In my prior blog ( TC2-DSO - Subtractive machining a SMT test adapter ), I used some shop tools (drill, file and scalpel) to build a SOT23 component adapter. While this was somewhat successful, I felt that a set of tweezers would be a more useful way to measure 0603 size components. While shopping about, I came across these:
These are SMD tweezer from B&K Precision (TL-8 https://www.newark.com/b-k-precision/tl-8/tweezer-test-lead-smd/dp/96B6798 ). They are SMD tweezers, connected through a coaxial cable to a pair of color coded banana plugs. Having already fabricated a pair of banana jacks to ferrule pins, I simply plugged everything together and inserted the ferrule pins into the component connector on the front of the DSO-TC2.
Next, I test the capacitance of the open leads and the resistance of the shorted leads to get an idea of cable characteristics.
The readings were stable and indicating that future readings could be reasonably accurate. Next I found a loose 0603 10K resistor laying around by soldering space (I am losing a component or two during the assemble process).
Not too bad. This will be helpful during the PCB assembly process as the tweezers that I use to move components about send one flying. Once I find it, I can verify that it is in fact the one that I lost and not just a random component laying about (most useful for unmarked capacitors).
Thanks for reading along!
