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  • Author Author: shabaz
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Copper Clad Prototyping Tools

shabaz

Following on from a Project14 discussion DIY 100kHz VCO - Build & Test  on copper-clad board techniques for prototyping, I was curious to know how I could improve my current method of using a craft knife to cut channels for creating isolated pads and islands on the boards.   suggested using a Perspex cutter, which I have yet to try. I also attempted to use a scriber with a ground-out channel.

 

I posed the question on a DIY group channel I'm part of with a few old school friends. They suggested I try an electric engraver, or a 'scorper' or 'graver' tool (these tools are used by jewellers for cutting lines and channels in metal).

So, I gave it a shot, using the tools below.

image

I was really surprised at the quality of the engraver - it was under $20, and seems well made. I don't know if it will last, my main concern was that the grub screws that hold the shaft of the cutter are quite small and I didn't want to over-tighten them in case the screw thread gets torn. Maybe I'm over-worrying, but I will try to find slightly longer grub screws. Aside from that, it all seems like a very neat tool.

 

However I think I may end up using the second tool, the scorper, a lot more, simply because it won't generate dust as the engraver will.

 

The 4-minute video below shows the tools in use.

 

 

Any other suggestions or ways to improve these techniques would be great to hear!

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  • Hi Shabaz,

     

    This post gave me the push I needed to make up a specialty tool that I have needed for some time. While I seldom need to cut traces I frequently need to remove the sealer and masking from traces so that I can repair a pad that has arced or burned. When I do this I always have to scrape the coating and masking off and up until now I have used sharpened screw drivers. I envisioned making a tool which would be similar to the larger versions of house paint scrapers but scaled down and using tool steel. There is a safety and a function difference between pushing a sharpened screw driver and pulling a scraper to accomplish the cleaning of the masking. Here is the result of tonight's build.

     

    image

     

    I tried it out on an old circuit board and had much better results with less effort than using the screw driver.

     

    imageimage

     

    The boards that I typically have to fix have a layer of epoxy sealer on top of the masking which makes it even more difficult to properly clean the copper trace. Now I am looking forward to the next board that comes in with an arced out pad so I can give the new scraper a real test. Your posts are always appreciated and they often inspire us in related activities.

     

    John

  • in reply to jw0752

    Hi John,

     

    Great tool! I can see how that would be handy for industrial control boards repair and so on.

    How did you make it if you don't mind me asking, was it done with a grinder using steel from an old file or something?

    Like you, I was hoping about the prospect of unique custom tools one day, and the small round handles were really low-cost, so I purchased a couple of them.. and now need to figure out how and what! : )

  • in reply to shabaz

    It looks like a chunk of tool steel, like the type that might be used to build a cutter for a lathe.

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