how I do it: smd videos

[wgc]

Something I've been saying I would do for a while now...




solder and align 0805 sized passives



0805 passives part 2



solder and align an ic

It was a little awkward for me to see what I was doing based on the placement of my phone, which also didn't help my typically mumbly voice any.   

Anyway, hope it helps!

[cooder]

Awesome, thanks for that! Very cool to see!

[nzCdog]

Like a boss! Lessons from the smd dojo

[TGP39]

Thank you so much for this Billy. I have two questions currently. 1. What flux pen are you using?  2. What diameter solder are you using?  Thanks again.

Steve.

[jimilee]

It just looks so easy! What iron are you using, I'd say that the size of the tip is key.

[copachino]

really nice jejeje i use the same as Billy, but for the flux i use my very own flux, violin rosin and thinner its the best you can find if you are using rosin core solder

[alanp]

Interesting, I hold my parts firmly with tweezers in my left hand, and soLdering iron in the right.

[lincolnic]

Thanks for making these. Is the resistor video supposed to be longer than 2:20? Seems like it cuts off mid-way through.

[wgc]

thanks guys, glad this is at least a little helpful

I'll have to check on the solder, iron, and flux.  Don't remember off the top of my head, away from my desk at the moment.  Thinner solder is helpful.  Any of the usual flux should work. And you don't need a lot, even a little more helps a ton.  Just don't use plumbing solder or flux.  And if its water soluable, make sure you clean it asap.

The tip is actually smaller/thinner than I normally use.  I prefer a 2.5 or 3 mm chisel tip.  The flat edge helps me square up the passives and the larger surface works better for ic drag soldering.  It was a little weird for me with this tip but with a little more tinning and a different angle it works fine.

As I think about it, I kind of form a set of unhinged tweezers with my pick and my iron.  Sort of a bit like chopsticks.  Tweezers always feel a little "iffy" for me personally.  Really the key is learning to use the surface tension of molten solder and small parts in your favor.

One thing I'd like to stress is that you should experiment and find what works for you, this is just one way that you may or may not find easier.  I think thru hole will be around quite a while, but this is another option which may allow you to use newer parts which may not be offered in previous packages.  And no reason we shouldn't be able to mix one with the others.

The video length is chopped.  Originally I did it in one file, and then I split it so I could post on photobucket.  Shouldn't be anything important missing.  I didn't want y'all to have to watch 45 secs of ads for a 4 min video. 

[lincolnic]

The video length is chopped.  Originally I did it in one file, and then I split it so I could post on photobucket.  Shouldn't be anything important missing.  I didn't want y'all to have to watch 45 secs of ads for a 4 min video. 

Cool. Where can we see the second half of the video? The first half stops basically right when you actually start soldering.

[wgc]

nuts...  looks like it didn't upload all the way, I didn't cut until after those three resistors were soldered completely. 

Thanks for letting me know!

I will reupload and edit the original post asap.
edit: still not perfect but it should all be there.

[wgc]

ok, i'm using a xytronic 168-3c that I got from an old job when they upgraded their irons, they were throwing these away if no one wanted them.  I'm guessing its at least 15 years old, I've had it for about 8 years.  I wish I had grabbed more tips, but at the time I figured I would only be using it here and there- I wasn't building pedals back then.

Flux pen is kester 2331-zx water soluble, I also have a kester 951 no clean.  Both work fine, but I like the water soluble better.

Solder is .4mm dia, rosin core, 60/40.  Not sure of the brand, the label is long gone.  Picked up a few spools the same time as the iron when they went lead free.