Thanks all for the advice.
I'm using Wiha 44523 and 44529 tweezers, which the Wiha web site lists
as ESD safe and anti-magnetic. Not sure what anti-magnetic means. The
dental pick is just "normal" steel as far as I can tell.
I have one of those magnetize/demagnetize gadgets (made by Wiha I think)
that you pass a screwdriver through one side to magnetize and the other
side to demagnetize. I'll try passing the tweezers and dental pick
through the demagnetize side and see what happens (this evening after work).
Never gave much thought to SMD components such as resistors and
capacitors having enough ferrous material in them to be attracted to a
magnet. As well as IC's, they stick to the tools as well.
Steve K8JQ
On 10/24/2011 6:03 AM, Leon Heller wrote:
> On 24/10/2011 02:19, Steve wrote:
>> I've been placing some 0805 SMT components on PCB's this weekend. Use
>> tweezers to place the component and a dental pick to fine tune its
>> position on the board.
>>
>> Often times the component will stick to a leg of the tweezer or to the
>> dental pick. Very annoying to get the component in the right spot and be
>> unable to "let go" of it.
>>
>> What makes it stick? Anything to do to lessen the sticking effect of
>> components to tools? I cleaned the tweezers and dental pick with
>> alcohol, but to no avail.
>
> Perhaps the tools have become magnetised. I once used an electromagnet
> powered by AC to demagnetise a tool by placing it in contact and slowly
> withdrawing it from the field.
>
> Leon