Tool to bend capacitor leads?

[silviasol]

I have been working on game gear boards which have very tight spots and my capacitors are just about too large as it is.  So I have to bend the leads.  Is there a tool you can use to bend them so they sit flat on a board.

[xrunner]

I would use needle nose pliers myself, but maybe I don't understand your question fully? 

[SL4P]

First - remove all those electrolytic cans... almost all the solder joints look 'dry'.
Next - go buy some SMD (can type) electros of the correct values - and repair the boards properly.

[jwm_]

Are those even all polarized footprints? It's hard to tell under the captastrophy.

[eyiz]

Yup. Well the standard tool used for bending the leads on "through hole" components is called a "lead bending tree."

for example,


https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13114

Not sure if that's what you're looking for, but there is such a thingy.

[slurry]

There are also pliers for bending leads and also for bend-cut,
a few examples:

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/combination-pliers/5402007/
http://www.piergiacomi.com/piergiacomi/en/products/hand-tools/382-taglia-e-piega-dettaglio.html
http://www.srt.co.th/page/Piergiacomi/detail_special_tool.php?name=Special%20Tools&type=%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94/%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%94/%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2

(PTR-30 L in the last link would be the classic way to bend cap leads.)

[BurningTantalum]

Don't ever bend the leads on electrolytic caps (+ glass diodes and reed switches, or any other component for that matter) by holding the can/body- always use needle nosed pliers to hold the lead near to the can and bend with a finger on the opposite side of the pliers. The lead will fracture and fall out if bent close to the can.
BT

[mikerj]

Don't ever bend the leads on electrolytic caps (+ glass diodes and reed switches, or any other component for that matter) by holding the can/body- always use needle nosed pliers to hold the lead near to the can and bend with a finger on the opposite side of the pliers. The lead will fracture and fall out if bent close to the can.
BT

I've not seen the leads fracture from a single bend, but they can certainly cause damage to the seal if bent close to the body of the cap.

I don't quite understand why the OP is going through hurdles trying to solder leaded components onto the PCB rather than use the SMD parts which it was designed for?

[dave_k]

I don't quite understand why the OP is going through hurdles trying to solder leaded components onto the PCB rather than use the SMD parts which it was designed for?

The original caps look like this:

First - remove all those electrolytic cans... almost all the solder joints look 'dry'.
Next - go buy some SMD (can type) electros of the correct values - and repair the boards properly.

Referring to the photo of the original caps again, how do you propose that type of capacitor will fit on the board??

I think OP has taken the right approach. The soldering looks okay, would look better after a clean-up of the flux residue.

[mikerj]

Ok that makes more sense now.  A couple of pairs of fine needle nosed pliers should do the job.

[BMack]

-Get smooth jawed pliers.
-Bend the leads 90 degrees a couple MMs from the base off the cap.
-You should put heat shrink on the leads but not REALLY necessary unless it's close to another component.
-Bend the leads 90 degrees under the cap to mount them above or between the pads.
-Dab some hot glue on the bottom to help hold the cap down. Again, not REALLY necessary but if you're going to do it, might as well do it right.

You should know that your soldering isn't great, I'd recommend working on that. Thumbs up for using Nichicon caps.

[silviasol]

I don't quite understand why the OP is going through hurdles trying to solder leaded components onto the PCB rather than use the SMD parts which it was designed for?

The original caps look like this:

First - remove all those electrolytic cans... almost all the solder joints look 'dry'.
Next - go buy some SMD (can type) electros of the correct values - and repair the boards properly.

Referring to the photo of the original caps again, how do you propose that type of capacitor will fit on the board??

I think OP has taken the right approach. The soldering looks okay, would look better after a clean-up of the flux residue.

Exactly, that is were I got the idea to bend them.  The more hour value I use on caps, 2000 hour right now and making an order of 3000 hour, the larger they are, especially the 50v caps.  Also they can be 4mm thick maximum because the gap between plastic in area's is 6mm and there also is wiring and other things for the batteries.  So they get almost too long to fit between other components making the leads hard to position right if not bent at 90 degree's and press against the bottom of the cap.