An Easier Way to Build PC Board Enclosures

摘要

Homebrewers often use single and double-sided printed circuit (PC) board stock as raw material from which to build custom electronic enclosures. It is readily available, not too expensive and fairly easy to work. Popular base materials include phenolic or the stronger G-10 glass epoxy material. This approach is especially popular for RF circuit enclosures where a leak-free enclosure is desired. One classic example is the step attenuator project in some earlier editions of The ARRL Handbook (1992 edition, p 25-38). As easy as it is to do, there are some aspects of working PC material that can be challenging. For example, while the material can be cut with a stationary sheet metal sheer, few of us have access to one. A hacksaw or coping saw can do the job, but it's more difficult to get a quality edge cut straight. Also, uniformly cut pieces of identical size, such as desired for box sides and partitions, require considerable measuring and cutting care. I decided there had to be a way to ease these tasks, and I set about to find one.