[sdiy] Need help with a SMD kit (OT?)

Wed Jul 19 20:24:36 CEST 2017

if only it was only ic's that suffered from esd damage, otherwise it'd
be harder to trim those thick film resistors amirite

i've mentioned it on the last SMD why can't we all get along thread,
but the mantis scope from vision engineering is great since you can
wear glasses if you need too,though it can be a challenge to get it at
a good price, they're a popular ebay  item like metcals.

On Wed, Jul 19, 2017 at 11:14 AM,  <sleepy_dog at gmx.de> wrote:
>
> I don't know, probably not. So far I use them only for everything *but* ICs
> ;-) But since the number of all other components usually are far greater, it
> doesn't make that much of a difference if I get those out of their anti
> static bags before building.
>
> Btw, for those saying SMD is too small for their eyes, and magnifying glass
> lamp is not enough:
> If you can afford it, try a stereo microscope, like Leica or Nexius (seen
> things from 1000 bucks to some thousand... There are also brands which cost
> like 500,- but I have not heard of their reputation. Luckily, my workplace
> has an EE lab with one for my special cases :D )
> Seeing things enlargened with both eyes makes everything so much more
> precise...
>
> Steve
>
>
>> has anyone found out if those little boxes are really esd safe, never
>> got a good answer, they often advertise as for SMD, but that means
>> nothing
>>
>> there is also these
>>
>> https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/ESD-Safe-SMD-IC-Box-W-144-Bins-Anti-statics-SMD-SMT-Organizer-Transistor-Diode/425967_909915769.html
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 19, 2017 at 10:45 AM,  <sleepy_dog at gmx.de> wrote:
>>>
>>> Ok, so you flip at least once per component height class of your boards
>>> ;)
>>> And fiddle with wires / bend them etc to make them go in.
>>> And then cut them after soldering.
>>>
>>>>> For SMD, one has to get the resistor off of a tape.  9 times out of 10,
>>>>> I
>>>>> drop the resistor during this process <<
>>>
>>> This, you needn't do.
>>> Get some of those:
>>>
>>> https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/371330932745_/1x-100-Leer-Container-Box-blau-f%C3%BCr-SMD.jpg
>>>
>>> Call one pile of them e.g. "the 0805 resistor box", click the small
>>> things
>>> together in an arrangement which makes sense for the kinds of values you
>>> have.
>>> Then buy 200 (or whatever you like) of each value and pour them in the
>>> correct boxes.
>>> Those "hatches" are available as self-closing by spring.
>>>
>>> Do the same for other components commonly used.
>>>
>>> Then you are set up for building:
>>> With good (perhaps angled) pointy tweezers, you grab into the box that
>>> has
>>> the label of the component to solder, and grab one of the parts, put it
>>> on
>>> the PCB, there you go.
>>>
>>> Not anywhere near as fumbly as buying it on reel and then cutting them
>>> out
>>> individually ;-)
>>>
>>> Steve
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 19.07.2017 um 17:50 schrieb David G Dixon:
>>>
>>> What's all this "flipping the board over" and "parts falling out"
>>> business?
>>> I stuff all resistors and diodes, hold a small piece of wood over them,
>>> flip
>>> once and set down on the piece of wood, solder all joints, then snip
>>> clean.
>>> Then I do all sockets, again, stuff, flip once, solder all joints.  Then
>>> I
>>> finish with all the random parts that have random heights.  Soldering TH
>>> joints takes about 2 seconds per joint once you get a rhythm going.
>>> Plus, I
>>> can stuff parts in front of the TV in my easy chair, then carry the
>>> stuffed
>>> board out to the garage for soldering if I want to.  That's my usual plan
>>> when it's too warm or cold in the garage.
>>>
>>> Parts do require some preparation, but I lay out all of my boards so that
>>> the resistor leads are 0.4" apart, and for the standard 1/4W resistor,
>>> all
>>> this requires is to bend the leads at a 90-degree angle to the resistor
>>> body
>>> with my fingers.  Then I snip the leads to about 1 cm.  Sometimes I bend
>>> all
>>> then snip all, and sometimes I bend and snip each one at a time.  This I
>>> consider a part of the procedure of retrieving the resistors from their
>>> respective packages.
>>>
>>> For SMD, one has to get the resistor off of a tape.  9 times out of 10, I
>>> drop the resistor during this process.  With TH, I can prepare all of my
>>> parts, lay them out on the bench if I want to and compare them with my
>>> BOM.
>>> Then I can stuff them in a completely organized fashion.  I always find
>>> the
>>> stuffing of my own boards to be a completely pleasurable process, very
>>> relaxing.  I could literally do it all day (and I plan to after I retire
>>> from my day job in 2020).
>>>
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: Synth-diy [mailto:synth-diy-bounces at synth-diy.org] On Behalf Of
>>> mark
>>> verbos
>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 2:49 AM
>>> To: synth-diy at synth-diy.org
>>> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Need help with a SMD kit (OT?)
>>>
>>> I’m with Roman. Sure, I have hot tweezers, hot air, a pick and place
>>> machine….
>>>
>>> But I switched entirely to SMD about 10 years ago. Initially used 1206
>>> passives. I will NEVER go back. It takes way more time to assemble
>>> through
>>> hole, with all the flipping the board over and parts falling out/sticking
>>> up
>>> too high. The PCBs are way more cramped and annoying to layout in TH. I
>>> build all of my prototypes with mostly 0603 passives by hand using
>>> nothing
>>> more than a fine tipped iron. Also, I use lead free, organic water clean
>>> flux. I wash the PCB with hot distilled water and the results look like a
>>> professional machine built PCB. I don’t mess with breadboards, I just go
>>> from a drawing to a PCB. When something needs to be reworked, I use
>>> wire-wrap wire and hang parts off the board. Then make the changes to the
>>> PCB file for the future.
>>>
>>> Do a few projects with it, and you’ll never go back. I promise.
>>>
>>>
>>> Mark
>>>
>>>
>>> On Jul 19, 2017, at 1:58 AM, David G Dixon <dixon at mail.ubc.ca> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> SMD was developed for robots.  I don't feel a need to hone a skill to
>>> compete with a robot, thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 18 Jul 2017, at 22:23, David G Dixon <dixon at mail.ubc.ca> wrote:
>>>
>>> This post sums up why I simply will not do SMD by hand.  Not... worth...
>>> the... frustration.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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