PCB Laser Drill

If you are looking to make PCBs very cheaply, here is a link - you download the (free) design software (schematic and PCB design) and then from your design, you order the boards online. The cost is $52. 00 for 3 2.5" x 3.8" boards. They are all drilled too!

http://www.expresspcb.com/

For getting SMT parts on the board, you can use solder paste and a toaster oven.

www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200006/oven_art.htm

I have made many circuits this way.

Mike

Until ebay gets wise to these items and bans them, there are listings of lasers sufficient to ablate some materials in small quantities. In addition to the link below, also search ebay for "high power laser".

http://cgi.ebay.com/Small-HIGH-POWER-YAG-LASER-PULSED-MODULE-UNIT_W0QQitemZ290074937514QQihZ019QQcategoryZ4661QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Bernie Katz

obtain a old xy pen plotter (the owner may even pay you to take it). a few modifications and fit your lazer and you would be able to drill holes at good enough acuracy (1/40th of a mm) - Good luck.

Why? Is this for demonstration/educational purposes or do you have an application where a standard drill rig is insuficient (which I find a little hard to believe). I am not aware of any PCB laser drill (especially for the backyard hobbyist, let alone inexpensive).

What is the application?

Has anyone fixed a laser to a plotter? Can we have full details?

Has anyone fixed a normal drill to a plotter also?

It should be possible.

We created a cnc engraving / drilling machine from scrap.

We got hold of a scraped manual engraving machine. aaa

and a flat bed A3 or A4 plotter. We prefer old HP's because of strong steppers and sturdy design.

the plotter is placed on the machine with the stylus of engraver attatched to the moving pen holder. = XY cnc motion.

the pen up/down power is used to operate a solonoid to operate a air valve to lift or plunge the tool. (manually adjusted height).

currently 3 units in operation used for engraving, finishing, drilling and other jobs, at a fraction of the price.

The above equipment should be sufficient for the purpose.

The plotter could be modified to do away with engraver. in all our units the elktronix is separated from the mechanical part.

It should be possible to replace the mechanical drill / router with a laser cuting head.

...but what do you use under your workpiece to "stop" the laser from cutting through the plotter bed?

The image is a 3D version. - plotter

To use the plotter direct it should be modified

1 remove the bottom part of plotter (electronics)\

2 Replace paper bed with frame to hold pcb

3 modefy plotter to move steppers out of way or protect with shield.

4 Improvise!

Clever! Thanks for the tips too.