Need eyelet and board building info

[V2]

I recently started using a wet tile saw to cut G10. It cuts well and keeps the hazardous dust down.

[pompeiisneaks]

That's actually a very good thing to point out, I used a mask when I cut mine because I was told about that. Make sure for safety you put on a mask or use a bit of water when cutting, the fiberglass particles that come out, if breathed in, can cause major bad things to happen to your lungs!

~Phil

[Ken Moon]

Listen to the wise posts above!

Please wear a respirator, or at least a surgical-type mask from the drug store, and use a vacuum to pull as much dust as you can away from your face when cutting this stuff.

If you don't have a table saw with a vacuum attachment, just get your wife/gf/stranger to put on a mask and use a vacuum cleaner to suck up as much as possible as you cut.

Little teeny tiny bits of garolite dust are not good for your lungs.

That's why it's sometimes a good idea to get pre-cut pieces, if you can find the size you need. Here's one well-respected supplier:

https://tubeamplifierparts.com/circuit- ... erial.html

[erwin_ve]

Instead of using a saw, I switched to a tin cutter. A lot less dusty.

[Hepcat]

I've been gone from this group for awhile and really enjoy the topics and folks here! I have made 30 amps so far in my small amp "business". I got the idea to make my eyelet boards out of a clear plastic for two reasons. 1. is that they looked cool and B. I can see the two power supply wires underneath in case of trouble. The best source for clear plastic is sign makers as they have lots of cutoffs available for free or very cheap. I have tried two types of plastics, Lexan (polycarbonate) and Acrylic (Plexiglas and Lucite). I have found that the Lexan is far superior in tolerance of soldering heat and it cuts on a table saw better. Plexiglas will also crack in a spiderweb pattern when you stake the eyelets. I had a strange issue come up with plexiglas also. I mount the board on hex standoffs and to hold the screws in I used a drop of locktite in each hole. The plexiglas cracked and shattered at each point where it contacted the plastic. I wasn't happy with having to completely replace the board. I have to assume that the FR4 will tolerate heat a bit better than the Lexan but the Lexan is unique and works just fine unless you keep heating and reheating the same eyelet. I will post a picture if I can figure out how.
Ken

[pompeiisneaks]

I've been gone from this group for awhile and really enjoy the topics and folks here! I have made 30 amps so far in my small amp "business". I got the idea to make my eyelet boards out of a clear plastic for two reasons. 1. is that they looked cool and B. I can see the two power supply wires underneath in case of trouble. The best source for clear plastic is sign makers as they have lots of cutoffs available for free or very cheap. I have tried two types of plastics, Lexan (polycarbonate) and Acrylic (Plexiglas and Lucite). I have found that the Lexan is far superior in tolerance of soldering heat and it cuts on a table saw better. Plexiglas will also crack in a spiderweb pattern when you stake the eyelets. I had a strange issue come up with plexiglas also. I mount the board on hex standoffs and to hold the screws in I used a drop of locktite in each hole. The plexiglas cracked and shattered at each point where it contacted the plastic. I wasn't happy with having to completely replace the board. I have to assume that the FR4 will tolerate heat a bit better than the Lexan but the Lexan is unique and works just fine unless you keep heating and reheating the same eyelet. I will post a picture if I can figure out how.
Ken

I'd always understood there were two major problems with most plastics: 1. heat sensitivity, you seem to have okay results there, 2. electrical conductivity, most plastics are pretty bad about transmitting electrostatic charge etc. Lexan is horrible. They expected Volume Resistivity of PCB materials should be on the order of Meg Ohms, Lexan is about 1015 ohms. It conducts like mad. I'd be very careful with most plastics for this reason.

~Phil

[galtjunk]

I use 1/8" fr4.
Check your local plastics houses.
I bought 100 pounds of drops for next to nothing.
That will last me a lifetime.
I have a friend with a shear who cuts it for me.

[Hepcat]

I've been gone from this group for awhile and really enjoy the topics and folks here! I have made 30 amps so far in my small amp "business". I got the idea to make my eyelet boards out of a clear plastic for two reasons. 1. is that they looked cool and B. I can see the two power supply wires underneath in case of trouble. The best source for clear plastic is sign makers as they have lots of cutoffs available for free or very cheap. I have tried two types of plastics, Lexan (polycarbonate) and Acrylic (Plexiglas and Lucite). I have found that the Lexan is far superior in tolerance of soldering heat and it cuts on a table saw better. Plexiglas will also crack in a spiderweb pattern when you stake the eyelets. I had a strange issue come up with plexiglas also. I mount the board on hex standoffs and to hold the screws in I used a drop of locktite in each hole. The plexiglas cracked and shattered at each point where it contacted the plastic. I wasn't happy with having to completely replace the board. I have to assume that the FR4 will tolerate heat a bit better than the Lexan but the Lexan is unique and works just fine unless you keep heating and reheating the same eyelet. I will post a picture if I can figure out how.
Ken

I'd always understood there were two major problems with most plastics: 1. heat sensitivity, you seem to have okay results there, 2. electrical conductivity, most plastics are pretty bad about transmitting electrostatic charge etc. Lexan is horrible. They expected Volume Resistivity of PCB materials should be on the order of Meg Ohms, Lexan is about 1015 ohms. It conducts like mad. I'd be very careful with most plastics for this reason.

~Phil

Thanks for the alert Phil. I haven't had any straight out DC or AC resistance problems. I will research the electrostatic charge issue. The board is electrostatically grounded through the metal standoffs but I need to see if I have a time bomb ticking like the dreaded "wax coated cardboard" issues from the early Fender amps.
-Ken