Make a PC board with a Dremel

This is not an Instructable for a particular device or circuit. I'm using the circuit I made for an Artbot project as an example. If you need a quick and dirty way to fashion a pc board, you can cut out the copper clad with a Dremel tool. Just plan you circuit and cut away copper to form your paths. No etchent, photo plotting or even drilling needed in some cases. Of course, you can't do any real fancy and do complex circuits, but for something simple, this does the trick.

Step 1 Layout your circuit

Use a sharpie to draw where you want to cut the copper clad.

Comments

[botronics]

I don't know the part number. I call it a "mini saw". Just see what available at your local Home Depot or Lowes. The saw makes nice straight cuts. A ball cutter type of tip would work if the cut need not be straight.. Its best to secure the board with a vise and not run it on your pants leg like I did. I now have holy pants.

[sammyrampers]

Can someone tell me the name of the bit being used in the rotary tool?

[Jodex]

Nice idea. May even be worth of trying =D

[appsman]

This is not bad, but it's actually easier and cleaner to use a hobby knife. just slice through the copper in strips and peal them off with a good needle nose pliers. Take an Xacto knife and snap about 1/8" off the tip of the blade with the pliers. That makes it easier to apply some pressure on the knife. I found it much easier to control the knife compared to a Dremel and have made PCBs for surface mount ICs this way. I will take some pics and show what I mean in a week or so.

[seandogue]

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[botronics]

When playing around with blades, you can get cut up pretty bad. You have to apply a lot of force to cut the copper. Thats when you can slip easily.

[seandogue]

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[seandogue]

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[botronics]

Those are not bad at all. Looks like they would work out fine. if you got the equipment, by all means do it. Better than using pref board and spaghetti tubing. No mess with the etching and disposal too.

[seandogue]

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[MoeK]

This is old hat. Google "paddyboard", for the Australian version. Also, "ugly construction" and "dead bug construction". You can do quite complex stuff. Amateur radio types have been doing this for years to make receivers and transmitters. You use PCB material as a ground plane and suspend circuitry above it using smaller pads of circit board material as islands or even very high value reiistors as standoffs. If you can develop a pattern with straight lines, a hacksaw will do the cutting just fine.

[pfred2]

You forgot my favorite, "hanging garden"!

[botronics]

I read an article by Bob Pease from National Semi. "What's all this stuff.. " were he shown a circuit made up by cutting up pieces of circuit board and super glued them to a larger board for a ground plan. These islands can be soldered to for developing circuits. This does work very well.

[agis68]

Good idea for short circuit but when u have a lot of PCB parts? Has to be more detailed. But for jobs like that its ok...

[DYLEGO]

how does this work? if the entire board is copper, doesnt the electricity go all over instead of just on the paths?

[botronics]

Its a thin foil of copper on non-conducting fiberglass board. Cutting the foil, cuts the paths.

[Punkguyta]

I thought that you were using a cutout wheel on your dremel to do this and then I saw the bit, what kind is that? I've never actually seen one of those.

[Tek465m]

Have you ever played with BEAM bots?
Your circuit layout looks similar to the Magbot or sun swinger circuit. You could do away with the hall effect and PIC, and make it solar powered. Pick up a copy of "Junkbots, Bugbots, and Bots on Wheels" or if you just want the circuit and description, download the manual at Solarbotics.com

I've build a couple of them free-form BEAM style as gifts and they have never failed to impress.

[rockyt]

The circuit that is shown, what does it do and what's it for? Nice idea!!

[botronics]

It will be for a Magnetic Pendulum Artbot. I will have three pendulums with magnets suspended over three coils each for a total of nine. The pendulums get a kick as they cross over a hall senser monitored by a pic microcontroller. All three pendulums also interact with each other. I will name it "Three's a Crowd" and hopefully get it done to show at Robogames 2007 and the Make Faire. I have a youtube video showing preliminary experiments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hwHTeuX6Qk

[FrenchCrawler]

Nice idea, but I would suggest not cutting it on your leg :)

[botronics]

It was a nice day outside and I didn't have a table, so I did the work on my porch steps. It's a good idea not to do it indoors or you will have copper and fiberglass chips in the house. Ya, I did nick my pants, so don't have your good slacks on.

[mrmath]

How hard is it to keep from cutting through? What speed to you set on the dremel?

[botronics]

I thought at first the saw would cut through easily, but it didn't. In fact, I had to go over a few spots to remove more copper. One trick is to move in the direction opposite to the rotation for better control. It probably depends on how sharp the bit is and how heavy the copper clad is. I was using board with 2 ounce copper. Regarding speed, just use a medium speed.

Check this site for more info about PC milling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCB_Milling

[stone3408]

Great idea. I have a dremel drill press that would make this a snap. I think the bit that you are using is the best for cutting long straight lines. I have a simple voltage regulator project that this would be perfect for! Any suggestions on the best place to buy the copper clad? Thanks for the idea.

[AllanButton]

Don't know why I never thought of this. I will prolly be using the engraving bit, just so I can do the small traces.