Getting electronic components

[tribbles]

I don't use SMD bits for soldering SMD - I use a pair of normally closed tweezers, and a soldering iron with a 1mm tip on it. Works very well (well enough for those 80-pin 0.5mm spaced PICs).

0604 is the smallest I've done for resistors, but I tend to use 0805s instead (and 1206 if I need a bit of current).

I did buy some 4-resistor 0402s for a project, and also to see how I get on with them.

[Ross77]

Cheers guys. I need to know more so i will start a new tread tommorow on SMD. If its that easy then I can see this being worth while. SMD seems alot cheaper.......

Have you seen the guys on the net using hotel style toasters for smd?

[tribbles]

Cheers guys. I need to know more so i will start a new tread tommorow on SMD. If its that easy then I can see this being worth while. SMD seems alot cheaper.......

Have you seen the guys on the net using hotel style toasters for smd?

Will wait for thread - I've been doing SMD for quite a while now, and prefer it to PTH.

The toasters are, to me, a bit of an overkill, and it's basically making your own reflow oven - it's good if you've got a lot of components to do, since they are done at the same time, but for the numbers I do, it's not something I need. The two key components (in addition to the tweezers) I have are a temperature controlled soldering iron (with plenty of power), and some desolder braid.

Although having said that, I do have some (prospective) projects that have a large component count, and would benefit from it.