Interested in getting comfortable with SMT?

[Gurner]

They arent so bad! (as long as you have tweezers and a microscope  ). But seriously, the 0805 that tayda carry are pretty easy to work with.

I ordered 0805 (having worked with 1206 for a good while)...I opened the package...laughed, put them back in the envelope & have never re-visited... I reckon most people would have the same reaction (in fact, probably more of a reaction...if they've not even worked with SMD at all prior). to go from thru-hole to 0805, well, I'm laughing as I type (seriously). Re Tayda not carrying, plenty of sellers do...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMD-1206-50-Value-Resistor-Kit-40-ones-of-each-value-/370597064433?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56494e6ef1

(another 'win' of SMD, you go from a big (often costly) unit with storage drawers hanging on the wall to this... http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-SMT-SMD-Kit-Laboratory-Components-Storage-Box-Freeshipping-NEW-/121034691985?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2e3ad591 ....about 12" wide!)

[Jdansti]

Somewhere there's a video of a guy handling SMD components with a small ball of "Sticky Tack" (Blu-Tac) on the end of a pencil and it seems to work really well for placing the components and holding them while you solder the first side.

[garcho]

I'd be interested in buying a little kit. Great idea Taylor.

[slacker]

I'd be interested in a kit. I've done a few things using SOIC parts soldered to adaptors with through hole and vero for everything else, so it would be nice to get a feel for whether I could go completely SMD.

[greaser_au]

interestingly...   as result of researching considered responses for the recent DMM thread, I ran across these "SMT to DIP adapter" boards:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221022301871
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/320905382834
...and I'd lay odds that there is lots more stuff out there that will allow 0.1" protoboard users to play in the SMT-only-device  realm... 

david

[slacker]

Those 28 pin adaptors are the exact ones I've been using. The smaller ones look pretty useful.

[Mustachio]

I built the pearl Octaver with smd IC's not long ago! Was a lot of fun and my first time trying smd components. I was going to use it for the turkey day contest but there was no smd allowed for that , but that's ok things worked out

Ever since I built that Pearl OC7 I have been thinking about trying to make some new layouts with the smd IC's .

I found it was easy to use some flux paste on the end of a cut resistor lead and sort of brush it on the smd pads and then just stick the IC to it and hold it lightly down with some tweezers (zircon encrusted) and then wipe down away from the IC with the soldering tip that has a bit of solder on it but not to much. Once I got used to it I could do the fast swipe across all the legs of the IC and get them all in a row no bridged connections was pretty cool!

I'm not sure I'm ready for smd resistor and caps and transistors like those 0805's . But Id like to do some layouts for some projects maybe fit some stuff into 1590a's!

[Perrow]

The 1590A feasible projects list gets a lot longer with smd

[pickdropper]

The 1590A feasible projects list gets a lot longer with smd

Yeah, I like doing SMT layouts for 1590A (I actually just posted one in the 1590A thread).

I actually posed the same question on BYOC about SMT boards as I've had a handful of SMT boards made.  Some folks asked for kits too, but I really am leaning towards just releasing a mouser BOM with all the part numbers.  They will bag and label a single resistor and still only charge 6 cents for it, which is fantastic.  I still may do a kit option for those that feel they really need it, but it makes a lot more sense to just do a Mouser order, IMHO.

[Taylor]

The 1590A feasible projects list gets a lot longer with smd

Yeah, I like doing SMT layouts for 1590A (I actually just posted one in the 1590A thread).

I actually posed the same question on BYOC about SMT boards as I've had a handful of SMT boards made.  Some folks asked for kits too, but I really am leaning towards just releasing a mouser BOM with all the part numbers.  They will bag and label a single resistor and still only charge 6 cents for it, which is fantastic.  I still may do a kit option for those that feel they really need it, but it makes a lot more sense to just do a Mouser order, IMHO.

I sort of agree, but it's my understanding that most people outside the US don't like Mouser because the shipping is disproportionately high.

[pickdropper]

The 1590A feasible projects list gets a lot longer with smd

Yeah, I like doing SMT layouts for 1590A (I actually just posted one in the 1590A thread).

I actually posed the same question on BYOC about SMT boards as I've had a handful of SMT boards made.  Some folks asked for kits too, but I really am leaning towards just releasing a mouser BOM with all the part numbers.  They will bag and label a single resistor and still only charge 6 cents for it, which is fantastic.  I still may do a kit option for those that feel they really need it, but it makes a lot more sense to just do a Mouser order, IMHO.

I sort of agree, but it's my understanding that most people outside the US don't like Mouser because the shipping is disproportionately high.

I didn't realize that Mouser gouged for shipping outside of the U.S.  I guess I would've expected better than that from them.  In that case, I can certainly see the benefits of a kit.

[slacker]

The problem with Mouser is they're just not interested in small orders from the likes of us, so for the UK they charge a flat fee of £12/$20 for shipping making small value orders impractical, for bigger orders they're probably Ok as I think they do free shipping. The thing that annoys me is they have what appear to be UK and other European based sites, but all they do is give you the prices in your own currency, they still charge you international delivery.

I think, certainly with Taylor's goals in mind, the option of a kit is the way to go, make it as simple as possible for people to dip their toe in the SMT water.

[Jdansti]

Has anyone found or used a reasonably priced vero-style board for SMD?  If Small Bear starts handling SMDs it would be great to be able to get "proto boards" at the same place.

[pickdropper]

The problem with Mouser is they're just not interested in small orders from the likes of us, so for the UK they charge a flat fee of £12/$20 for shipping making small value orders impractical, for bigger orders they're probably Ok as I think they do free shipping. The thing that annoys me is they have what appear to be UK and other European based sites, but all they do is give you the prices in your own currency, they still charge you international delivery.

I think, certainly with Taylor's goals in mind, the option of a kit is the way to go, make it as simple as possible for people to dip their toe in the SMT water.

Given that info, I can certainly see the draw of a kit.

The other option would be to do a BOM for a place like Farnell, assuming they carry the same lines (not necessarily a given).

[garcho]

make it as simple as possible for people to dip their toe in the SMT water.

booya

A topic that accounts for a large number of threads on this forum is what to buy and where to buy it. Ordering from Mouser et al. can be a royal PITA if you're not sure of yourself. Being a super-newb, it was a tedious, expensive, error-filled journey to get to the point where I can buy with confidence. I dread revisiting that even to a small degree in SMD world. I'm willing to pay more for a basic kit - Taylor's idea of a op amp overdrive is perfect - to have a reference point for buying parts in the future.

[pickdropper]

make it as simple as possible for people to dip their toe in the SMT water.

booya

A topic that accounts for a large number of threads on this forum is what to buy and where to buy it. Ordering from Mouser et al. can be a royal PITA if you're not sure of yourself. Being a super-newb, it was a tedious, expensive, error-filled journey to get to the point where I can buy with confidence. I dread revisiting that even to a small degree in SMD world. I'm willing to pay more for a basic kit - Taylor's idea of a op amp overdrive is perfect - to have a reference point for buying parts in the future.

If I keep responding in a pro-Mouser way, people are going to think I believe Taylor's idea is a bad one or that I am against kits.  That's not the case at all (on either count).

But submitting a preformed BOM to Mouser is WAY simpler than picking out the components.  You upload the spreadsheet to their website and then order the full project.  The user doesn't have to select any components as the correct part numbers are already there.

Not saying that it is the best way to go, but I am trying to demystify it a bit. 

[garcho]

thanks for the tip 

[garcho]

Bump this mutha...

Any word on if this is gonna happen Taylor?

[Skruffyhound]

Ah, just seen this. Although

shaky hand steadying and duff eyesight enhancing

is also my new style as of the last 6 months!
I'm in.
Now the question is what to do with all those (1000's) of through hole components I bought.
I guess I'll stockpile and my grandchildren can make a killing selling them as NOS.

[Taylor]

I do still want to do it but I've got some other projects that are taking priority right now.