Category Archives: Books and Resources

Book recommendations, reviews, notes, etc.

Books and Resources, Electronics

Cool Tools: Adafruit Edition

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SMT/SMD Resistor and Capacitor Books

Adafruit Resistor Book
This 0805 SMD resistor and capacitor book is just like the ones sold on eBay and just as useful. 0603’s are here.

Blank books and pages are here.

65 Piece Ratchet Screwdriver and Tool Bit Set

829-00

This 65 piece ratcheting screwdriver set is a bit nicer than comparable offerings from Dealextreme and includes bits for many of the obscure screws you are likely to encounter when disassembling all sorts of electronic equipment and devices.

Bus Pirate

Bus Pirate

I’ve used the Bus Pirate to troubleshoot tricky I2C bus problems and to develop automated testing of complex touchscreen control electronics. This is a small fraction of its capabilities. This is a handy item to have in your electronics toolbox. Has Python support!

Modular Snap Boxes

427-00

These snap boxes are available in several sizes and colors (including an ESD safe variant) and are great for storing loose components and fasteners.

Books and Resources, Electronics

Cool Tools: Elecfreaks SMD Prototyping Shield

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elecfreaks_smd_protoThese SMD prototyping shields from Elecfreaks are pretty useful for building and testing discrete circuits made with mostly 2 and 3-terminal surface mount devices. I’ve used them quite a bit over the past year to prototype power supply and switching circuits (mostly SOT-23s). I like to cut them into small pieces with a large metal shear and stick them to larger PCBs (the ones I’m testing/modifying) with thick double-stick foam tape.

 

Books and Resources, Electronics

Cool Tools: Metcal MX-5211 Soldering Station

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Metcal MX-6211
This is it! This Metcal soldering station will make you put away your Weller or Hakko and never look back! The dual simultaneous iron feature means you no longer need to buy two Metcal base units in order to solder SMT components with both hands! At over $800, these cost more than most hobbyists can afford. But for electronics professionals, this is probably the best soldering iron money can buy today. Just think, a year ago I had to buy two stations like this to fully equip a single lab bench for two-handed soldering!

Amazon.com seems to have the best price on these (free shipping for prime members!): Metcal MX-5211 Soldering and Rework System with 2 Hand-Pieces

Note: Tips are not included, but this iron uses the commonly available STTC tips that work with the older MX-500 series base units. Tips are not cheap, typically costing $15-$30 ea, but they will last for years of daily use if properly cared for.

I recommend the 700 series tips (STTC-1xx) for general leaded and lead-free soldering, although the tip life on the 600 series tips (STTC-0xx) is better and the lower temperature is fine for leaded solder and light duty use.

Here are some of my favorite STTC series tips:

  • STTC-125 – General purpose 1/32″ chisel, get this tip first!
  • STTC-117 – Beefy 5mm chisel tip. Like most of the fat chisels and conical tips, this will heat up heavy gauge wire scarily fast. Good for soldering heavy PSU or motor controller wires and ground planes. STTC-125P is also good for smaller stuff like SMD PSU caps and multi-pin connector grounds.
  • STTC-140 – Long reach angled fine point tip, great for general SMT work 0603 and below. I equipped my station with one of these and an STTC-125 and I rarely need to change tips.

Here’s a helpful selection guide that also shows just how many different tip styles are available.

If you just need one iron, the Metcal MX-5210 is cheaper and can be upgraded later.

Books and Resources, Electronics

Cool Tools: Flux!

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I’m a believer in using the right flux for the job, and as such I keep a variety of electronics fluxes on my bench. Here are some of my favorites.

MG Chemicals 835

835-100ML

MG Chemicals 835 is an electronics-grade activated rosin (RA) flux that is useful for a wide variety of soldering applications. The high activity rosin formula is helpful for soldering corroded copper wires and oxidized components or tarnished copper clad. It’s readily available at most electronics stores, inexpensive, and versatile. The biggest downside of this flux is that since it contains a very high solids content (50%), it tends to leave gummy rosin residue on everything it touches (including your fingers). This flux is also available in a flux pen. The RA designation implies that all flux residue should be thoroughly removed after soldering to prevent long term corrosion and electrical leakage.

Kester 186

Kester 186 (datasheet) flux is a lower solids content RMA flux (36%) and IMHO the ideal compromise between activity and residue. If I had one flux on my bench, this would be it. Kester sells it in flux pens or by the gallon (and one gallon will last years in even the busiest prototyping lab) but fortunately you can buy smaller bottles on eBay. Kester claims the residue can be left on your PCB but I usually clean it off if long term reliability is a concern.

Kester 951

Kester 951 (datasheet)  is a low solids (2%)  rosin-free no-clean organic flux that is useful for situations where cleanup would be difficult or impractical and flux residue must be minimized. This flux is surprisingly readily available on eBay and seems to be very popular with the Xbox repair crowd. It is the lowest activity flux I have on hand and can be frustrating to use if the components to be soldered are anything but spotlessly clean. During soldering, this flux remains active for a matter of seconds before largely evaporating. I would avoid it unless you’re doing really fine work (eg. soldering close to bare die) where removing flux residue might damage bondwires or sensitive components.

 Flux Dispensers

FD-21

These Plato flux dispensers are my favorite dispensing tool and are perfect for applying a precise drop of flux to just the right spot on a PCB, minimizing mess and cleanup. They are inexpensive, high quality, and easy to use. These are available from many distributors (Techni-Tool, Mouser, etc.), but I usually order from All-Spec because they typically have the best pricing. I prefer the Plato FD-21 (0.010″ needle) for thinner fluxes such as Kester 186 and the FD-2 (0.020″ needle) for thicker fluxes like MG Chemicals 835.

Books and Resources, Electronics

Cool Tools: Menda 35622 Spudger

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Menda 35622 Spudger

The Menda 35622 spudger (datasheet), an official Apple repair tool made famous by ifixit’s iPhone repair guides, is handy for all sorts of spudging(?) applications, including bending, prying, pushing, shoving, tweaking, twisting, scraping, and soldering.

These are now readily available from most electronics and phone repair shops, but I usually buy them in bulk on eBay.

You can also find them on amazon.com:
Menda Soldering Probe, Nylon, 6″ OAL, Spudger

Another option: These orangewood sticks from Techni-Tool are also great for pushing and prying. Since they’re disposable they can also be used for things like mixing epoxy!