John Curl's Blowtorch preamplifier part II

[dvv]

Jan, I think that also depends, at least to some extent, on how manually one is capable. In case one makes it himself, that is. Some people have "golden hands", others don't.

 

[kamis]

Soldering 1206 SMD is very easy. SOIC packages also. Problem with SMD passive components is high price. Thin film SMD resistors are in fact the same as standard metal film but ten times more expensive.IPC videos about soldering are the best starting point. Many tutorials are totally wrong.

 

[vacuphile]

Some people say it is a great challenge and thus great fun to build circuits by hand with tiny microscopic parts. Even bordering on exciting.
I can just see (sic) my end result.... not working.


-RM

It is, at least to me, but I need a good stereo microscope to get it right. Fairly low magnification, only 2.4 times, usually works best.

 

[gpapag]

I had to sacrifice coffee for diying with SMDs

George

 

[Johnloudb]

One thing I like about working with SMDs is that they are fairly easy desolder and replace components, in comparison to through hole components, especially when your board has plated through holes.

 

[jacco vermeulen]

I've repaired my son's cell phone twice, his Wii console, a desktop monitor, lcd tv.
Granted, I do take pleasure in raising my pee leg to a garbage generation.

(Mr Putzeys' mini-boards are a good SMD stimulant)

 

[fas42]

Some pretty impressive advances being made - Design News - Engineering Materials - NASA Invents Multi-Metals 3D Printing ...

 

[fas42]

On a roll here - this will probably repeat what has been said many times, but will be nicely packaged to make it more immediately useful: Planet Analog - Edgardo Menendez - EMI Noise, Part 1: Don't Be the Problem.

 

[Joachim Gerhard]

Jan, did not know that you go over the border sometimes...
When i think about it, Aachen is the center of carneval.

 

[gpapag]

From the other side of the bar

KMODDL TOUR PROPOSED 1-22-05

George

 

[dvv]

I had to sacrifice coffee for diying with SMDs

George

Kudos to you George, I couldn't make that sacrifice.

 

[gpapag]

Maybe you don’t have to.
(six to eight espresso doppi daily for the last 15 years, a true straight espresso junkie )

George

 

[Bonsai]

Maybe you don’t have to.
(six to eight espresso doppi daily for the last 15 years, a true straight espresso junkie )

George

I am a 4 a day man.

 

[jan.didden]

Jan, I think that also depends, at least to some extent, on how manually one is capable. In case one makes it himself, that is. Some people have "golden hands", others don't.

Yes but unless you use the very smallest ones I would think almost everybody can do SMD, like the 1210 size.

Jan

 

[AuroraB]

1210s and 0804s are fairly easy, - 0402s are possible, but admittedly maybe not for the faint of heart or shaky hands.....
I usually get by with a 2.5 Optivizor, but I also use a 6x scope for the smallest ones.
Practice is necesseaary, and there are also some training kits in the market that are fairly cheap - or start with a small cheap project...
I also use this for soldering....

 

[Bonsai]

Fine tipped tweezers and a good, fine tipped soldering iron are key. The technique for laying down a part is also critical.

 

[scott wurcer]

Fine tipped tweezers and a good, fine tipped soldering iron are key. The technique for laying down a part is also critical.

I find the solder paste in a syringe helps. Under a magnifier it is pretty easy to apply.

 

[jan.didden]

How do you keep the solder paste ' fresh' ? I tried it for a while but it dries out, even if you keep it in the fridge. So I went back to very fine solder and a very fine point, never looked back.

Jan

 

[31697B]

I plan to live forever.
So far, so good.


But even so..... SMD suck big time. I will hold off on using them unless they are the only part (transistor) I can use.

When every part is only SM, I'll switch to may own stash of parts and when that runs out.... THEN, I might drop DIY entirely. Hard core TH all the way to the end or forever, which ever comes first.


Thx-RNMarsh


-RM

 

[scott wurcer]

How do you keep the solder paste ' fresh' ? I tried it for a while but it dries out, even if you keep it in the fridge. So I went back to very fine solder and a very fine point, never looked back.

Jan

Squeeze harder. Seriously, I don't have this problem with what we use. It comes with a very fine SS tube as output, in fact I take the outdated tubes from the lab and they still work almost a year later. It is like a medical syringe so it is never opened to the air, is that the difference?