[sdiy] pros and cons of SMT in DIY

[Richie Burnett]

Paula, when you say "working with 0402", do you mean replacing the odd 
component here and there, or soldering 100s of SMT parts on?  And how are 
you actually doing the soldering?  With a fine tipped soldering iron and a 
steady hand?  ...heater tweezers?  ...or stencilling solder paste onto the 
board then placing components into the paste and ovening the board?  Just 
curious what methods you're using, particularly to get consistent results 
with those tiny QFNs.

I can also vouch for the structural integrity of super-gluing down 
wire-wrapping wire or polyurethane enamelled copper (magnet wire) for mods 
to PCBs.  Never seen one fail, and they're almost impossible to rip up if 
you need to.  I've never felt entirely happy with the fumes given off when 
someone has to solder in an area of the board polluted with dried 
Cyanoacrylate glue though.  I remember doing this once and leaping backwards 
with my eyes and nose stinging!  Can any of the chemists on this list 
comment on what vapours are liberated when a hot soldering iron touches 
cured Cyanoacrylate glue?  (I appreciate that I should already have been 
soldering in an area with positive airflow away from me, extraction to 
outdoors, etc...)

-Richie,

-----Original Message----- 
From: paula at synth.net
Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2017 3:45 PM
To: cheater00 cheater00
Cc: Synth DIY
Subject: Re: [sdiy] pros and cons of SMT in DIY

On 2017-05-20 03:42, cheater00 cheater00 wrote:
> Yes, a TH pcb will be able to hold a daughter pcb just by the
> through-holes, whereas SMD pads will not hold one. So you can easily
> change topology using an extra pcb on a TH circuit but not on an SMT
> circuit.

You know you can use both SMT and through hole if you need?
My current project for work has around 100 SMT parts, and 7 through
hole, some of which are for PCB interconnect.

At the end of the day, the choice is up to the designer.
I'm really comfortable working with 0402 and QFN (3mm x 3mm) packages,
and with modding them with mod wires if needed (for the record super
gluing a mod wire makes it rock solid).
I'm considering trying 0201 for some parts, just as a personal challenge
:)

So it's up to each person.
There's no "right or wrong" or "this way is better", it's just
different.

Paula
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