What Changes Would You Like to See Made to Project14?

Reading some of the comments made me think of a different style of Project14 that could be mixed in-between the existing ones, perhaps this undertaken only every other month. The idea would be for Element14 to put together a low-cost component bag that all applicants could ask to receive, the contents themselves could be up for discussion each month as we now discuss the theme. However this Project14 would be to make something interesting using 2+ of the items. The low-cost 'surprise bag' of components that sponsors maybe have donated - new product lines in the IC field are always interesting. It would be a bit like the Experimenting with Polymer Capacitors and Experimenting with Inductors challenges but with a much more random approach to the parts. For the fun and again low-cost Element14 could always draw on the bargain components that are already being sold off at reduced rates?

As I thought this through some more I wonder if the parts aren't carefully chosen it could prevent some prospective builders from taking part e.g. inclusion of mainly SMT parts

Maybe the first project could be an introduction to SMD parts with one of those learn to solder SMD boards.   I don’t find larger SMD parts any harder to hand solder than through hole and my eyes and nerves are not so good anymore.   It does require an appropriate tip and finer solder but that is about it.  I even volunteer to design some PCBs, have them fabricated, and send them to Tariq for distribution.

That would be a great idea and very generous of you offering to help design boards. Helping develop confidence to build in SMT is a great way for Avnet to make more of their product range available as most 'cool' function ICs are only available in SMT. I've noticed an increasing trend to various BGA formats as well but won't worry about that yet. I've found even QFN are possible with hand-soldering, the trick is to design with enough of the pad visible that solder can be flowed onto and then capillary action takes it under the IC....assuming a nice amount of liquid flux has been added first

I usually can do 0603 comfortably with a SP25(but ya know that iron really sucks so I'm hoping to win the Holiday special so I can get a better iron with the shopping cart)

The first time I soldered SMD passives(not ICs) was with a solder kit, which was noice but then there's also down to 0402.

But yeah, I feel really comfortable after around 2 weeks of practice and assembling those corgis, so...

I actually like SMD better than THT.

Well, not BGA and QFN.

I can probably help too hehehe, it's an excuse for me to open up KiCAD to get more practice. Familiarization with SMT is very crucial. Should I have not taken that leap to try out SMD I would still be using THT and a ton of perfboards.

BUT BGA... No.

I've tried qfn, it's more like a hit and miss to me, sometimes my tip decides to go great, sometimes my tip decides to take the day off. Sometimes my eyes and hands take the day off.

Maybe with a better iron. And more flux. Much more flux.

it's more like a hit and miss to me

Where possible (e.g. home use only) I would suggest avoiding Pb-free for QFN

14rhb  wrote:

 

it's more like a hit and miss to me

Where possible (e.g. home use only) I would suggest avoiding Pb-free for QFN

With the right amount of temperature and the right amount of flux, Pb-free works ok for QFNs.

I train by removing and placing-back QFNs on any scrap PCB I can lay hands on.

You don't need to worry about breaking something that way, and you can experiment until you find a technique that works for you.

Practicing with defunct PCBs takes stress and fear out of the equation.

Good advice I'll try that with a few of the boards in my electronic waste pile, thank you.

14rhb  wrote:

 

Good advice I'll try that with a few of the boards in my electronic waste pile, thank you.

It's worth watching a few repair videos by Paul Daniels or Louis Rossmann. They show how tiny components can be reworked with normal rework tools. They do that all the time.

Me who only used lead free once because it came with a radio soldering kit 2 years ago and used 63/37 or 60/40 or something along those lines ever since:

;-;

But thanks for the tip. I find it a bit easier, for me to, well... melt the solder, pour the solder(I ordered some flux paste which hasn't come, I use the uhh waxy-solid flux thing, but not rosin), onto the pcb, put extra solder on 2 pins, melt and shove the chip onto it, literally pour solder, so each pin is connected, melt again and shove away, use wick if necessary.

Call it inefficient but I think it works decently?

I think you need drag soldering.

I never managed to tin a SP25 tip correctly despite using all my solders, including the Weller one (pb-free) and also watching countless videos.

I dunno.

I should probably see if SparkFun has anymore of those scrap pcbs, I have some qfn chips and I'll probably see if there's any scrap pcbs...

hugohu  wrote:

 

I should probably see if SparkFun has anymore of those scrap pcbs, I have some qfn chips and I'll probably see if there's any scrap pcbs...

Don't order scrap. It's available for free. In the things you usually throw away. Or ask your local computer or electro shop if they have a few PCBs they were going to throw away.

hugohu  wrote:

 

I should probably see if SparkFun has anymore of those scrap pcbs, I have some qfn chips and I'll probably see if there's any scrap pcbs...

Don't order scrap. It's available for free. In the things you usually throw away. Or ask your local computer or electro shop if they have a few PCBs they were going to throw away.

Good idea. I'll check if there's any of my old stuff I can see that uses QFN. Thanks!