Clint, WS1V asked: When you install a component on the printed side of the circuit board, and then you tip the board over to solder, what are accepted methods to keep the compenent from falling off? I've read that you should bend the leads to hold the component onto the board but I was wondering if this is the only acceptable way?
---------------------- Bending the leads is a common approach for components with easily-bent leads, but it is not the only way. One technique that I use (and you'll find described in some Elecraft assembly manuals) is what I call "tack-soldering". In that case you position the part and hold it with the finger(s) of one hand while you use your other hand to touch the solder pad and one lead on the bottom of the board with a soldering iron that has been wetted with a drop of solder. This will transfer a small amount of solder to the lead and pad to hold the part in place. Then you can check positioning and make adjustments quite easily, if necessary, since only a tiny dab of solder is holding the part in place. Once satisfied with the placement, you the solder the OTHER leads first, going back to the original tack-soldered lead and soldering it properly last. A last note - you mentioned dealing with CMOS. Wear a grounded wrist strap or touch an unpainted, grounded metal surface frequently while you work to avoid damaging the CMOS devices with static electric charges accumulated on your body. Depending upon the climate where you are, just wiggling a bit on your chair can produce destructive charges. Do not attach yourself to a ground directly, except when you touch a ground. If you use a wrist strap, it should have at least a 1 megohm resistor in series with the strap and ground to prevent the possibility of a serious electrical shock. Ron AC7AC _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
