MOTM

I think that a socket is likely a good idea.  My soldering is
less-than-stellar, so if I have to pull out a chip, it can be like pulling a
tooth.  This would be much easier to do with a socket, of course.
Especially since pulling a directly-sooldered chip involves simultaneously
heating 6+ pins w/o smudging or smearing the solder or bending the pins,
etc.  Tricky.

Naturally, I wouldn't want to use a cheap socket, the same way we don't use
cheap jacks or pots.  As for oxydization, I don't know.  Aren't all parts at
risk to this kind of damage?

On the other hand, if you are 100% certain you're not mis-placing an IC, and
you use good quality parts all around, and your design is 100% within
component spec, then in theory, your module will stand up forever, negating
the need to pull the IC, hence negating the need for a socket.  I like
run-on sentences.

--PBr

-----Original Message-----
From: Tentochi [mailto:tentochi@...]
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 7:03 AM
To: MOTM Mailing List
Subject: [motm] Sockets vs. soldering ICs directly to PCB?


I am in a constant state of internal conflict over this question.

Paul strongly believes that sockets are not need and end up causing more
problems than the solve.

On both of my (Blacet) Dark Star Choas boards, I did NOT use the sockets and
soldered everything directly to the board.

I have several other kits I am building now, I this question is still
bothering me.

I would like to hear different people's (including Paul's) opinions on this.