Veroboard trace cutting tool?

[CRC]

On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 Ethan Dicks <ethan.dicks at gmail.com> noted:


> On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 11:26:47 GMT, Pete Turnbull
> <pete at dunnington.u-net.com> wrote:
>> So does the genuine Veroboard cutter.  It's just a stub drill mounted
>> in a blue plastic handle, and its only advantage is that it's easier 
>> to
>> hold.  There's quite a good picture at
>> http://www.zen22142.zen.co.uk/Prac/vero_circ/vero.htm
>
> Ah... I was under the impression that the cutting edge had a
> substantially different angle fro a drill (like describing a 180
> degree arc between the cutting surfaces rather than, say, 150
> degrees).
>
> I guess this picture...
>
>   http://www.zen22142.zen.co.uk/Prac/vero_circ/8.jpg
>
> .... really shows the divot one gets from the real tool.
>
> I might just have to just use the drill press for this task (taking
> advantage of the stop to keep from drilling _though_ the resin board
> ;-)
>
> The tool looks handy for more than a few cuts, though.   I wouldn't
> want to try just holding a bit bare-handed - lots of hand cramps and
> slips probably.
>
>
[...]
> Thanks for the website tip... nice pix.
>
> -ethan

In the past I used a vector pad cutter (a great tool for doing 
breadballs) to cut the traces on Vero/Vector boards. The cutter has a 
guide pin to guide an annular cutter. Generally used to isolate a pad 
on a blank PC board, but works great for cutting the traces on 
protoboard. Since it is a mill-like cutter, it does not generate a 
divit like a drill bit.

A while back after being deprived of access to this tool (read 
downsized...), I decided to pick one up for myself. The part is listed 
in Digi-key under the Vector Board section. However, the sticker shock 
was extreme. As an alternate, I found that they make mills of similar 
design for cutting various sizes of o-ring grooves and are priced 
within reach.

As a cheap alternate, a simple end mill of the right diameter in a 
drill press should do the job admirably.

	CRC