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Who's down for some SMD layouts?
- Thread starter Robert
- Start date
jubal81
Well-known member
I use the same one. It's a lot easier than the magnified lamp I used for years.
fig
Village Idiot
I missed this earlier Joe. That is on the visor. It's about 6-8" focal distance, so yeah pretty darned close with that on. The swing mag allows your actual skull to be farther from the object you're peepin' at, but it gets all up in the way.
vigilante398
Authorized Vendor
I use an AmScope stereo microscope, paid about $150 for it.
vigilante398
Authorized Vendor
finebyfine
Well-known member
(Re: $15 amazon hot plate)
Got around to trying this tonight and here are my first impressions. Some are about the plate itself, some / most are thoughts on workflow. For reference, I’m comfortable smd soldering with an iron.
I soldered some sot-23 transistors to a son of benson and mofeta boards using chipquik’s low temperature solder paste.
I had never used paste before and practiced applying on a scrap piece of paper ahead of time. On the benson (first board) I placed flux liberally to the pads as if I were smd soldering by hand before applying the paste. On the mofeta I didn’t. The difference wasn’t huge but the fluxed one was cleaner, and I’ll continue to do that.
The plate heats up fast and while I didn’t measure the temperature I believe the low temp paste was overkill, and that because of how hot it gets there’s no reason to not just use regular with it.
Each board’s smd components (3 and 4 smd jfets) were done in maybe 3 minutes start to finish from shakingly applying paste to board cooled down.
Without a stencil I probably wouldn’t want to use this for anything other than 2 and 3 terminal packages unless I get a lot better applying paste over time. I can drag solder in my sleep once a components in place, but I am going to test some components that I would otherwise default to drag soldering for. The appeal of this setup is definitely for saving the headache of keeping small components (in overall size) in place while soldering with one hand more than a few times.
Not going to solder an sot-23 without this again
jubal81
Well-known member
I've read reviews that say this machine pretty much requires mods out of the box. Mind telling more about your experience?
vigilante398
Authorized Vendor
The only thing I did to mine was take apart the chassis and replace the masking tape with kapton tape. It's fairly well insulated, but masking tape wasn't designed for high temperature use and people that use it stock right out of the box have reported smoke from the melting tape.
I know some people like to replace the firmware, I didn't find that to be necessary and I still run the stock firmware on mine. I do have some cold spots as people mention in reviews, so I can't do a bunch of boards at once, but I can consistently do two reasonable size boards or three smaller ones without problem, just keep everything to the middle of the tray.
pcb rookie
Active member
Any chance PedalPCB SMD layout could lead to royal 300+ component project you have been working on for a moment? .... and I can't just begin to imaging the multiple step challenge from digging the gooped to access the compenent to functional PCB!
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Feral Feline
Well-known member
... rather than throw folks into a Low Tide for their first SMD experience.
Low Tide was indeed how I popped my SMD cherry.
princeofyams
Member
Can't wait! All the money we will save on components will go right to our eye doctors 
For real though, SMD would make sourcing way easier.
For real though, SMD would make sourcing way easier.
YES!
I love through-hole but some SMD pedals would be fun. I am currently in the midst of a JSI PROGUE synth build that is almost entirely SMD and it was my first real taste of it. Bought a nice digital microscope with which to save my eyesight and it’s been a fun experience thus far. I’d def be down for some similar projects from PedalPCB
I love through-hole but some SMD pedals would be fun. I am currently in the midst of a JSI PROGUE synth build that is almost entirely SMD and it was my first real taste of it. Bought a nice digital microscope with which to save my eyesight and it’s been a fun experience thus far. I’d def be down for some similar projects from PedalPCB
finebyfine
Well-known member
Do you mind linking? I use 3x-6x readers on my bench but absolutely hate that it’s not just one set of adjustable glasses. 4 pairs of glasses (I swear they all get used) takes up such a silly amount of space
I believe this is the one I bought.
I’d never heard of Banggood before but it was an easy purchase and no issues.
If this isn’t the exact one I bought then it’s at least pretty darn close. I’ve liked it thus far
[US$66.99 29% OFF] MUSTOOL G1200 Digital Microscope 12MP 7 Inch Large Color Screen Large Base LCD Display 1-1200X Continuous Amplification Magnifier with Aluminum Alloy Stand Power Supply Version Measurement & Analysis Instruments from Tools on bangg
MUSTOOL G1200 Digital Microscope 12MP 7 Inch Large Color Screen Large Base LCD Display 1-1200X Continuous Amplification Magnifier with Aluminum Alloy Stand Power Supply Version
m.banggood.com
vigilante398
Authorized Vendor
I've bought a handful of things from Banggood, they're a great option for Chinese equipment, especially when they have stock in their US warehouse. My first laser engraver came from there if I remember right.
Fishbonetabby
Active member
Fishbonetabby
Active member
If you build them, we will buy them!