Brown v green proto board material

Thread Starter

upand_at_them

Joined May 15, 2010
940
Is there much difference between the traditional brown proto board material and the green ones that have plated vias? Is one easier on cutting tools?

Also, does anyone use a scroll saw to cut boards?
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
For a hobbyist, the vitrification temperature (Tg) is probably important. That is, the temperature at which the board technically melts.

Source: https://db-electronic.com/en/pcb-manufacturing_s35.htm

1597265303043.png

FR2 is phenolic resin w/ paper. Thirty degrees centigrade does seem a bit low, but I would recommend epoxy as the "glue." Paper vs. glass is less important, but FR4 is pretty standard for anything you will be modifying. FR2 is pretty much the lowest cost stuff for commercial throwaways. All the rest are epoxy resin.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
You should also note that dust from FR4 boards can be bad for your health. I wear a mask when drilling. You'll also have to worry about dust if you cut with any type of saw.
I disagree. Fiberglass dust, like carbon fiber dust, is classified as a "nuisance dust." It is nothing like asbestos fibers. If your are concerned about phenolic vs. epoxy resin, again the safety margin is in favor of epoxy,
 

Thread Starter

upand_at_them

Joined May 15, 2010
940
I disagree. Fiberglass dust, like carbon fiber dust, is classified as a "nuisance dust." It is nothing like asbestos fibers. If your are concerned about phenolic vs. epoxy resin, again the safety margin is in favor of epoxy,
I won't take any chances. Proper respirator either way.
 

Thread Starter

upand_at_them

Joined May 15, 2010
940
I have a 3M respirator that's good for fumes and mold and such. Should be plenty safe for "dust".

The module is just four switches with 1N4148 diodes on one side. They all switch to a common, which is the rightmost pin on the header (from the front side).
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I have a 3M respirator that's good for fumes and mold and such. Should be plenty safe for "dust".

The module is just four switches with 1N4148 diodes on one side. They all switch to a common, which is the rightmost pin on the header (from the front side).
Read the specifications. Activated carbon may be great for"fumes" but totally inappropriate for very fine dust (e.g., asbestos fibers). As they say, ignorance is bliss. Don't worry.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
The green boards are likely FR4. The brown are likely phenolic.

FR4 is harder to cut and phenolic can chip along the edges.

I use a metal shear.
Rather than a scroll saw, which is probably very hard to make a really straight cut, a fine tooth hacksaw blade (32TPI) can make a quite straight cur. Not using the traditional handle, but just the blade. It also works for separating sections of PCB when using sections of a much larger board. By proceeding slowly it is possible to avoid wandering cuts.
 

Thread Starter

upand_at_them

Joined May 15, 2010
940
Rather than a scroll saw, which is probably very hard to make a really straight cut, a fine tooth hacksaw blade (32TPI) can make a quite straight cur. Not using the traditional handle, but just the blade. It also works for separating sections of PCB when using sections of a much larger board. By proceeding slowly it is possible to avoid wandering cuts.
Oh, can do. I forgot I have a bunch of cheapo hacksaw blades.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Oh, can do. I forgot I have a bunch of cheapo hacksaw blades.
The green boards are much tougher to cut than the brown ones.
But the green ones are much better for high frequency circuits, such as RF. The higher the frequency the more important the board properties become. That is why there are special materials for UHF and microwave work.
 

Thread Starter

upand_at_them

Joined May 15, 2010
940
The green boards are much tougher to cut than the brown ones.
But the green ones are much better for high frequency circuits, such as RF. The higher the frequency the more important the board properties become. That is why there are special materials for UHF and microwave work.
Good to know! I plan on doing some RF circuits at some point.
 
Top