K3 hardware - The Mystery Mods?
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K3 hardware - The Mystery Mods?
 
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I have a pair of 15 watt Radio Shack grounded tip IC
soldering irons and some old tips. I'll file the old tips small and flat. Agreed about board density, the bottom of the K3 is pretty friendly compared to other equipment I've seen. The hardest part sometimes is not jabbing something outside of your magnified view. [Elecraft] K3 hardware - The Mystery Mods? Brett Howard brett at livecomputers.com Wed Feb 27 16:46:20 EST 2008 Previous message: [Elecraft] K3 hardware - The Mystery Mods? The hard part about the jab and flick to me is to be sure that you get enough heat in there that you are lifting the part and not the pad/trace. Also you have to be careful that you don't get too much heat there as that can lift the pad/trace too... :) I deal with 0402 sized stuff at work all the time and thank my lucky stars that we've not yet gone to 0201 or the 01005's that I've seen on some sample kits! THOSE ARE SMALL! 0402 isn't too terribly scary especially if board density is relatively low. The thing that annoys me is the BGA's with blind and buried vias! Cause its always the signal that you need to look at that is on internal layers all the way from part to part. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Any videos out there showing nice closeups of simple/safe/inexpensive techniques to solder SMD? Many (most?) of us have zip experience with the little buggers.
73, Barry N1EU
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There are some excellent SMD videos on Youtube. They are what gave me the confidence to try it myself. Pictures worth 1000 words and all that.
-- 73, de Mike, KC0KBC -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Barry N1EU <[hidden email]> > > Any videos out there showing nice closeups of simple/safe/inexpensive > techniques to solder SMD? _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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In reply to this post by Barry N1EU
Should have checked youtube before posting. http://youtube.com/watch?v=3NN7UGWYmBY seems quite good and there are lots more.
73, Barry N1EU
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RE: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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In reply to this post by Barry N1EU
Hi There are several videos at
howardelectronics.com google them They also have a nice soldering station on close out for $79 So far everything I have bought from them is first class. If you only need to remove and replace one or two SMD devices the Chip-Quick removal method and the solder drag install method with the mini-wave soldering iron tip looks good. For real service work on a regular basis the hot air remove and drag method install would be a better way to go, but that requires more equipment and cash outlay. Look at the videos to see what I am talking about. I just bought the JBC DI3000 kit and this is by far the best soldering equipment I have ever seen or used but it is extremely pricey. I can only justify because I am in the business of SMD board design and assembly of prototypes. This thing is the most powerful and controllable iron I have ever used. It heats to temp in 2 seconds and you can change tips an be soldering again in 10 seconds. The smallest tips can solder something as small as a SMD cap and then solder two copper penny's together then back to SMD's without adjusting the iron. When you place the iron on the stand the iron goes to sleep at a low temp then when you pick up the iron it is back to the set temp before you can wipe the tip. Don BrownKD5NDB No affiliation just a customer> > Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:26:28 -0800> From: [hidden email]> To: [hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)> > > Any videos out there showing nice closeups of simple/safe/inexpensive> techniques to solder SMD? Many (most?) of us have zip experience with the> little buggers.> > 73,> Barry N1EU> > > wb8yqj wrote:> > > > I have a pair of 15 watt Radio Shack grounded tip IC> > soldering irons and some old tips. I'll file the old> > tips small and flat.> > -- > View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/K3-hardware---The-Mystery-Mods--tp15725030p15726020.html> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.> > _______________________________________________> Elecraft mailing list> Post to: [hidden email]> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com_______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Barry N1EU
The K3 mods are very simple...replacing single components with plenty of room around them...no IC removal, fine-pitch ICs, etc. I was somewhat surprised how much solder they were loading on the tip in that video sometimes. Less is better than more for SMD. One change I would make to that video. Forget the loupe and get a headset visor...you will definitely need both hands free (one for the soldering iron and one for tweezers or whatever you use to hold the component in place). $10 visors from eBay work just fine (doesn't need to be an Optivisor but looks similar). The flux, Quik Chip, etc are nice but not really necessary for what you will need to do. Tweezers, a magnifying visor, good light, solder wick and a fine tip soldering iron are musts. 73, Bill W4ZV |
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When I was about to start one of the more involved SMD kits
(I had built some easier ones with bigger parts), I worried about the very, very small spacing on a couple of the IC's. Then I had a chance to discuss this with a couple or "pros" who both told me not to worry. Just slop the solder on across all the contacts, and then wick it off with some good braid. The operative word in that last sentence is "good". You don't want cheap braid. Works like a charm! No bridges! The device remains neatly soldered to the pads at the contact points, but the anti-solder material on the board allows all the excess to be lifted right off. I don't know that this is the textbook approach, but these guys do this stuff for a living, so I felt comfortable taking their advice. Dave W7AQK ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill W4ZV" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 6:52 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods) > > > > Barry N1EU wrote: >> >> >> Should have checked youtube before posting. >> http://youtube.com/watch?v=3NN7UGWYmBY seems quite good >> and there are >> lots more. >> > > The K3 mods are very simple...replacing single components > with plenty of > room around them...no IC removal, fine-pitch ICs, etc. I > was somewhat > surprised how much solder they were loading on the tip in > that video > sometimes. Less is better than more for SMD. > > One change I would make to that video. Forget the loupe > and get a headset > visor...you will definitely need both hands free (one for > the soldering iron > and one for tweezers or whatever you use to hold the > component in place). > $10 visors from eBay work just fine (doesn't need to be an > Optivisor but > looks similar). The flux, Quik Chip, etc are nice but not > really necessary > for what you will need to do. Tweezers, a magnifying > visor, good light, > solder wick and a fine tip soldering iron are musts. > > 73, Bill W4ZV > -- > View this message in context: > http://www.nabble.com/K3-hardware---The-Mystery-Mods--tp15725030p15727944.html > Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Barry N1EU
Barry
In addition to videos, for $7.50 you can get the NorCal SMD QRP dummy load kit. There are 44 SMD resisters to solder in. By the time you are done, you have the experience and confidence to tackle other projects AND a handy little dummy load. There is also a lot of useful info in the AT_Sprint and the Softrock-40 Yahoo Groups. Bob KD8CGH KX1, K2, K3 |
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In reply to this post by w7aqk
That may work for the IC's but it does not work well for individual Rs and Cs, which is most of what is in the K3 mods. After removing an R or C, you wick the pads clean and then apply the *tiniest* bit of solder to one pad. Then place the component on both pads, apply heat to the one with solder to anchor it, then solder the other side and then revisit the first with a little more solder. If you make a "mound" of solder on the first pad, the component will not fit on top of it very well and you'll have problems anchoring it flush to the board. "Less is more" when soldering individual components (i.e. you can't wick them like ICs because they are not flush with the board). 73, Bill W4ZV |
Re: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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In reply to this post by Bill W4ZV
> ... The flux, Quik Chip, etc are nice but not really necessary
I find the flux is very important -- makes it much easier to solder with fewer solder bridges. Mark AD5SS _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Bill W4ZV
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RE: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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In reply to this post by Barry N1EU
That should read: single octopus, 8 radios ;)
Kevin. KD5ONS -----Original Message----- >From: Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> >Sent: Feb 27, 2008 11:13 PM >To: [hidden email] >Subject: RE: [Elecraft] SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods) > ... > >You need TWO free hands to do this work. (Actually four would work better >but my pet Octopus isn't interested in electronics.) I find a binocular >magnifier (like OptiVisor) invaluable! > >Humph! If that Octopus would get interested we could try SO8R contesting >(single operator, 8 radios). > >Ron AC7AC > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
RE: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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In reply to this post by AC7AC
That's my way of doing it. Use good solder wick to get the pad as
free from solder as possible. There is enough solder on the SMD component pads for it to stick. Then solder the OTHER pad of the component, before returning to fully solder the first pad. 73 Stewart G3RXQ > ----------------------------- > > Well put. I do it a little differently. I clean off the pad so the SMD will > sit flat on it, position the SMD and hold it with a tool (small probe or > screwdriver on the body) while I touch one end with a soldering iron with a > tiny drop of solder on the tip. That way there's no significant solder on > the pad but the drop of solder will anchor the part well enough that I don't > need to use the tool to hold it in place. . > > Next I solder the other pad(s) properly, then go back and touch up the first > pad. > > You need TWO free hands to do this work. (Actually four would work better > but my pet Octopus isn't interested in electronics.) I find a binocular > magnifier (like OptiVisor) invaluable! > > Humph! If that Octopus would get interested we could try SO8R contesting > (single operator, 8 radios). > > Ron AC7AC > > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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I'm still pretty new to surface mount soldering, but I'm discovering
that I really enjoy it! Last night, I was building a tiny little oscillator, just for the SMD soldering practice, and I discovered a spot where I needed a 1K resistor, but didn't have room for a "big" 1206 resistor... so I found an itty-bitty-flyspec sized one on an old hard drive board, desoldered it, and put it into my circuit... and it worked! I could barely *see* that little resistor without a magnifying glass. I think it was either an 0603 or a 0402. The SMD technique I've had a lot of success with... my "secret ingredient"... is... masking tape! Put the part on the board, tear or cut off an appropriately sized piece of masking tape (from big to tiny), tape down one side of the part, solder one end (or a couple of pins), remove tape, solder the rest. For the tiny parts, it's easier to cut a little piece of masking tape with a small pair of scissors and position it with tweezers, because the rough edges from tearing the tape make it harder to get a good hold on the edge of the component. I don't know if this is unorthodox or not, but it seems to work well for me. The other tool I use a lot is a pair of bent-nose locking tweezers that I got from Micro-Mark. They're actually to big for any of the really tiny parts, but in a lot of cases I can use them to clamp down a SMD resistor or capacitor. I have a small $20 magnifying lamp, and an illuminated magnifying glass, and a pair of cheap reading glasses from the drugstore. I don't have a fancy visor or anything like that. I still want to get a flux pen and some thinner solder! At the moment I'm still using the same iron, tip, and solder I used to build my K2. It works okay, but a slightly smaller tip, and finer solder, would probably give me neater results. So, Wayne, Eric, can we have an all-surface-mount radio kit that we can solder *ourselves*? :-) Sarah AF6FH _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
RE: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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My ESD warning bells are sounding ...
- Keith N1AS - - K2 5411.ssb.100 - - K3 Wave 3 - -----Original Message----- The SMD technique I've had a lot of success with... my "secret ingredient"... is... masking tape! _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Sarah K.
> The SMD technique I've had a lot of success with... my "secret
> ingredient"... is... masking tape! Be very careful using any kind of tape around electronics. When you remove it, there is a high likelihood of static electricity build up. Not likely to hurt a resistor or capacitor; could be very damaging to a transistor or IC. 73, Lyle KK7P _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Darwin, Keith
On 2/29/08, Darwin, Keith <[hidden email]> wrote:
> My ESD warning bells are sounding ... I haven't had a problem yet... knock on my anti-static mat... I may only be getting away with it because the humidity in my workroom is usually very high, or because I haven't worked with any really sensitive parts yet, or because the pieces of masking tape are usually quite small and I tend to cut several little pieces off and stick them onto my anti-static mat until I need them. I suppose if I was sensible I'd try anti-static or conductive tape instead... I probably will when I get around to it... but I definitely wouldn't try it with cellophane tape! And anything leaving a gooey adhesive residue would just make a mess. Sarah AF6FH _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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In reply to this post by Barry N1EU
Sarah K. [hidden email] wrote on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 7:20 PM > The other tool I use a lot is a pair of bent-nose locking tweezers > that I got from Micro-Mark. They're actually to big for any of the > really tiny parts, but in a lot of cases I can use them to clamp down > a SMD resistor or capacitor. Beware of bent-nose locking tweezers! They can be excellent SMD launchers given the chance :-) 73, Geoff GM4ESD _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: SMD video? (was: Mystery Mods)
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Have a look at the "SMD Doofus" on Jim Larsen's (AL7FS) web site. This is an easy to make tool for holding surface mount devices in place while soldering. Several different pictures on the page show the doofus in use while working on a SMD kit. The version I built, shown on the web site, uses a brass holder that accepts toothpicks or whatever you want for a hold-down. Your version can be much simpler, as explained on the site. (I just wanted to play with my machine tools!) The pictures say it all. Materials needed - Basic version: 1 steel wire coat hanger, 3 each 1-oz fishing weights. For the fancy version, add: 1-pc. brass or aluminum rod, 3/8" dia. 5/8" long, 1 toothpick, 2 each 4-40 x 1/8" set screws. http://www.al7fs.us/AL7FS5ATSprint2.html - Jim, KL7CC Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy wrote: > > > > Sarah K. [hidden email] wrote on Friday, February 29, 2008 at 7:20 PM > >> The other tool I use a lot is a pair of bent-nose locking tweezers >> that I got from Micro-Mark. They're actually to big for any of the >> really tiny parts, but in a lot of cases I can use them to clamp down >> a SMD resistor or capacitor. > > Beware of bent-nose locking tweezers! They can be excellent SMD > launchers given the chance :-) > > 73, > Geoff > GM4ESD > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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