I'm not at all sure I would want to use a nibbler on a populated PV board. Depending upon the brittleness of the board and how carefully you are able to wield the nibbler, the resultant mechanical shock could be tough on some of the components.
I wouldn't try to cut it with a band saw or jig saw either. I don't think you could clamp the PC board to a larger board uniformly enough to avoid vibration (and even mechanical resonance from the saw teeth) with a high degree of confidence. I think I'd prefer to use a Dremel tool with an abrasive disk to cut the board. The cutting action would be in line with the board instead of perpendicular to it. 73, Dave AB7E On 5/24/2011 9:22 AM, Jim Wiley wrote: > Chris - > > > Several possibilities occur to me: > > > Assuming you don't remove any portion of any circuit trace (Duh!), I > would suggest an Adel "nibbler". It is designed for metal work,but > works well on circuit boards. It is essentially a hand-powered shear > that removes a small "bite" of material about 1/16" by 1/4" each time it > operates. If used carefully, it can make very precise holes and slots, > and of course shorten material as well. It does require a minimal > amount of clearance to operate. It will accommodate material up to > perhaps 3/32" thick, so circuit board should fit OK. > > > Lacking that, the next thing I might try is to mount the BL2 on a piece > of scrap wood (as a handle), and VERY carefully and SLOWLY trim away > the excess material using a band saw or jig saw. Keep your fingers well > away from the action, of course. It is important to have something > large enough to grip (the piece of scrap wood) so that if the saw tries > to grab the material, you won't lose control, causing possible injury > and almost certainly ruining your BL2 in the process. > > > Personally, I would use my milling machine, but not everyone has access > to one of those. However, many model railroad enthusiasts, R/C > airplane pilots, and other hobbyists do have small machines, so ask > around. Your local hobby shop may have some names of people that are > amenable to helping others. > > > I have done these sort of modifications many times on various boards and > assemblies, and with a little care you can end up with exactly what you > want. > > > As a last thought - I would stay away from any sort of sheet metal ships > or similar tools around PC boards. In my experience, attempting to use > these types of tools carries a high risk of causing cracks and splits in > the board. > > > - Jim, KL7CC > > > > Christopher Kimball wrote: >> I have a BL2 minimodule that's about 1/4" too long for my purposes. I'd >> like to cut off a piece of it without zapping the functionality of the >> board. >> >> What's the neatest way to do this with commonly available tools and 5 >> thumb hands? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Chris >> WB4WZR >> ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
