Hey there,
About... two years ago I started a thread about what people use for drilling PCB's, and got responses ranging from 'holding a hand drill above it' to expensive presses and DIY CNC machines.
I am still using my PZ541 stand with a dremel 300, both are less than ideal, the runout, and play snap carbide bits maybe every 50 holes (yeah.. expensive). Despite using mostly surface mount, drilling is a necessary evil of PCB's, be they for TH components or via's. I will of course attempt to modify/sort out the stand, and look for hobby drills on ebay (minicraft, proxxon, maxicraft etc..) because the Dremel 300 is loud, hot, heavy, and somewhat sloppy for PCB work.
So as a new project, research, something to do, I've been researching on the best available drills/stands, as well as building my own - from scratch, using a brushless motor (for reduced noise, higher speed) and precision guides rather than a rack and pinion job. I'm not a mechanical engineer, but the web is full of awesome DIY CNC builds, and even though at the moment I'm just after a drill press - the Z-axis mounting idea's are great.
I'd like to just ping others for idea's, again, what people use for drilling (stands, presses, drills, bits, rpm etc..) as well as idea's for designing/building my own.
Currently taking apart old printers for bearings, runners, and fixings to make my life slightly easier. In the mean time, bidding on minicraft drills (MB150, proxxon micromot 50/E...) and would like reviews of these, as many on the web are for wood work - not high RPM PCB drilling.
I realize there are many many threads about this, but there are also so many options, brands, and cost range, so it would be nice for others to show off their gear, as well as help out anyone following the thread who dreads drilling their DIY PCB's as much as I do.
Cheers,
Blueteeth
About... two years ago I started a thread about what people use for drilling PCB's, and got responses ranging from 'holding a hand drill above it' to expensive presses and DIY CNC machines.
I am still using my PZ541 stand with a dremel 300, both are less than ideal, the runout, and play snap carbide bits maybe every 50 holes (yeah.. expensive). Despite using mostly surface mount, drilling is a necessary evil of PCB's, be they for TH components or via's. I will of course attempt to modify/sort out the stand, and look for hobby drills on ebay (minicraft, proxxon, maxicraft etc..) because the Dremel 300 is loud, hot, heavy, and somewhat sloppy for PCB work.
So as a new project, research, something to do, I've been researching on the best available drills/stands, as well as building my own - from scratch, using a brushless motor (for reduced noise, higher speed) and precision guides rather than a rack and pinion job. I'm not a mechanical engineer, but the web is full of awesome DIY CNC builds, and even though at the moment I'm just after a drill press - the Z-axis mounting idea's are great.
I'd like to just ping others for idea's, again, what people use for drilling (stands, presses, drills, bits, rpm etc..) as well as idea's for designing/building my own.
Currently taking apart old printers for bearings, runners, and fixings to make my life slightly easier. In the mean time, bidding on minicraft drills (MB150, proxxon micromot 50/E...) and would like reviews of these, as many on the web are for wood work - not high RPM PCB drilling.
I realize there are many many threads about this, but there are also so many options, brands, and cost range, so it would be nice for others to show off their gear, as well as help out anyone following the thread who dreads drilling their DIY PCB's as much as I do.
Cheers,
Blueteeth