DailyDovetails
Well-known member
I ordered these on accident instead of through hole TL072s. Anything good to do with them other than solder them to a through hole adapter which doesn’t seem worth the trouble?
I ordered these on accident
- Thread starter DailyDovetails
- Start date
I ordered these on accident instead of through hole TL072s. Anything good to do with them other than solder them to a through hole adapter which doesn’t seem worth the trouble?
chris.knudson
Well-known member
If nothing else, it'll be good practice for the day when all of our beloved through-hole components are only available as SMD. I have to admit that I have started buying J201s and other components as SMD. I've even bought the break our boards, but I've been just too intimidated to try SMD yet. I've watched a lot of videos. I know there's a few different ways to do it, but I haven't tried any of them yet -- I know the day is coming though.
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chris.knudson
Well-known member
Ok, so my question is how do you do it? Do you use a soldering iron, a hot plate, hot air, or do you buy the boards with the SMD parts pre populated? I have a hot air station, I'm not afraid to try it with the soldering iron, and I've even contemplated buying a hot plate -- I just don't know what is the best way to dip my toes into SMD.I was scared of SMD for a long time. But I love it now!!
DailyDovetails
Well-known member
It does seem like it’s going that way. I have done a few SMD components Jfets but I can’t say I enjoy it. Every time I think I either made a bad joint or overheated it but they have all worked fine.
That picture led me to your website thinking there might be SMD boards for sale. You have a nice lineup of pedals there.
PapaBear
Well-known member
I have done it with a soldering iron and also a hotplate, it's a bit tedious at first , especially with an iron. I didn't find the hotplate too difficult, highly recommend getting templates for applying the solder paste if your doing a bunch.
Edit: With an iron your going to want, or at least I prefer, much smaller gauge solder to avoid bridges. I haven't tried the drag method that might not require thinner solder.
chris.knudson
Well-known member
The drag method with ample flux looks the easiest, but I know better -- everything looks easy on YouTube until you try it for yourself.
chris.knudson
Well-known member
Okay, good to know. That's exactly the kind of feedback that I'm looking for. I've seen quite a few people successfully using the hot air method. Are you using a solder paste, and if so, what kind? Also, are you using a solder paste stencil?
Feral Feline
Well-known member
Welp, you need at least one for the Mini Super Heterodyne:
Then there's PedalPCB's Classick 808:
Then there's the Red Clay OD from ELS:
[EDIT: OOFs! Disting
don' count, wrong # of IC-legs ]and the Klon Buffer on a jack, from ELS:
I'm sure there's a few more projects kicking around or coming down the pipe that would be good for your SMD purchase;
good to have a few on hand, I'd say. Wouldn't hurt to get a few adapter boards, too.
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Erik S
Well-known member
@chris.knudson
I’ve done one fv1 and a handful of jfets successfully using this stuff. There are a couple of short videos in with the product images that convinced me to give it a shot.
More or less works as advertised. Challenges have been not accidentally applying more paste than I need, and not blowing jfets across the room from having the air up too high. I had never heard of stencils, but that sounds like a smart way to avoid over-application.
I’ve done one fv1 and a handful of jfets successfully using this stuff. There are a couple of short videos in with the product images that convinced me to give it a shot.
More or less works as advertised. Challenges have been not accidentally applying more paste than I need, and not blowing jfets across the room from having the air up too high. I had never heard of stencils, but that sounds like a smart way to avoid over-application.
JTEX
Well-known member
The very first time I soldered SMD parts was at a soldering test for a job (I got the job). With the right iron / tip / small solder wire / flux, and either good eyes or some vision help, it's not harder than through hole.
Robert
Reverse Engineer
And you don't have to bend/clip leads!
chris.knudson
Well-known member
Well, you definitely make it look easy, but it also looks like you've done it a few times before.
So in other words, swap out the general purpose tip on the Hakko for one of the ultra thin tips?
JTEX
Well-known member
A really small tip is a must, and you also need very fine solder wire -- not wider than the pins you're soldering. I've never used a Hakko, but I'm sure there must be suitable SMD tips for it.
I use Metcal irons, but I'm spoiled from previous jobs where we exclusively used them. I'd much rather buy a 20-year-old Metcal station than a new anything else.
I use Metcal irons, but I'm spoiled from previous jobs where we exclusively used them. I'd much rather buy a 20-year-old Metcal station than a new anything else.
