Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: Homebrew PCBs

Hi, I've been a member awhile but haven't posted before. I've
reviewed the previous posts on flex circuits and have a few questions.
Can surface mount components be soldered (by hand) without destroying
the components or the laminate? Or would it be better to use a
conductive epoxy? Is there some other bonding method that could be
done at home?

I don't need to flex the circuit, am interested in its thinness to fit
inside a scale model railroad signal head with tight clearances. Feed
wires running up a 1/16" mast need to be attached to the laminate as
well as the LEDs.

The assembly has to fit inside a space .090" wide x .400" high x .058"
deep.

The "board" would have 4 traces on it, one to each of 3 LEDs plus a
common ground. I'm sure I'll have to develop a means of handling
these tiny parts, one sneeze and its start over. I'd expect I'd need
to assemble the components and cut the "board" away from a larger
sheet afterward.

I'd really appreciate any help you can provide on this project.

Thank you,

Ron Ferrel