Comments on: Tony’s Diamond Chop Saw (Part 1) http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/ Join the resistance. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:31:25 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: PohTayToez http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5677 PohTayToez Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:19:10 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5677 I definitely saw the first picture, and the first thought that came into my head was, "Is that a hard drive motor?" I definitely saw the first picture, and the first thought that came into my head was, “Is that a hard drive motor?”

]]> By: DIY diamond chop saw http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5667 DIY diamond chop saw Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:09:15 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5667 [...] he put out the first part of his tutorial. Flash forward six months, and he completed a four part (1 2 3 4) tutorial documenting the project. Well done, and excellent [...] [...] he put out the first part of his tutorial. Flash forward six months, and he completed a four part (1 2 3 4) tutorial documenting the project. Well done, and excellent [...]

]]> By: Tony http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5664 Tony Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:19:17 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5664 All the etched parts you see are scrap pieces. I haven't figured out a way to etch yet. There are a number of issues here that are challenging. First is the mask, although from what I understand, photoplotting houses will do very high resolution masks fairly cheaply (~$25 range onto transperency material). These would exceed the capability of anything you could hope to print at home. So once you have a mask you need to etch. I believe that many of the available substrates are gold on top of a resist material/buffer like NiCr, etc. So you'll need to come up with the nasty chemicals used for etching these... Then there is the issue of coming up with the material to begin with. I haven't yet found a supplier of metallized ceramics, but I'msure they are out there. On the other hand you could find an evaporator and try it yourself :) I would figure at minimum $1000-$5000 for a run of your designs at a fab house for ceramic substrates. That could give you a bunch of parts and if that makes sense for your application could end up being only a few dollars per piece. Another advantage with that is the laser drilled and possibly filled vias, that would be very challenging to do on your own. All the etched parts you see are scrap pieces. I haven’t figured out a way to etch yet. There are a number of issues here that are challenging. First is the mask, although from what I understand, photoplotting houses will do very high resolution masks fairly cheaply (~$25 range onto transperency material). These would exceed the capability of anything you could hope to print at home.

So once you have a mask you need to etch. I believe that many of the available substrates are gold on top of a resist material/buffer like NiCr, etc. So you’ll need to come up with the nasty chemicals used for etching these…

Then there is the issue of coming up with the material to begin with. I haven’t yet found a supplier of metallized ceramics, but I’msure they are out there. On the other hand you could find an evaporator and try it yourself :)

I would figure at minimum $1000-$5000 for a run of your designs at a fab house for ceramic substrates. That could give you a bunch of parts and if that makes sense for your application could end up being only a few dollars per piece. Another advantage with that is the laser drilled and possibly filled vias, that would be very challenging to do on your own.

]]> By: Jon http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5663 Jon Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:05:06 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5663 Totally impressed! Not just great engineering but a lot of lateral thinking. I love the repurposing of the hard drive - talk about 'not reinventing the wheel'! I have been looking for a way to do this kind of precision for while and now I know how. But I have a question: It looks like you have been doing some very hi res etching too, do you have a solution to that or have you found a very good pcb house? Totally impressed! Not just great engineering but a lot of lateral thinking. I love the repurposing of the hard drive – talk about ‘not reinventing the wheel’!

I have been looking for a way to do this kind of precision for while and now I know how. But I have a question: It looks like you have been doing some very hi res etching too, do you have a solution to that or have you found a very good pcb house?

]]> By: DIY diamond chop saw | Products & Tech News http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5659 DIY diamond chop saw | Products & Tech News Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:28:47 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5659 [...] he put out the first part of his tutorial. Flash forward six months, and he completed a four part (1 2 3 4) tutorial documenting the project. Well done, and excellent [...] [...] he put out the first part of his tutorial. Flash forward six months, and he completed a four part (1 2 3 4) tutorial documenting the project. Well done, and excellent [...]

]]> By: Chop Saw Man http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5488 Chop Saw Man Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:43:27 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5488 Man, i never knew a saw could get so precise. I've seen some monsters at the other end of the scale but not something like this...good work! i'm off to read the next 2 parts Man, i never knew a saw could get so precise. I’ve seen some monsters at the other end of the scale but not something like this…good work! i’m off to read the next 2 parts

]]> By: Tony http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5325 Tony Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:41:55 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5325 The saw works great! I have cut at least 10 substrates now with it and the motor has plenty of torque to cut through even 20 mil thick substrates on metal backing. I need to write part 4 of this with the results.... The saw works great! I have cut at least 10 substrates now with it and the motor has plenty of torque to cut through even 20 mil thick substrates on metal backing. I need to write part 4 of this with the results….

]]> By: Mark McNutt, KB3PGM http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5324 Mark McNutt, KB3PGM Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:35:52 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5324 Looks pretty good. Just starting to get into lower uwave bands myself. Building a few transverters for 2meters. Scavenging components from LNA's and LNB's, and a few MMICs from Mini-Circuits. How did the hard-drive saw work out? I was curious whether or not the motor would have the torque along with its RPMs to to cut the substrate or would it bog down in the material? Mark , KB3PGM Looks pretty good. Just starting to get into lower uwave bands myself. Building a few transverters for 2meters. Scavenging components from LNA’s and LNB’s, and a few MMICs from Mini-Circuits.

How did the hard-drive saw work out? I was curious whether or not the motor would have the torque along with its RPMs to to cut the substrate or would it bog down in the material?

Mark , KB3PGM

]]> By: mightyOhm » Blog Archive » Tony’s Diamond Chop Saw (Part 2) http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5193 mightyOhm » Blog Archive » Tony’s Diamond Chop Saw (Part 2) Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:07:04 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5193 [...] part 1 I gave an overview of what this project is all about. In this part I will describe the basics of [...] [...] part 1 I gave an overview of what this project is all about. In this part I will describe the basics of [...]

]]> By: Jeff http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5084 Jeff Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:17:58 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5084 Tony - There is no such thing as patience on the internet. More information now please! Tony – There is no such thing as patience on the internet. More information now please!

]]> By: Tony http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5083 Tony Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:58:19 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5083 Coming soon! Coming soon!

]]> By: Alan http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5065 Alan Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:56:49 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5065 Updates? Updates?

]]> By: Steve Long http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5047 Steve Long Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:40:32 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5047 WOW!! This kid is AMAZING!!! -Steve Long, Tony's Father :-)) WOW!! This kid is AMAZING!!! -Steve Long, Tony’s Father :-) )

]]> By: Al http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5026 Al Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:35:26 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5026 This is properly cool. It's nice to see that hobbyists are willing to keep up to date with technology to the point where they make things by hand that were only ever intended to be manufactured with an automated process. Personally I'm even struggling with (large) surface mount packages so I don't think I'll get down to Tony's level of precision without computer assistance! This is properly cool. It’s nice to see that hobbyists are willing to keep up to date with technology to the point where they make things by hand that were only ever intended to be manufactured with an automated process.

Personally I’m even struggling with (large) surface mount packages so I don’t think I’ll get down to Tony’s level of precision without computer assistance!

]]> By: SnZ http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/07/tonys-diamond-chop-saw-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-5018 SnZ Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:03:13 +0000 http://mightyohm.com/blog/?p=2160#comment-5018 Wow, this a wonderful project. You are a clearly very talented. I can't wait to see your follow-ups. Wow, this a wonderful project. You are a clearly very talented. I can’t wait to see your follow-ups.

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