me! I've just started to make my own pcb's and wonder what size drill bits you all use? HELP im clueless!

0,8 mm for little components like opamps, resistor and capacitors. 1 or 1,5mm for wires

That's fairly easy to work out,I have a small container of drill bits specifically designed for drilling PCBs,they range in sizes(metric) from something like 2mm down to maybe .25mm....



Anything from about .6mm to say .8mm is good for making the holes for resistor leads,capacitor leads,and IC pins,try looking in an electronics parts store,they usually stock PCB drill bits,you might find a set of them...


Hope that is of some help....

I use the #62 bits since that's what came with an amp mod kit a started out with. I did have to get a smaller collett for my Sears Craftsman branded version of the Dremel tool. They're at the upper end of the sizes mentioned previously at 0.97mm.

You can get 'em for a couple bucks: http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PRO ... uge/D-BS02

I mainly use 0.8mm for the hookup wiring and components like resistors, caps etc, 1mm for connectors and diodes with thicker leads, 1.2mm for 3PDT switches when they're PCB mounted, and 1.5mm rarely for the odd mains connector or whatever.

And if you don't have one already, you might want to get a drill press! Before I bought one, I'd break those teeny lil drill bits frequently. You may have better hand-eye coordination than me and fare better, but after using a drill press I don't break bits all that often these days (touch wood, although I'm sure I've jinxed myself now... ).

I soooo need to get a drill press myself,oh and also a combined sheet metal shearer/bender/folder too,then I can start making my own pedal cases out of either sheet aluminium,or mild steel,then I won't be so constrained with the diecast aluminium Soanar boxes I normally use for my pedal cases....

Okay,a complete electronics workshop with woodworking and metalworking facilities would be on my ultimate want list....

Thanks for everyones help! Just got a my drill press through the post! Guess what I'm doing today!

Don't be hurry when you make the holes and you'll save a lot of drill bits. Be sure to hold the board in place or the little bit will travel across.
Well etched PCB's help a lot.

Here's a pic of all my PCB Drill bits,for anyone who wants to know what they look like.....

a decent question for the FAQ section! I'll move it over there.


oh yeah- try drillbitcity.com. they have great deals on resharpened bits.

I noticed that there are plenty of tutorials out there on PCB etching at home, but had a lot of trouble finding detailed advice on actually drilling the boards. So what devices and parts do you use? Where do you get them from? What are your experiences with what you've used?

I recently purchased a Proxxon Micromot 50e, along with the MB 140 stand, and a foot pedal. I use this chuck to hold HSS wire gauge drill bits purchased from widgetsupply.com. The stand is pretty sturdy and stable, but the pedal looks and feels a little cheap. The tool itself works just fine, but the bit seems to draw circles around the motor's axis instead of spinning on it, but this is probably the fault of the chuck. It isn't a problem if you just lower the bit to your target before activating the drill. The HSS bits went through the FR4 with no trouble at all.

I feel like I did okay, considering my budget and the fact that this is just a hobby, but I feel like I could have done better. What do you guys use?

I use a dremel with a drill press attachment. Similar to this (but much older):

I just built this. About $12 in materials from Home Depot and a $19.00 rotary tool from Harbor Freight I bought a while back.



Simple, cheap, and it gets the job done without breaking the bits. I broke a lot of bits drilling by hand.

PokeyPete wrote:I use a dremel with a drill press attachment. Similar to this (but much older):

+1.

lyngaaskhan wrote:I just built this. About $12 in materials from Home Depot and a $19.00 rotary tool from Harbor Freight I bought a while back.



Simple, cheap, and it gets the job done without breaking the bits. I broke a lot of bits drilling by hand.

Genius! I like how you've designed it so that the angle of the rotary tool stays vertical as it's pressed down. I should get around to getting a drill press for my Dremel knock-off. I use my medium sized regular drill press for PCB work, but it does the job.

lyngaaskhan wrote:I just built this. About $12 in materials from Home Depot and a $19.00 rotary tool from Harbor Freight I bought a while back.



Simple, cheap, and it gets the job done without breaking the bits. I broke a lot of bits drilling by hand.

Dude, that is real DIY. Kudos!

I've got a used cheapo Sears benchtop drill press that I use. I've found that if I use double-stick tape to attach the board to a scrap piece of MDF it makes it easier to place the board under the bit.

Awesome DIY press.

I've read in some threads that a drill press doesn't spin fast enough, but I use a cheap one and it works really well.

That wooden stand is so clever and practical looking that I just want to smash my setup with a hammer.
Where do you guys get the small chucks from? Mine has a long shank and is inserted into chuck that came with the drill, so it just ends up being crooked as hell. If I were using carbide bits, they would probably snap every single time. Or is it more common to use drill bits with a "fat shank" for a regular chuck? I can't seem to find those either.