Veroboard/Stripboard track cuts

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Joel Rainville

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Guys,

What tool or technique do you use to cut tracks on a stripboard?

I've been using a small pocket knife for a while, and while it works, my hands have a tendency to get numb after a few cuts. It isn't easy at all.

I am not using genuine Veroboard, but generic stripboard from a surplus store. It almost feels like it wasn't meant to be cut (the tracks, not the board).

I see a lot of people using Vero/stripboard here and on tutorials, but there's never any mention of a special tool or technique for track cuts. Is it because there aren't?

I have a big board designed (based on Nigel Goodwin's 16F877 board) that will require quite a few cuts, and now I'm thinking of using my Dremel with a small cutting disc to save my hands...
 
Now, *that* was a fast reply

You mean like a Forstner or Brad point bit that'll leave a flat bottom, or simply a decent drill bit and you drill completely through?
 
Joel Rainville said:
Now, *that* was a fast reply

You mean like a Forstner or Brad point bit that'll leave a flat bottom, or simply a decent drill bit and you drill completely through?
Click to expand...

Use the proper tool, it's called a 'spot face cutter', you can buy them from Maplin, order code FL25C at £7.49, most electronic places sell them - even RS Components.

It's SO! much easier (and less painful) than using a drill bit in your fingers!.
 
a decent drill bit (not a wood bit) needs at lest a 45deg taper tip and the tip needs to be sharp, some form of hand tapping tool makes it possible to get enoguh torque onto the track-holes

cant remember what drill bit size is best, maybe an M3
 

yer a propper tool is good, got good blades on the edge, but I always misplace mine at work so I just get an M3/M3.5 ??? bit and a ratchet holder to put the force on
 
Ok, so you drill completely through the board?

I have cobalt drill bits to drill in stainless, that should do it. Is M3 3mm? Although we do use the metric system up here, most construction-type supplies and tools are mostly sold in the English (which we actually call "imperial") system.
 

Actually, I was thinking of using a drill press, and wasn't planning on having my fingers under the drill bit. :lol:

But I'm gonna look at the tool. I haven't seen this on Veroboard's manufaturer website, I've missed it?...
 

Oh :shock: You're using the drill bit freehand? :shock:
 
Joel Rainville said:
Ok, so you drill completely through the board?
Click to expand...

NO! - you just cut the track with it, here's a picture of the tool (although you don't hold it like the picture!). If you check the board pictures in my tutorials you will see what the cuts look like.
 

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  • cutter.jpg
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Yeah, the question was for Styx and his drill bit. I figured you didn't drill through with a hand tool

Thanks for the tips!
 
I also use the proper hand tool and infact I also bought mine from Maplins. Cutting tracks with the proper tool is almost as easy as cutting butter with a warm knife, you need very little effort to make a tidy cut. Well worth the money.

Brian
 
Ok, according to the picture below, you *twist* the tool, right?

**broken link removed**

So using a good drill bit in a drill press, without drilling through, would be just as good?

Nigel : Your cuts look like blue dots
 
I have held drill bits in my hand, used the proper "spot face cutters" (the original one was a drill bit in a wood handle, and the new one is a drill bit in a blue plastic handle), and used a good sharp drill bit in my drill-press for years and years to cut the copper tracks on Veroboard. Many of my Veroboard circuits have hundreds of track cuts.
Of the millions of tracks I've cut, I slipped only one time and drilled right through the board.

Note: they must be sharp or burrs are left behind to short adjacent tracks.
 
audioguru said:
Of the millions of tracks I've cut, I slipped only one time and drilled right through the board.
Click to expand...

Of the 50 or so cuts I've just made with my drill press, I drilled through the first 2 With the proper depth adjusted, I did flawless work.

I used these high speed steel brad points. I used one just a tiny bit wider than the track, 3/32" or 1/8", I'm not sure. It worked great.
 
i use drill bits to make the track cuts. i use my fingers and yes it does hurt a bit if you do many track cuts. but i would recommend you the spot face cutter. it will make your life much easier
 
Thanks for the tip, Joel.
My ordinary bit is getting dull, so I'll try a high speed steel brad points bit soon. :lol:
 
Hiya Guy's,
I've never bothered trying to use a drill bit or the right spot face cutter to cut tracks on vero board. I simply use a pointed burr in my dremel and cut the tracks that way. It's much easier than doing it by hand.

Cheers Bryan
 
Hey Bryan,

I had a few precision cuts to make yesterday, where the drill bit technique would have removed too much material. As you said, the Dremel with a small burr works wonders... 8)
 
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