Comments on: Assembling the first EasyBright http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049 Sun, 08 Dec 2024 17:19:24 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Magnus Falk http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049&cpage=1#comment-27509 Magnus Falk Mon, 28 Mar 2011 22:54:28 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049#comment-27509 Hey Keith, how do I get my hands on the EasyBright then? The LED calculator looks like something I would want as well! Hey Keith, how do I get my hands on the EasyBright then? The LED calculator looks like something I would want as well!

]]> By: Keith Neufeld http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049&cpage=1#comment-25200 Keith Neufeld Tue, 25 May 2010 20:45:09 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049#comment-25200 Patrick, the alternating-offset header pads are my copy of SparkFun's <a href="http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/tutorial_info.php?tutorials_id=114" rel="nofollow">"locking connector"</a> idea -- it allows the connectors to stay in place by friction when you turn the board upside down to solder, without making the through-holes too small for good solder flow. Huge credit to Pete Lewis at SparkFun for coming up with the idea -- it's fantastic and it really works! Patrick, the alternating-offset header pads are my copy of SparkFun’s “locking connector” idea — it allows the connectors to stay in place by friction when you turn the board upside down to solder, without making the through-holes too small for good solder flow. Huge credit to Pete Lewis at SparkFun for coming up with the idea — it’s fantastic and it really works!

]]> By: Keith Neufeld http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049&cpage=1#comment-25199 Keith Neufeld Tue, 25 May 2010 20:40:13 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049#comment-25199 Asm, I'm definitely interested in stenciling in the long term. I didn't order one yet because I knew I could ramp things up faster with the syringe and then switch I want to get feedback on the design and be sure the board layout is finalized before ordering a stencil I have the impression it's easier to stencil a slightly larger area than such a small one but I don't really want to have to depanelize the boards myself I'd be particularly interested in hearing from someone with experience stenciling tiny boards like this -- and I should probably review the SparkFun tutorial. Asm, I’m definitely interested in stenciling in the long term. I didn’t order one yet because

I knew I could ramp things up faster with the syringe and then switch
I want to get feedback on the design and be sure the board layout is finalized before ordering a stencil
I have the impression it’s easier to stencil a slightly larger area than such a small one but I don’t really want to have to depanelize the boards myself

I’d be particularly interested in hearing from someone with experience stenciling tiny boards like this — and I should probably review the SparkFun tutorial.

]]> By: Asm http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049&cpage=1#comment-25192 Asm Tue, 25 May 2010 16:41:36 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049#comment-25192 Congrats on getting the boards and getting started making drivers! Shame about the $50 charge due to the resistor wiring issue, though. Anyway, have you considered using stencil? I've been using solderpaste in a syringe myself, and found it tedious (plus it tended to separate... but then I was using cheap chinese paste). http://www.smtstencil.co.uk/ is pretty cheap ($21 for a 21x22cm stencil), and stencilling onto small boards looks much quicker (plus it's much more repeatable). I think Sparkfun did a tutorial on it. Congrats on getting the boards and getting started making drivers!

Shame about the $50 charge due to the resistor wiring issue, though.

Anyway, have you considered using stencil? I’ve been using solderpaste in a syringe myself, and found it tedious (plus it tended to separate… but then I was using cheap chinese paste). http://www.smtstencil.co.uk/ is pretty cheap ($21 for a 21x22cm stencil), and stencilling onto small boards looks much quicker (plus it’s much more repeatable). I think Sparkfun did a tutorial on it.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049&cpage=1#comment-25190 Patrick Tue, 25 May 2010 14:26:26 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049#comment-25190 What is the reason that you have all the pads offset a little bit to the left and right? See purple line here: http://localhostr.com/files/b0c754/DSCN6962_mid.jpg What is the reason that you have all the pads offset a little bit to the left and right? See purple line here: http://localhostr.com/files/b0c754/DSCN6962_mid.jpg

]]> By: Keith Neufeld http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049&cpage=1#comment-25189 Keith Neufeld Tue, 25 May 2010 12:53:33 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049#comment-25189 Rob, for me solder paste == <a href="?p=537" rel="nofollow">hotplate</a> unless I specifically mention that I'm using my new hot-air pencil (as I will do when soldering the FTDI chip onto my <a href="?p=1052" rel="nofollow">x0xb0x</a>, more to try it out than because it's too hard to solder by hand). Rob, for me solder paste == hotplate unless I specifically mention that I’m using my new hot-air pencil (as I will do when soldering the FTDI chip onto my x0xb0x, more to try it out than because it’s too hard to solder by hand).

]]> By: Rob http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049&cpage=1#comment-25187 Rob Tue, 25 May 2010 12:31:23 +0000 http://www.neufeld.newton.ks.us/electronics/?p=1049#comment-25187 What method did you use for soldering? I'm guessing you just used a regular soldering iron as I'm sure you would have mentioned if you were using a hotplate, oven or hot air. What method did you use for soldering? I’m guessing you just used a regular soldering iron as I’m sure you would have mentioned if you were using a hotplate, oven or hot air.

]]>