Maybe OT: Why so much resistance to SMD?

[therecordingart]

I'm a little bummed because I'd really like to start learning how to work with SMD components, but there seems to be a huge resistance to it in the DIY community. From my understanding, once you get the hang of it there are nothing but benefits (cheaper parts, less drilling, smaller boards, etc.)

Your take?

[~arph]

- Hard to solder
- Can't read cap values
- Not readily available at our favourite suppliers (smallbear, aron's, banzai, etc.)
- Not available in small quantities

Those are just some things I associate with SMD, not based on actual experience

[jefe]

^ What ~arph just said.

Plus, I'm old, and don't like change. I've been using through hole components for my whole life, dag nabbit, and I'm not about to change now!

Seriously, I don't see the need to change.. I've been stocking up on all this thru-hole stuff, and now I'm supposed to start stocking up on SMDs too? Grrr...

I could make an acception, I suppose, like maybe using one of those converter-daughter board things, to "convert" a  surface mount IC for use on an otherwise thru-hole board. And of course, once I had a little bit of SMD experience under my belt, I might be less intimidated by all of it. So, I won't ever rule out SMD.. I'm just not ready to take the plunge yet.

[John Lyons]

Plus, it don't have the mojos. 

[therecordingart]

Plus, it don't have the mojos. 

You mean they don't make SMD Orange Drops or tropical fish caps? 

[Ice-9]

I have been using SMD components for a while now, I have to say they make life much easier for the most part

Some advantages i have found.

- Easy to solder
- Cheaper components
- Readily available where i shop.
- Caps available even if you just want one.
- If I need to replace an IC it's far easier and quicker to remove without causing any damage.
- No holes to drill, well relatively few,

One Dis sadvantage is that quality capacitors, can be very large so there is no space saving benefit here. (tant beads excepted)

I believe most people are against SMD because they think it's difficult to do

Tools i use are small soldering iron (same as i use for thru hole components) tweezers to hold a component in place, and lastly a hot air soldering iron for flowing ic pins (cost £30 from maplin)

[defaced]

SMD is not hard to solder, it just takes a different set of techniques.  1206s are not hard to solder, soldering tiny pads for through hole components are harder than soldering these things.  I can solder 0603 no problem, but I have issues reading the resistor values.
No cap values are an issue.  A cap tester can solve this, I just don't own one.
Mouse/Digikey/whoever sells them in singles no problem

This comes from making designs and sourcing parts for said projects and hand soldering them myself.  I actually prefer SMD to through hole for basic components.  No need to flip the board, snip leads, or any of that crap.  I have issues not socketing ICs though.

[~arph]

I just received my first smd components last week, so I will be using them soon. It's SSM2166 in SOIC14 btw.. I guess that's doable with my tiny tipped weller. Still pondering wheter I need this flux stuff...

So Ice-9 Just gave us  another disadvantage

- You need special tools

[Ice-9]

Plus, it don't have the mojos. 

You mean they don't make SMD Orange Drops or tropical fish caps? 

There is no such thing as Mojo.  

[Ice-9]

I just received my first smd components last week, so I will be using them soon. It's SSM2166 in SOIC14 btw.. I guess that's doable with my tiny tipped weller. Still pondering wheter I need this flux stuff...

So Ice-9 Just gave us  another disadvantage

- You need special tools

Kna you don't need any special tools, i can hand solder a 48pin TSOP chip with my little antex iron, but it is a little easier with a portable hot air iron

[~arph]

Yeah, but a magnifying glass and tweezers?  stuff I normally don't use..

For the record, I am seriously considering going to SMD.  I am hesitant as this will mean a restock. Plus I still need the through hole stuff for the breadboard.

[Ice-9]

Breadboarding means two sets of components. Thats probably the best point i have heard against up to now.

[jefe]

Breadboarding means two sets of components. Thats probably the best point i have heard against up to now.

That's a pretty big one for me, since I tend to breadboard everything before building. Having two sets of components isn't out of the question, of course, but it is a drawback.

[Gurner]

SMD all the way ...through hole is solely for breadboarding & big girls blouses.

Advantages (for me)...

Parts are cheaper.
Some of the cutting edge parts are only available SMD
no tedious drilling
no tedious hand soldering (use paste & then either 'flow' via  an oven or hand held hot air tool)
smaller footprint (size costs)
quicker to make a board up.
Easier to store (eg http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/50x-Electronic-Case-Component-Box-Storage-SMT-SMD-Kit-/160466782264?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item255c90c838 )
neater (less DIY look!)
probably others but you get the gist....

The only thing I bought to help was a pneumatic solder paste dispenser.

[slacker]

As far as I know, there's no equivalent of vero or perf for SMD, so for me as well as learning to solder it I'd have to switch to making PCBs. As a DIYer who only ever builds one of anything, that's just too much hassle for no real advantage.

[Ice-9]

SMD all the way ...through hole is solely for breadboarding & big girls blouses.

The only thing I bought to help was a pneumatic solder paste dispenser.

Hi Gurner, do you have a link for the pneumatic paste dispenser, i've been wanting to try this way for a while.

[IvIark]

I use SMD components for some things, usually to avoid standing up resistors on consecutive rows when using vero, but the main reason why I don't think I'd ever be interested in using them exclusively is because I can't see any point whatsoever for most of the things I build to miniaturise it any more.  Virtually everything I want to build will fit comfortably in a 1590B, even a lot of the time when using axial components, so I can't think of many good reasons to make future servicing of the pedals more difficult.

[jefe]

As far as I know, there's no equivalent of vero or perf for SMD, so for me as well as learning to solder it I'd have to switch to making PCBs. As a DIYer who only ever builds one of anything, that's just too much hassle for no real advantage.

Ah, yeah.. I mostly use perfboard, so SMD won't work for me in those cases..

[Mark Hammer]

I have no objection whatsoever to SMD chips, and maybe even transistors and some caps, but resistors?  Fuggedaboudit.

[Gurner]

Hi Gurner, do you have a link for the pneumatic paste dispenser, i've been wanting to try this way for a while.

Yep, here's the one I bought -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Solder-paste-glue-liquid-auto-dispenser-SMD-PCB-Pro-/180524776997?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a081d7e25

I knocked up my own compressor (taken out of a fridge at the local refuse tip!) ...it all works very well (I buy the paste from Deal Extreme for about $3 delivered ....you can buy the syringe tips from them too).