Cutting a Circuit Card

[Strelok]

Hi all,

I used to have circuit cards that were rather easy to cut. Just score it a little and it would break failry clean.
But that was a long time ago.

The cards I have now will break rather ugly.
It will follow not the cut but the structure inside.

Does anyone have tips?

Warm regards,

Strlok

[K O'Connor]

Hi Guys

Most sheet material useful for making eyelet boards has to be fully cut through to have clean edges. The cards we supply in the Circuit Card Kit (CCK) are very slippery and are cut using a band saw at the supplier's facility. personally, I use a saw to cut them when I want to use a piece for any reason.

Scoring with a knife is difficult due to the slippery surface. Even were you to score both sides successfully in perfect alignment, but without cutting fully through the material, a snapped apart edge would be very rough and would require filing. Going a step further and scoring repeatedly with a knife until you cut through would require filing, as well.

The only way to make a clean cut is with a saw, whether hand or power.

In any case, cutting or drilling these materials requires great care, paying rapt attention to what you are doing, securing the card material properly, and maybe wearing a dust mask as the fiber is extremely irritating if inhaled.

Have fun

[makinrose]

This is likely to mostly repeat the Kevin's post but here's what I do:


What I use is fine finish circular saw blade on my power saw--- I only use for that purpose since it will dull the blade for wood use very quickly. I've also tried plywood blade which are also supposed to be good for plastics, but the cut is cleaner with the 60 tooth fine finish blade. I use a table saw to rip things into strips and then a radial arm saw to cut the strips to length.

The key is to cut very slowly and to make sure to use all the safely devices your saw offers. Use a push stick.... With the table saw you may need to clamp a scrap of wood to the fence keep the card material from going under it. As with any power saw operation hearing, eye, and dust mask are essential.

If you don't have a power saw, I'd suggest getting a miter box so you can cut perfect 90 degree cuts with a hand saw. Any fine-tooth hand saw should be fine.

I hope that helps!

[jmcd]

I use a wet saw for tiles. It's like a mini table saw, so it makes straight cuts and keeps the material out of the air.

[Strelok]

Hello fellows,

Thanks for all the replies!
Now I know that scoring is not the way to go.

I didn't think people would be using circuit cards anymore.

I'll go experimenting.