There has to be a better way to remove gold fingers

I really want to start working on my 50 gallon drum of finger cards. I bought a Dremil and have been using the plastic cutting blade which works beautifully for the first few cards but then wears down and starts getting wedged. Within a matter of trimming .15lbs of fingers I have wore out almost 2 plastic cutting blades. There has to be a better way, is there another tool made for Dremels?

I would think either a scroll saw or a small band saw would be the best way to do it.

I second the scroll saw idea.

think i've read those old paper cutters work well too, the kind on the board with the big slicing arm on it. Be careful with it though

I use " End Nippers " to cut off the gold fingers. It works fairly well although your hand will surely get tired.

Originally Posted by Dunemaul

pliers or a vice all the way no wear and tear on tools and by far faster.

Do you do anything to the break-line before placing them in a vice? For example, to you first cut along the linw with a utility knife to aid in the breaking?

I use large tin snips. Also radial arm saw with good blade.



The ultimate cutter would be a shear cutting break that used to cut sheet metal.

8" Bench Top Shear / Brake

Typical boards with gold fingers are FR4 material or similar. They are woven fiberglass. As Dunemaul says, just wiggle back and forth in a vise and it breaks the material and the small copper traces attached to the fingers pretty easy.

in australia, we just break them off with our teeth.

and spit 'em straight into the bucket.

dont throw the remainder away you probally can incinerate them and harvest more gold or with a ball mill.

Originally Posted by GeorgeB

I have also heard angel grinders sometimes work, but never tried that.

If I were to start grinding angels, I would be afraid that there would be no act of contrition that could take that back. LOL

Flat jaw welding pliers might help. Set the board in a vise and snap the whole row of fingers off.

I use the old school paper cutter and its the best choice i have personally found when you are dealing with large quanities

So I've been using the vice method. It's quicker, but leaves a lot of green from the break. I will need to go back over them with the Dremil Got about 1/2 a 50 gallon tote done in the past hour 1/2. That's with the help of my little four year old whose saving up to but his Batman Lego Game