Defective SGS products.

[deleteallusers]

SGS 1/64 Carbide End Mill - PN# 30191

I bought one of these to day, and could not even sit it down flat on
the PCB. It snaped without even putting a mark on the board, and under
praticly no pressure, it cost me $23.00, and they said that I must have abused it because it broke.

What’s up with these things, I need to mill tight traces on a PCB, and it looks like this is the only thing I can use to go that thin.

Any advise ?

Thanks,

[RayinNH]

I don't know why the SGS one broke, I have never used miniature endmills from them. A couple other options for miniature carbide tools are www.harveytool.com, or www.robbjack.com. I order both brands from MSC Industrial Supply, www.mscdirect.com. The MSC part # for a Robbjack .015 EM is 04468567.

[deleteallusers]

Thanks for the advise, I need small end mills so I can continue my project.

I'm new to this, and really don't know what to use.

I really beleve there was somthing wrong with the SGS, I know these are fragle but this one really broke way to easy.

I'm trying to mill PCB's that have small traces on them, and I need
an end mill that will hold up and not snap. (As much as possiable)

Thanks again.

[msomerville]

Harvey tool makes a couple of different endmills just for plastics both abrasive and non.

[Mariss Freimanis]

I can't say about carbide 0.0156" endmills but I can about 0.0156" carbide drill bits. They snap in half if you even look at them cross-eyed. They are extremely fragile parts that will break with only an ounce or so of side-load.

Mariss

[samco]

I have had great luck with these.
http://www.thinktink.com/cgi-bin/car...tep=20&start=0
1/16 diam.

I oopsed it and did a rapid thru the circuit board.. Just cut a nice slot. at around 20Krpm and 100ipm.

sam

[samco]

Oh - picture
http://www.electronicsam.com/images/...ostart/top.JPG

sam

[deleteallusers]

@samco,

Looks like you really have a nice CNC machine, mine is DIY.

What kind of machine do you have ?

Do you have sensors on the pressure foot, that feedback to
your software and autoadjust the depth of the cut ?

I would like to do somthing like that, but I dont have sensor feedback,

You can almost see through the board and read the computer screen.

@Mariss

The 0.015 ball endmill I used before was acutaly pretty tough,
but they all seem to break in the same place and snap completly off,

*--

I have now purchased a few Robbjack SS-2-015 STUB length 2 flute
end mills, I hope they hold up as I set them down on the board.
I must set Z depth manualy as I dont have any sensors.


I'm using real thin copper stock, it seems like it should push through the
material before it would break, the material is FR4 - 014 THK PCB

Thanks,

[samco]

ah - no.. The machine is a limp noodle. <- technical term. But it does ok. I am using emc2 and have a touch off switch for setting tool length.

http://www.electronicsam.com/images/KandT/DSCgantry.JPG

It gets the job done.. I would love to get a smaller micromill or such to do my circuit boards.. being able to cut into the 20ipm range would be nice.

sam

[deleteallusers]

Wow, I wish I could get results like that.

I think I need to try that touch off switch idea.

I'm also thinking about a simple vacuum setup for holding my material.

[samco]

I should say - I use the 1/16 end mills for clearing and Mechanical etch bit (0.0625" carbide spiral flute, 60 degree triangle tip
cutter) from the same company for isolation milling.

sam

[deleteallusers]

Ua... How do I setup a touch off switch ??

Is it hard, I can figure out how to setup my software,
but... how do I do the switch ?

Thanks much for all the help, I think I'm getting closer to success.

I need to... my boss is starting to show his fangs...

Update: I can't really find anything specific on a touch off switch setup.

Could someone advise me on adding this feature ?

Thanks,