You guys must drill a lot more holes in PCB material than I do, to wear out a HSS bit. I've drilled many hundred holes and still on the same bit. But then it's not a Harbor Freight bit either, but a Cleveland tool brand. While it seems like carbide is a good idea, for the DIYer they are a pain. In a PCB plant yes but home use, not worth the bother of breakage. Then there is the Cobalt steel bits that are harder than HSS but not brittle like carbide.

Indeed, I've put assembled boards with more than a thousand holes in them. And I'm not exaggerating. And yes, I too use only Cleveland brand bits when working with HSS.

But even Cleveland bits will wear out after a few hundred holes have been processed. FR4 is a very abrasive material.

 

And finally, yours truly performing a little demo showing my drilling technique:

I'm envious of your ability.

Are you drilling before or after etching?

 

I'm envious of your ability.

Are you drilling before or after etching?

Always after etching. In fact, etched holes makes the drilling far easier, since they help guide the tool as it works through the material.

If one were to drill before etching, the bit would start "dancing" on the copper before taking and becoming steady, and a normal person's hand wouldn't be able to control it.

 

Always after etching. In fact, the etched holes makes the drilling far easier, since they help guide the tool as it works through the material.

If one were to drill before etching, the bit would start "dancing" on the copper before taking and becoming steady, and a normal person's hand wouldn't be able to control it.

With my machine I drill before etching. I then print to wax paper and then use the toner transfer method. The wax paper allow me to line up the holes easily.

 

Indeed, I've put assembled boards with more than a thousand holes in them. And I'm not exaggerating. And yes, I too use only Cleveland brand bits when working with HSS.

But even Cleveland bits will wear out after a few hundred holes have been processed. FR4 is a very abrasive material.

So how do you know a bit is worn out? I just use those cheap Chinese bits. Use them to I break one. I never had an issue.

 

So how do you know a bit is worn out? I just use those cheap Chinese bits. Use them to I break one. I never had an issue.

Dull bits warm up pretty fast, and the dust comes out as brown. After a while, the thing begins to produce smoke, and the dust becomes much darker. At that point it's best to just change the bit because overheating might make the copper layer to come off.

 

With my machine I drill before etching. I then print to wax paper and then use the toner transfer method. The wax paper allow me to line up the holes easily.

I use a special (and rather expensive) kind of paper for toner transfer, but it works wonderfully. Question, after you've done the ironing part, doesn't the paraffin in the paper stick to the copper a bit too? Doesn't it interfere with the etching process?

 

Thread starter has omitted his price range!!

How can we possibly advise ???

You can buy a cheap set ... electric drill with attachments for 10 Euros

or buy a good quality drill press and attachments for 100 Euros , you get what you pay for , look on eBay.

 

Dull bits warm up pretty fast, and the dust comes out as brown. After a while, the thing begins to produce smoke, and the dust becomes much darker. At that point it's best to just change the bit because overheating might make the copper layer to come off.

So far I have not had that issue. Guess I am not drilling enough. And yet there is a joke in there.

 

I use a special (and rather expensive) kind of paper for toner transfer, but it works wonderfully. Question, after you've done the ironing part, doesn't the paraffin in the paper stick to the copper a bit too? Doesn't it interfere with the etching process?

Never had an issue. Same with the printer. It is a cheap LJ anyway so if I ruin it, no big deal. But so far no issues.

Give it a try at your own risk.

I even used wax paper transfer on my analog meter clock front panel.

 

But even Cleveland bits will wear out after a few hundred holes have been processed. FR4 is a very abrasive material.

That's what I use too FR4. The difference in bit life may be that I use a standard drill press the turns at a way, way lower RPM. It goes back to something I've said before, the drill speed charts are all theoretical, not practical.

 

That's what I use too FR4. The difference in bit life may be that I use a standard drill press the turns at a way, way lower RPM. It goes back to something I've said before, the drill speed charts are all theoretical, not practical.

Would you mind sharing what RPMs you're using to drill 1/32" holes in FR4?

 

To do the job well you do need a press of some sort. The one that I used for a few thousand holes held the Dremel tool still and the platform moved up when I worked the lever. One hand to hold and position the board and the other to work the lever. I could do 15 to 20 holes a minute with that setup. And we only used carbide tipped drill bits. And those were on glass-epoxy boards, 0.025 diameter holes.

 

To do the job well you do need a press of some sort. The one that I used for a few thousand holes held the Dremel tool still and the platform moved up when I worked the lever. One hand to hold and position the board and the other to work the lever. I could do 15 to 20 holes a minute with that setup. And we only used carbide tipped drill bits. And those were on glass-epoxy boards, 0.025 diameter holes.

I work faster than that. But I have to admit that sometimes the holes don't come out as perpendicular as they should, though that normally isn't a problem.

I've been mulling for a while designing and building my own CNC PCB drilling machine... and I might just do that in the next few months.

 

I've been mulling for a while designing and building my own CNC PCB drilling machine... and I might just do that in the next few months.

To take Gerber drill files?
Max.

 

I work faster than that. But I have to admit that sometimes the holes don't come out as perpendicular as they should, though that normally isn't a problem.

I've been mulling for a while designing and building my own CNC PCB drilling machine... and I might just do that in the next few months.

I have seen manual versions. It might be proxon that has one. Basically a jig on x & Y axis that has a couple of knobs to slide the board.

If you decide to build your own, look up grbl. A lot of the work is done for you.

 

To take Gerber drill files?
Max.

Sure... I could do that... my machines work with dxf files ... translating Gerber should be a piece of cake

 

To take Gerber drill files?
Max.

Better to convert them to gcode. There is an Eagle plugin for that. There is also FlatCam for stand alone.

 

Sure... I could do that... my machines work with dxf files ... translating Gerber should be a piece of cake

Oh I forgot you already built that stuff.

 

Would you mind sharing what RPMs you're using to drill 1/32" holes in FR4?

I really don't know I will have to go to the shop and look at pulley sizes and figure it out. But I know it's now where near a Dremmel speed, since those are mainly for grinding points that take high speed to make them last.

The normal drill charts are set up for controlled feed having a way of keeping the feed correct(automatic feed) keeps the load on the drill correct and the heat from the cut going into the chip, not the tool. That is the big part of making a bit last, put the heat into the chip and away from the tool its self. Works on all types of cutting tools and materials, and is what every speed and feed chart I've seen relies on.