Newbie question about marking cuts on stripboard

[AntKnee]

I'm making my first attempt at a stripboard circuit... I'm using a layout from tagboard, but was looking at the diagram and thought of something. They show the stripboard looking at the component side, and they show the cuts and links from the component side. But you cant mark the cuts on the component side and easily tell where your marks are on the copper side. So I was wondering if there is a trick to this, or if you just have to keep flipping back and forth and checking, or if you mirror the image so you can reference it from the right direction to mark the copper side? Does that make sense?
Thanks!!!!

[AntKnee]

I just found the build guide and see that  youre supposed to drill out the holes to mark them.
Aaaaaaaaalrighty then. 

[Clayford]

As someone that regularly does Vero - I can suggest an 1/8" drill bit. Mark with a red marker the holes you need then drill right through. Use a cheapie countersink kit from HF to touchup the other side as needed. Always double check your cuts with your DMM. When you're done soldering, run your hobby knife between each row of traces. If you don't solder it all in one night, don't be afraid to buff up your traces with some 00 steel wool when you come back.

[lincolnic]

Just so you don't feel obligated, you don't have to drill out the holes. I mark the cuts with a red Sharpie like Clayford does, but I don't bother with the drill after - I just take the drill bit itself and give it a few twists on the copper side. (You can see the red Sharpie through the back of the board if you hold it up to light.)

[jimilee]

I just use a pocket knife,must about anything works, but the dmm part is most important to make sure the cut is clean.

[davent]

Sounds better after a Cocobolo trace cutter.


dave

[Stomptown]

If you have a Dremel tool you can buy a set of bits for about $10. Much better than using a standard drill and also very useful for drilling holes if you etch PCBs. I bought a cheapie Dremel for about $40 and it is definitely worth its weight in gold!

[billstein]

I use a drill press and set it so the bit bottoms out just low enough to break the strip. Works great and it's fast.

[muddyfox]

I use a drill press and set it so the bit bottoms out just low we enough to break the strip. Works great and it's fast.

This is exactly what I do. Set the depth limiter so it cuts the track but not go all the way through the board. I don't like big holes on the component side. 

It's also somewhat drill dependent but I've found that I need to lower it a smidgen more when doing cuts in the middle of the board because the board flexes more and sometimes the drillbit doesn't quite cut deep enough. So I usually mark my cuts, do the outside ones first, lower the drill a teeeeny bit and then do the inside ones. I'm not often OCDish, but for some reason this bugs me. 

[dondougie]

I build on vero a lot and use one of those track cutters from www.bitsbox.co.uk, really useful.

For placing the cuts I just start from the top row and count the holes to the cut on the layout starting from the left, count the holes starting from the right on the actual flipped board and place the cut. After a bit of practice it's pretty easy and fast, and most of all clean, because my OCD doesn't allow any markings on the component side

[twin1965]

I count the holes from the component side. Put a component lead through the hole, turn the board around and mark the hole where the lead is sticking out of. Once all the required holes have been marked I then use a drill bit to cut the track. Three or four twists does it. Then I check for continuity. Not made an error yet!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[AntKnee]

Thanks for all the input, everyone!
I was really trying to find out how you trim off the board itself. I ended up scoring with a knife on both sides and then snapping it.

I've been using a drill bit to break the copper.

[Clayford]

Ahh there's several methods.
ALWAYS wear a mask. Fiberglass dust is being created.
Yours is one. I use my trusty dremel, cutting wheel and a mask.

Hack saw Scroll saw, Band saw, table saw, tile saw, they've all been used with great success

[davent]

To make life easier, i print out a grid of co-ordinates so it's simple to transfer the layout strip cuts from the art to the piece of board. Stuck the printout to a piece of boxboard so it will last and be handy, if i had a laminator that be the final detail.



For anyone that wants the grid... pdf.

[ggarms]

If i'm building a strip design, I'll throw the image of the cut side into photoshop and do a mirror image. This way when you flip the board to the strip side, your reference photo aligns with the cuts you need to make. Also----- What everyone said about dremel tools. If you get into etching your own (which everyone will recommend) the dremel kills all the birds with all the stones. Add the dremel press and you're set.