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

[David G Dixon]

All my boards are hand-made, single-sided boards.  Hence, I have no option
but to solder on the "solder side" of the board.  However, to say I have to
"flip" the board is a bit ridiculous, since after I've soldered in all of
the resistors, I have to pick up the board and stuff other parts into it.
However, once these other parts are stuffed, I set the board down and don't
move it again until all leads are soldered in.  Hence, I never actually
"flip" the board during soldering at all.

I have a feeling that my system for stuffing and soldering boards is
probably a lot more efficient than most people ever achieve with their
through-hole efforts, and that is why I can do it so quickly and easily.

Another thing which makes my board stuffing quick and easy is that all my
layouts have a graphical image of the finished board, and this is actually
what I refer to when stuffing.  All the resistors are color-coded, all the
capacitors are marked with a 3-digit code (106, 222, etc), all the sockets
and chips are marked with the scallop for orientation purposes.  I don't
silkscreen or mark the tops of my boards in any way, so this graphical guide
is all I have to go by, and I find it infinitely easier to follow than
silkscreening.

> Ian, I also solder form above, at least resistors and diodes, certainly
cuts down on all the flipping. I do touch up from the bottom after clipping
the leads though, sometimes the solder doesn't make it all the way
through...