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  • Author Author: e14 Contributor
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Printing Circuit Boards at Home

e14 Contributor

I am currently pricing desktop CNC solutions including mills & engravers for custom pcb development and prototyping.


Any experience or feedback is welcome.

  • Just ordered a new 5 axis controller board for $25 on ebay.

  • I'm going to experiement with using balsa wood for my first cnc device; since I can make straight cuts with an exacto-knife and metal ruler, I won't need access to a shop. It is somewhat inexpensive, and has an extremely good stregth/weight ratio as well.

  • Zad, thank your for your feedback, as I am unfamiliar with many of the more recent pcb manufacturing technologies. This is something I'm going to check into, although what appeals to me most about cnc milling, is that I can use a variety of other non-conducting materials for circuit boards as well. For example, I'm interested in experimenting with sheet glass and diamond bits It seems like that in addition to the aestheic qualities, the thermal properties of glass might improve cooling. The other thing is that by adding a z-axis down the road, I can manufacture other parts as well, which would be extremely usefull, perhaps making cnc a better investment.

  • First of all, have you considered the alternatives? Desktop CNC millers seem to be the thing to have now, perhaps because they seem easier and less dangerous than photo-etch?

     

    Photo-etch gives a faster product, and produces a better PCB with higher feature resolution. Even accounting for UV box and etch tank, it is a fraction of the cost of a milling machine. Photo-etch does need some (small) skill to calibrate the UV exposure and etch time, and requires that you aren't stupid with chemicals, but I fear in this H&S driven society, people are inherently scared of all chemicals. You don't need to use horrible Ferric Chloride now either, I prefer to use sodium persulphate.

     

    Just a thought anyway!

     

    Mike.