[Weather] [personal] Weather PCB dimensions

[Jim Pace]

So, I shouldn't use my Weller 8200N 100/140 watt soldering gun on these 
projects anymore? But it looks so cool in a darkened room when the tip is 
glowing red! ;)
Jim
http://ecapmiill.home.comcast.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave McGuire" <mcguire at neurotica.com>
To: "List for 1 Wire Weather Stations and devices" <weather at buoy.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2006 11:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Weather] [personal] Weather PCB dimensions


> On Nov 19, 2006, at 2:20 PM, Jim Pace wrote:
>> Regarding through-hole boards, I was thinking that we ought to
>> consider
>> using through-hole(but not plated through-hole) construction for the
>> passives at least. I've built, for instance, the Simon Hub kit and
>> the Bray
>> Barometer from the 1-Wire project of a few years ago and more
>> recently, the
>> Hobby Boards Humidity module. I find those amoeba sized chip caps and
>> resistors to be an unnecessary pain to place and solder when simple
>> axial
>> leads would have been much easier.
>
>   What size were they?  I've found that pretty much anyone can do
> 0805-sized surface mount parts, but smaller than that becomes difficult.
>
>   Two very important things to keep in mind are the matters of tools
> and techniques.  Soldering surface-mount components is different from
> soldering through-hole components.  Trying to use the same techniques
> as you'd use for through-hole parts is *wrong*.  Tools are a little
> more forgiving...Some "good" tools (not cheap Radio Shack garbage)
> can be used for both through-hole and surface-mount parts, but
> surface-mount soldering is more demanding of tool quality.  You need
> good light, possibly a magnifier, a quality soldering iron, and
> decent tweezers.
>
>   The biggest mistakes I've seen people make regarding getting
> started in surface mount technology are assuming that it's just a
> small version of through-hole soldering, and that they can use cheap
> garbage tools to do it.  The former is stubbornness, and the
> latter...well, if something is worth doing, it's worth doing right.
>
>   Now, that said...I solder surface-mount components literally every
> day; I have the correct tools and I enjoy doing it.  If anyone here
> needs any assistance (advice, equipment recommendations, or actual
> soldering) I am willing to help out in any way I can.  If the new
> weather station board winds up using surface-mount components and
> someone here is uncomfortable building one, I'll put it together as
> long as the shipping expenses are covered.
>
>                 -Dave
>
> -- 
> Dave McGuire
> Cape Coral, FL
>
>
>
>
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