Re: gEDA-user: smd challenge boards

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I've started trying to put one of mine together, after buying some new
> much pointier tweezers.

Mine are needle tips, and they're still "big" compared to the 01005's.

> 0402 is tricky, 0201 is hard but doable, but the 01005 are so small
> that it's hard to actually tell if they're still there or not.

The first two I did, I used a microscope to place them, then again to
inspect afterwards.  Even so, I wasn't sure they were in right until I
tested the capacitance with the multimeter.  If you get them in wrong,
they're a nightmare to rework, too.  I spent many HOURS getting the
first two installed correctly (I had to; I had to make sure the
circuit worked!)

> The first one disappeared from the tweezers (with a tiny ping).

Yup, I hate that sound.  Like Steve said, they seem to be quantum
devices - one moment they're there, they next moment they're gone.

And they're the expensive ones, too, relatively speaking.  They're
$7.90/100 compared to $1.30/100 for the 0402's.

> On my wish/shopping list: better magnifier, finer iron tip, finer
> solder.

... bigger parts ;-)

I'm sticking with 0402 or bigger from now on.  My solder and tip are
0.020, which is much bigger than the 0.008 wide 01005's, but just
right for the 0402's.

> Anyone have a good way of keeping at least the tiny board still
> while working on it?

If the board is moving, you're not using a light enough touch.  For
the first side, I just rested it on the table (on a large piece of
white paper ;).  For the second side, I tried to find something with a
round hole I could put it in so it wouldn't keep tipping when I
touched it.  Have you tried double sided tape?

Also, you can solder wires into the power holes and stick it into a
breadboard.


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