ISO single tool to remove fingers

[ilyaz]

No, not my fingers... And not my neighbor's...

I have a bunch of PCI cards and I want to remove their fingers quickly and cheaply. I don't have access to a bandsaw. I can try doing this with a knife and a pair of pliers, but there is a better alternative. One crazy idea: can you use a manual tile cutter like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhDsFdEVg5w

Any other less crazy ideas?

Thanks!

 

[Goldwasser]

No, not my fingers... And not my neighbor's...

I have a bunch of PCI cards and I want to remove their fingers quickly and cheaply. I don't have access to a bandsaw. I can try doing this with a knife and a pair of pliers, but there is a better alternative. One crazy idea: can you use a manual tile cutter like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhDsFdEVg5w

Any other less crazy ideas?

Thanks!

I found that a simple bench-secured vise works perfectly. Open the vise just wide enough to slip the fingers into it and then bend the card back. The fingers will break and drop into a catch container that you sit under the vice. Then toss the fingerless cards into a box, weight it, and ship it to me and I will pay full motherboard grade for them. Win! Win!



[email protected]

 

[Acid_Bath76]

I use a throatless shear, from Harbor Freight. It's fast, and you can use it for many different processes. You could probably find it cheaper though. Hope this helps.

http://www.harborfreight.com/throatless-shear-38413.html

Using this tool, I can go through pounds of RAM/video cards/motherboards at lightening speed. It also cuts through desktop cases like a hot knife through butter. Such a great tool!

 

[ilyaz]

I found that a simple bench-secured vise works perfectly. Open the vise just wide enough to slip the fingers into it and then bend the card back. The fingers will break and drop into a catch container that you sit under the vice. Then toss the fingerless cards into a box, weight it, and ship it to me and I will pay full motherboard grade for them. Win! Win!



[email protected]

Hey Chris, you are quick!

 

[Acid_Bath76]

I think you were just wrapping up your comment as I was posting mine! Just checked out your site: boardsort. We should talk.

 

[Goldwasser]

I found that a simple bench-secured vise works perfectly. Open the vise just wide enough to slip the fingers into it and then bend the card back. The fingers will break and drop into a catch container that you sit under the vice. Then toss the fingerless cards into a box, weight it, and ship it to me and I will pay full motherboard grade for them. Win! Win!



[email protected]

Hey Chris, you are quick!

Thank you. I will admit I had that graphic already prepared. It is part of a tutorial section I am producing for my website.

 

[Goldwasser]

I think you were just wrapping up your comment as I was posting mine! Just checked out your site: boardsort. We should talk.

Acid_Bath76, email me at [email protected] and we can converse.

 

[Smack]

If I cut them off as I am dismantling computers I will just use tin snips or tin shears. If I am going to do a bunch of finger boards (even RAM) I will use my paper cutter. Got it at a auction and its a tuff old thing, and I can cut longer fingers too. Had to sharpen it a few times. Whatever you use, make sure it's a shearing tool, you don't want to create dust from cutting circuit boards.

 

[goldsilverpro]

In the early 80s, I once saw a huge computer recycling operation in Little Rock that had several women, full time, doing nothing but cutting off fingers. They were using hand-held power scissors, or shears. I don't remember whether they were air-driven or electric.

 

[stihl88]

GSP, Ive researched and tried to find a set of air powered scissors but to no avail. They do make a small shear type of scissor but they look to be slow and tedious. I'm sure theres some air powered scissors out their so if anyone ever finds any a link to the website here would be handy.

 

[Claudie]

http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/Pneumatic-Scissors-reduce-muscle-fatigue-11972

http://www.amazon.com/Kett-P-1080-Rabbit-Pneumatic-Scissor/dp/B003ZDOPQ4/ref=sr_1_17?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1307750865&sr=1-17

 

[stihl88]

Beautiful claudie, the first link is what i was referring to that i couldn't find but the second link appears to be like the shears i would stay away from as they appear to require 2-3 snips to cut off the fingers which a bench mounted shear would rival instead.

The only problem with the first link is how tough they might be and how long they may last but i'm sure you could get some replacement blades.

 

[Claudie]

I think they are a popular tool for cutting off chicken feet. I would think that if they would stand up to bone cutting, they should do okay on the boards. :|

 

[dtectr]

I saw some used at turkey processing plants (Swift-Eckritch) to snip off heads - They were run off compressed air/hydraulics - I guess they'd work - Check the plants during their ONE down-time per year for used ones !! SNIP-SNIP

 

[macfixer01]

Hi,
I've used tin snips in the past to cut off edge fingers. I currently use end cutters such as those on the right side of this photo to break off edge fingers and to remove many other types of connectors and components as well. They're great for twisting IC's, small transformers, relays, dip switches, oscillators, and any other square or rectangular components off of boards. I use them to pop the tops off Eproms and ceramic DIP IC's, and also to pull the plastic off of IDE connectors over the pins. I even use them to assist in cutting the tops of transistors off.

Or maybe check out what Harbor Freight calls a 6" Jaw Straight Sheet Metal Seamer. Basically it's a pair of pliers with 6 inch wide flat jaws.

http://tinyurl.com/3lnre6x

macfixer01

 

[Harold_V]

I think they are a popular tool for cutting off chicken feet. I would think that if they would stand up to bone cutting, they should do okay on the boards. :|

Speaking from the perspective of a machinist, one that has machined fiber glass, they won't have a great life expectancy. Fiber glass is very abrasive, so it wears the cutting edges. As they round off, they require more and more pressure to cut, and the cut becomes rather ragged. That may not matter for the purpose at hand, however.

Shears can be sharpened by hand quite easily. Just duplicate the angle on each blade and take a little off each surface. Look for a keen edge on the two sides that bypass one another. If the corner is rounded, even a little, take more off. You can sharpen them on a bench grinder quite easily.

Harold

 

[MASTERMIND]

HI everyone, I just found this GREAT FORUM (this site!) today so i only saw this post now so forgive me if its a dead thread now,
I like to try new tools just to see what seems to work best for different tasks and Harbor Freight Tools are a great source for cheaper stuff
heres a link for $37 air shears http://www.harborfreight.com/pistol-grip-air-shears-98580.html

I'm a total noobie in the metal recovery world and am very excited to have found you kind people to learn from- THANK YOU ALL! :lol:

 

[jaythenutz]

love the Throat less Shear but 149. are u out of your mind. I was able to pick up very cheap (free in fact) an industrial paper cutter like the ones used in schools the sturdy type that thing cut great and a variety of length i think its 20 to 24 inch blade. i have cut at least 2000 fabs and still going strong.

being happy is better than being any thing else at all..

~*Jay*~

 

[sera57]

Get a construction sizer or ( hand clipper ) and you could cut of 5 LB of fingers in a hr.
Than go out side with a toaster oven set it 400 F and put the fingers on the try about 10 minute
you cold shake of the copper and gold fingers from the raisin holding it with a pier.

 

[Claudie]

Hmm, I will have to give this a try. Thanks for the tip!