Author Topic: How does one go about soldering surface mount stuff, it's just so tiny!  (Read 12686 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Paul Moir

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 926
  • Country: ca
Breakout boards can where you find them too:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jyLempFAvY-B8IDqRS2WktMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
That was a hunk cut out of an old memory module. 

Regarding buying from ebay, etc.  The way it works is if the value of the package is under $20 Canadian, they don't bother.  However, above that you've got to pay at least the GST.  Knowing this, some sellers mark the package as being worth some nominal value.  Customs is of course wise to this, so it can get you in trouble if they decide it's worth more.  Things with no paperwork get charged a nominal value (ie, $100 for "software"). 

If buying from the States, you can get stuck with additional charges.  UPS and FEDEX will charge you quite a lot to pay the taxes owed for you.  And the tax on those services as well.  And the additional fees on those services.  USPS hands off to Canada Post who charges something like $5 to pay the taxes. 

The way to get around them is to use sellers who pre-pay the taxes owed.  For ebay, look for auctions that advertise "No additional import fees".  For electronics, Digikey, Mouser and Newark all do this.  Digikey particularly has very fast very cheap shipping.  I think they must send a truck to Winnipeg and distribute from there.  The side benefit to these prepaid purchases is that the package sails through customs, saving a day or two transit.

Finally, consider UK sellers as well.  I find if they're shipping Royal Mail, it's cheap and pretty fast.  For me it's usually faster than getting stuff from the US, but I'm on the East Coast so perhaps that helps too.

 

Offline Red SquirrelTopic starter

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2748
  • Country: ca
I've been lucky with Ebay, typically the boxes are small, and they don't get hit with customs.  Oddly it's cheaper to get stuff shipped from China than from the US. 
 

Offline molotov

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 7
  • Country: us
A cheap toaster oven and some solder paste will make your life much easier if you need to solder a bunch of SMDs.
 

Offline Red SquirrelTopic starter

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2748
  • Country: ca
Yeah definitely will get a toaster oven if I get into making more projects.  Can probably mod it with a micro controller to turn it on/off to match proper reflow profiles.   
 

Online tggzzz

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 19280
  • Country: gb
  • Numbers, not adjectives
    • Having fun doing more, with less
Yeah definitely will get a toaster oven if I get into making more projects.  Can probably mod it with a micro controller to turn it on/off to match proper reflow profiles.

If you have an oven, you will need a cheap non-contact thermometer (and they're fiun/useful for other things too). But if you have a non-contact thermometer, you have all the equipment required for the saucepan+sand method.

Ovens are beneficial if you are doing many boards, but they require a heck of a lot of fiddling to get repeatable results.

Saucepan+sand is quick, cheap, and easy for the odd board. You have to stand over it and watch the temperature creep up, but you'll be doing that with an oven anyway.

Whatever you choose, you'll have to do a few experiments to feel satisfied with your technique - but that was true for bog-standard soldering as well!

Bite the bullet: get tweezers, solder paste, a flux pen, components (lots, since they disappear like fleas :) ), a head magnifying visor, and a saucepan. That lot will cost less than $50, and you're off.
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf