Hey folks
I've found that I need to bend the leads of my components before soldering them, otherwise I end up with them sitting relatively sloppily and skew on the pcb.
Any tricks to keeping them looking neat and trim?
Thanks
Get some blue tac poster putty. This is a neat trick. Simply put the component through the hole and hold into place with the putty. Also makes a great way to hold the PCB on your table while doing this. Chromesphere has a great video on this.
I have a panavise but barely use it anymore when soldering PCBs. Just a nice ball of blue poster putty is all you need. :)
Ditto!
I used to use that third hand alligator clamp thingy but after discovering blutack (mine is yellow and a bit harder than I'd like but it's the only one available around here) all that's history.
While I've used the blue tack, I'm not as big a fan of it as most. What I've found works really well is to use a sanding sponge to work off of. The grit gives enough friction to keep the components from slipping, and there's enough give in the sponge to seat the component right up against the board. But both methods work well.
sanding sponge? this thing here?
(http://www.2sand.com/catalog/Sanding_Sponge_Fine.jpg)
I've used this for sanding but the sanding surface doesn't have any give, let alone enough to sink the entire component in there?
Or is there a different sanding sponge, this is the only thing I've ever seen locally...
That's the one. You have to work it in a bit beforehand (bend it back and forth to break it up a bit). Works fine for passives, IC sockets, SIP sockets. I don't use it for electros, for those I use Scotch brite pads.
Huh... interesting. I'm gonna try this the next time I go to the hardware store...
First work from lowest to highest when soldering components, so place all the resisitors if they're lowest, flip the board and solder them in. Haven't tried the Blutack trick yet but use a much hacked third hand to hold the pcb while it rests on an elevated surface, a handy chunk of wood. May need to place something on top of the board to hold the components in place while you flip it.
Place the next tallest components, flip and solder.
Just work one size of component at a time or things do slip through the holes and end up all skewed. If things do slip from where you want them you can reheat the pad anytime later on and push the component lead back down through the hole and square things up.
dave
Piece of cardboard works for me, like a business card or something. I often will place the parts on the PCB, then put the card on top, squeeze them as I flip them, and keep them together till I put it down on my desk. Once there, the parts usually lay flat, and I can solder them in just fine.
However, sometimes I solder in just one leg of each componant, then I flip it, make sure the parts are in nice and flat, straight and even. If/when they are, I flip it back and solder the other sides.
I do bend resistor legs in, that way they stay a little bit better. Sometimes on caps too, but usually they're fine with the business card method.
I work from 'shortest' to 'tallest', which really helps with my method. It's way easy to load in all the resistors and keep the board lying flat on my desk to solder in those parts. Really helps when you get up over 40 resistors, like in a CE-2 clone or the like. Diodes are next, followed by SIP sockets and trim pots. next are the DIP sockets 'cause they're a little taller. Next comes short box caps, followed by taller box caps. I put the smallest types of caps in next, and bend the leads a bit to get them to stay. Electros are next, then usually I'm on to the pots and testing.
Business cards man. Gotta put those suckers to new use in this digital age.
Jacob
Here's Chromesphere's great video on the subject. I really enjoy this method used along with what Jacob mentioned: tacking one side in...ensuring it is straight and then finishing up both leads.
Never thought I'd get such a good response. Thanks guys!!!
I think a combination between working in levels and using blutack will get my boards looking great!
Is there something special about this Blu-Tack, or can I just use normal poster putty? Here's what I found available nearby: Scotch Removable Mounting Putty (http://tgt.biz/1dgN7c3).
Same stuff.
Jacob
Good ideas out there. I haven't heard anyone say tape yet, so... tape. For resistors, diodes and flat stuff, I pop 'em in and put a piece of blue masking tape to hold them (kind of like the blue putty does but I haven't used putty yet.) Like others have said, I always solder one leg to tack the part in then make sure it's in place properly before soldering the other leg(s) and finally I reflow the first leg to make sure it's in right.
I bend leads for resistors, diodes, capacitors, LED's and LDR's (with blu-tac for the LDRs to get the right height), and use blu-tac for sockets.
Practice'll get you there, plus start with the short components (resistors and diodes), then the higher ones (box caps), and so on.
I did the "smaller to bigger then flip" component approach and still do for the most part but went to the poster putty and love it. Wonder why I went so long without.
Quote from: alanp on January 13, 2014, 04:17:58 AM
I bend leads for resistors, diodes, capacitors, LED's and LDR's (with blu-tac for the LDRs to get the right height), and use blu-tac for sockets.
Practice'll get you there, plus start with the short components (resistors and diodes), then the higher ones (box caps), and so on.
This is what I do also. Bending the leads on most components works for me. I use the the tack for sockets. It took a little while to get things clean but it will come with time. Just keep building.
Quote from: jkokura on December 10, 2013, 04:58:51 PM
...I solder in just one leg of each componant, then I flip it, make sure the parts are in nice and flat, straight and even. If/when they are, I flip it back and solder the other sides...
...I work from 'shortest' to 'tallest', which really helps with my method. It's way easy to load in all the resistors and keep the board lying flat on my desk to solder in those parts. Really helps when you get up over 40 resistors, like in a CE-2 clone or the like. Diodes are next, followed by SIP sockets and trim pots. next are the DIP sockets 'cause they're a little taller. Next comes short box caps, followed by taller box caps. I put the smallest types of caps in next, and bend the leads a bit to get them to stay. Electros are next, then usually I'm on to the pots and testing...
This is my method as well.
Quote from: das234 on January 13, 2014, 03:56:07 AM
Good ideas out there. I haven't heard anyone say tape yet, so... tape. For resistors, diodes and flat stuff, I pop 'em in and put a piece of blue masking tape to hold them (kind of like the blue putty does but I haven't used putty yet.) Like others have said, I always solder one leg to tack the part in then make sure it's in place properly before soldering the other leg(s) and finally I reflow the first leg to make sure it's in right.
Tape for me as well, I found a kind that doesn't leave any residue when applied, works like a dream!
Paul
If I am feeling really OCD, I hold the component in place and tack one side down with the soldering iron. I then solder the other side and then properly solder the other side that just had a little bit of solder tacking it in place.
The downside is that some parts (metal film resistors mostly) get hot and holding them isn't always fun.
Does someone knows how this blue tack its called in Geramany?
:P
cheers
I'm using this one as it's the only one available locally
http://www.uhu.com/produkte/klebepads/detail/uhu-patafix-homedecokraeftige-klebepads.html?cHash=dec4c87dc429c1ab36c3b323fb942ac2&step=0
it is a bit harder (and also not blue ::) ) than what I've seen in bluetack vids but it works just the same. It's just not as pliable. I'm guessing the "regular" kind might be softer but again, none to be had around here.
It's sold for hanging pictures and posters, first came across it in grade school, teachers used to love and the kids would try to steal it, to make it soft and sticky you need to stretch it out put it back together stretch, knead and it will get soft. You might try an office supply store or teacher supply store as they'd be the main user for that type of product.
dave
We call it prestik here.
Here's my latest attempt
(http://i.imgur.com/oUkUZWV.jpg)
I read/heard about one neat trick: Just put in eg. all your resistors (so all components of one size), put some rubber foam or something equivalent on top, fix it with a peg. When you turn the pcb around nothing should move, but because of the soft surface there won't be any damage.
I myself just put on a few parts close to each other, turn around and solder. Normally that works without issues. If any parts move you can still adjust it a little by reheating the joint
Quote from: muddyfox on January 25, 2014, 09:22:10 PM
I'm using this one as it's the only one available locally
http://www.uhu.com/produkte/klebepads/detail/uhu-patafix-homedecokraeftige-klebepads.html?cHash=dec4c87dc429c1ab36c3b323fb942ac2&step=0
it is a bit harder (and also not blue ::) ) than what I've seen in bluetack vids but it works just the same. It's just not as pliable. I'm guessing the "regular" kind might be softer but again, none to be had around here.
Just to follow up on this, I finally managed to get my hands on some of this, it's not designated as "strong" like the other one and is definitely a lot more pliable.
Still not blue, though. ;D
http://www.ozdilekteyim.com/content/images/thumbs/uhu_patafix_sari_61784.jpeg
Wow, talk about dense! I use blue putty every day in my line of work (not electronics) and had never though to use it to hold components in place for soldering.
Herein the states it is called Funtack. You can get it Home Depot, Lowe's True Value, etc.
The blue holds considerably better than the white, especially after it has been use a little, and the oils from your hands get on it.
Which is why the white might work better for our purposes? It's not supposed to stick (like a poster to a wall) but to hold components in place and be easily removed afterwards?
I've done the foam/cardboard, I've done the tape and now that I've done the bluetack I don't think I'll ever go back. Mad propz to Paul for bringing this to my attention in that J201 video. YMMV.
I tried the blue last night and it worked like a champ.
I didn't have any of the white around to try, since it performs so poorly in my work situations: Doesn't hold as well, requires considerable more pressure to get it to stick (which might damage a fragile component) and sometimes seems to leave a bit of residue.
No, the blue is the way to go, imho. Like I said before, it works best after its been used a bit.
Quote from: Gledison on January 25, 2014, 08:27:02 PM
Does someone knows how this blue tack its called in Geramany?
:P
cheers
blu tack... I get mine from aldi. :)
Quote from: MikeM on January 28, 2014, 03:24:51 PM
We call it prestik here.
Here's my latest attempt
(http://i.imgur.com/oUkUZWV.jpg)
Those Caps look DELICIOUS!