Homebrew PCBs

> Mark Mickelsen wrote:

> I'm getting ready for my first attempt
> soldering some SMD's and I realize that
> I need a better pair of tweezers to
> place them.  I would like a pair of
> those long, thin tweezers that taper
> down to actual points.  It would also
> be nice to have a long, thin pointed
> stylus for holding things in place.
> Can anyone help me by telling where to
> look for these kinds of tools?

Lots of other people have suggested where
to buy them - so I won't do that.

I Will say you can just use a ball of
blu-tack in place of the tweezers AND the
stylus.  Get a small ball of it.  Roll it
around a bit so one end comes to a point.

That point can pick up SMD parts from
above and hold them down whilst soldering.

Dirt cheap option.

And although it has the disadvantage of
contaminating the component by touching it
with blu-tack.  It has the great advantage
that you can always find some blu-tack and
you can't always find/get-hold-of your
fancy vacuum pick up tool or tweezers.