December kit builds: light-up fidget spinner

Time to tackle a fully surface mount kit.
This is a fidget spinner that makes a variety of patterns on it's LEDs using persistence of vision to create a full image out of only 11 LEDs.
Want to try this kit out for yourself? Get it here: pileofstuff.ca/r/q8jt6
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#ElectronicsCreators
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This isn't the only way to do it.
It's probably not the best way to do it.
But it's how I did it.

[@matambale]

No better decompression than an O'Stuff kit build video.

[@dennischerry4545]

Practice, Practice, Practice, always wins.

[@darrenchapman7203]

It was a very timely video, I've got one to make for my grandson.

[@Tycowiz]

Just when I'm sorting out components your video pops up big hi from Glasgow Scotland.

[@TerryLawrence001]

Showing all and making an honest attempt is far more educational for us. thanks for doing what you do!

[@damnedjose]

ok, i did laugh, but only when you mentioned people laughing at you, etc. very impressive! i can't believe how you undertake learning this surface mount stuff online - with a camera, etc etc.... hats off to you, sir. you deserve a nice dark beer.

[@wrxs1781]

I am rubbish at soldering but get things done and not to pretty. I enjoy the kit builds.

[@kas2999]

Soldering music sounded like fishin' blues :)

[@Snottelling]

reasonable hordage is the best kind of hording

[@Michigan_Tactical]

Great video! I've built a few smt kits, here some things I found helpful on this kit. I installed the controller ic first. Using hot air after tinning the pads the chip basically floats into place. The other components I put solder on one pad and tacked it down then soldered the other pad. I put the LEDs on last but again I soldered one pad, then before soldering the other side I used a probe to make the other connection to test the led. It's much easier to remove the led when only one side was soldered. Once I made sure the LEDs were oriented correctly I soldered the other pad. For tinning the pads I used flux and just ran the solder down the row of pads quickly and that was enough. Solder paste if you have it makes it even easier since it's basically solder beads in flux. Hopefully this may help to make life easier for you or your viewers.

[@sapphiresphone7144]

I really like kit build December, its inspired me to collect and do a bunch.

[@jasonrussell6534]

If you rotate the iron to make sure the chisel of the tip is against the pad and the very tip is in the corner between the pad and part where you want the solder to bevel, it works great. I typically use the solder on one pad and flow to set the part method like you also found to be the best success. Interesting project!

[@EsotericArctos]

I find sometimes with that cheaper solder, having a slightly hotter iron is good. Hotter and quicker rather than cooler and slower. That cheap flux is nasty stuff. I have used it, and I went back to more expensive flux. Don't use a lot of flux, so it lasts ages, even if it costs a bit more.

[@shagreobe]

I've gotten pretty good at drag soldering chips. Had a bunch of 20 pin ICs to replace at work.

[@user-hh6cd8jq9l]

You still did 1000% better than me with SMD. Good on you.

[@Michigan_Tactical]

You can do it!

[@RonDogInTheHouse]

I applaud you for trying out this Kit. You only get better with practice. PLEASE, THROW AWAY THAT CHEAP CRAP SOLDER! Get you some proper Kester 44 60/40 solder in whatever diameter you prefer. Don't look at the price, just buy it!

[@loveminis31]

Very nice kit, you did fine on the surface mount.

[@DustinWatts]

I wasn't laughing at all! I'm proud of you for just doing it, cause that is the way to learn! :D Just one remark/question. You made it difficult for yourself, with the awkward angle you were working at. With SMD I find that making it as comfortable as possible for yourself makes a BIG difference. Ow, and still the best method is: tin 1 pad, heat the first pad up again, bring the component in, solder the other side, clean up the first joint. But well done and a nice relaxing build! 🎄

[@pileofstuff]

Doing this stuff on camera makes it much more challenging than it needs to be.

[@DustinWatts]

@@pileofstuff Yeah I know. We makers have to get in to some awkward angles sometimes to get the best shots 😁

[@thomaspolley4977]

Thanks for bringing this kit to our attention. My daughter loves fidget spinners. She's going to absolutely love this kit. I might pick up a few for her friends and her cousins. I've never soldered surface mount components before so she and I will both be learning.

[@pileofstuff]

It takes a while to get the hang of surface mount soldering, but if I can do it, anyone can!

[@MrJozza65]

Been looking forward to this build, and it was good to see a less than perfect SMD soldering and watch how you improved with practice; gives me more confidence to give it a shot myself.

[@markfergerson2145]

Go ahead, it’s very rewarding to do something that fiddly. This video was practically a mini master class in mistakes leading to competence. You weren’t the only one waiting for this build. I was slightly worried that it wouldn’t be as cool as it is, but I’m, uh, what’s the opposite of disappointed? Pleasantly surprised. That will have to do.

[@frankowalker4662]

Great kit with a great result. I did'nt think it was going to stop spinning. LOL.

[@tompulliam5721]

Wow, that was really cool to see in action. I'm amazed at how small the components are that you solder to the board you did a better job than I could have great job and outcome.

[@markusallport1276]

I like this kit very much, nice project. If I may, I'd like to offer some assistance with the technique. As you have always done, tin the pad and secure the component, but use a bit more solder than you have been. Now you add the extra flux, (flood it over the parts), then heat it with the hot air. You will find that the components will then self align on the pads. If you put the flux on before soldering, it's not going to help and it be wasted. The reason for this is because it ensures there is enough solder present , globed or not. The reason for the flux is to clean the surfaces and ensure good solder flow. Thus, the solder is present, the flux is present, so when you heat everything at once, the flux cleans the pads and components and the solder flows smoothly to all contact areas.

[@johncoops6897]

1. Get rid of that silly "hoof" bit and use a chisel tip. 2. Turn the temperature up. You are running it far too cold. 3. Put the tip on the component lead, not just the pad. 4. Use the flux, but you don't need that much. Add more to each lead as you go. 5. Use the tweezers to hold the part while you solder the first lead. Just place the part then press down, rather than gripping it. 6. Don't pre-tin the PCB PAD, as that makes the component difficult to place. . Tl;DR: Fix the soldering iron tip and temp. Add the flux to the PCB only, then add the solder to the tip (not the board). Then "reflow" the joint using the solder on the tip, no need to add any extra!

[@Multi-Skill-Bill]

I am not too educated with SMD's yet, still playing around with them. But just an idea, and feel free to veto it loudly haha, use flux for placement (great idea btw!), have board on a hotplate, then just turn on plate wait till solder starts to melt, and turn it back off? Just saying if I had a hotplate, I would try it. Loving your channel, ty for all the content!

[@pileofstuff]

That is a valid method, if I had a hotplate.

[@rorymacleod8488]

Nobody better be laughing , this is tricky !!!

[@rorymacleod8488]

Tell us the specs of that microscope PLS Thanks

[@thomasw6169]

1616 is same diameter but thinner. Nice SMD kit.

[@martinclemesha4794]

Well done, but I can see why solder paste and a hot plate are useful.

[@retrogamer33]

Really enjoying these chill kit build video's

[@LariFariYoutube]

I tried it by myself to film this kind of work.. The cam gets in the way and makes it nearly impossible to do a good job.. I always wonder, how Lois Rossmann manage to do that.^^

[@wthornton7346]

Nice one. Think I will get one of those!

[@tinygriffy]

I am getting the feeling you really dislike hot air ^^ maybe put some xg50 on your shopping list and try with that.. works like a charm for me ;) Anyhow, this is a really nice kit imho, and thank you for the video !

[@pileofstuff]

I've bought solder paste a couple of times, but I use it so seldom it turns into a useless brick between uses. I do use hot air to de-solder parts and to reflow some ugly handwork.

[@tinygriffy]

@@pileofstuff you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge.. mine lasted more than a year stored that way after opening (!) .. freezer should be possible also, didn't try that yet.. it is not that expensive on ali.. 3 bucks or so. sometimes you can revive it with a couple drops of IPA and some warmth, but after that it is gone..

[@retireeelectronics2649]

I found soldering and filming sucks. I prefer now dab of solder, hold the part down then reheat with iron is the best. Then wine.

[@GHILLIESARCADEANDMORE]

Cool

[@michaelmatsumura422]

Great job. Where did you get the flux “gun” from. I’ve never seen one like this before and it looks like it has some sort of special effect. Thanks!

[@pileofstuff]

It was just a cheap thing from Aliepress. Not this exact listing, but: www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006039764467.html

[@FireballXL55]

Were you using Leaded solder, if so it looks like the PCB was lead free because the solder joints looked a little dull, which is common if you mix leaded and lead free.

[@pileofstuff]

It was lead-tin solder, but not the standard 60/40 .

[@markecklund3125]

I am a noob and really don't know much, but what would be the result if you used solder paste and the re-flow gun as the attachment process? Maybe a little less frustrating for you??? But then what would the demo be and how much practice would you get?? Merry Christmas!

[@pileofstuff]

It would be a perfectly good way to do this kit. My paste is all dried up and useless at the moment. This is not a bad way to do it with limited supplies

[@leestephens7281]

may i sugest that you get some SMD paste, it makes SMD stuff much easyer, i do prototypes and project builds all the time, i still practice soldering manualy to keep sharp, i also think you may not have your solder iron hot enough, i set mine to 400 to make sure that i dont have to solder for long, you get a nice bond, with solder paste you just blob it on and add componants then hot air, you just need to watch out for toomstoning componants, still keep up the good work, maybe reach out if you want some tips.

[@pileofstuff]

I've got some paste, but I use it so seldom it dries up and becomes useless before I want to use it again.

[@peterthinks]

I built the 2 leaf version. It's programmable but I can't figure out the interface. It's all in Chinese.

[@Michigan_Tactical]

I think it took a long time for your solder to melt because your tip looks oxidized. I could be wrong.

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

There should be the correct amount of flux in the solder, in skinny solder there's still the right amount. If you need extra flux then your taking too long making the joint, or your handling the pcb too much and making the pads oily. A clean pcb and good quality solder and your never need extra flux. Extra flux is just a KZbin thing never needed it in 47 years of working with avionics and electronic device manufacturing. Maybe I've been doing it wrong all these years 😂😅

[@johncoops6897]

Extra flux is so that you can add the solder to the soldering iron tip, then transport it "dry" to the joint. The extra added flux on the PSB causes the "dry" solder to wick under the part and make the joint.😊 So, if you are applying the solder to the joint directly, then no additional flux is needed. However, for SMD that requires 3 hands, one each for tweezers, solder and iron. 😉

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

@@johncoops6897 Well i would just say that anyone doing that in my electronics dept would be standing outside HR to get their cards. 🙂 Might let them put some flux on to remove a component as the original flux would have gone. But once they have cleaned the board ready for the replacement then the flux should be off the bench. Clean boards, good solder, a good iron IMHO is all you need. As I've said I've had over 40 years of doing it to form MHO. 🙂 Having to meet many different standards for soldering in Mil and Medical design has been a pain but it show me how bad I was at it when I first started in avionic PCB assembly when I was 17. 🙂

[@johncoops6897]

@@TheEmbeddedHobbyist - yes, however look at the absolute mess of it that Pile-o is doing. I only mean using extra flux and a "dry" joint for the first melt, just to tack the part in place. Personally, I use paste flux only very occasionally on damaged surfaces when reworking. But here we are talking very mild stuff indeed. Anyway, how many hands do you use... one for holding the part, one for the solder and one for the iron?

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

@@johncoops6897 I see your point, but it's like learning to drive and relying on a mechanic to keep fixing the car's you hit. Using flux to get passed bad soldering is not going to help the learning process. I'm not saying that Pile-O is a bad at soldering, but a little less use of the flux and more practice and he will soon be soldering like a pro. If got an excuse! as after spending 47 years doing it correctly now I can do it how I like. Also with a lots of practice over the years my left hand can hold a PCB and still feed in the solder. 🙂 Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you and your family, John. TeH

[@johncoops6897]

@@TheEmbeddedHobbyist - I also can hold 2 things in my left hand, but not for SMD work. I use a variety of techniques, as suits the job. I am not in a production environment and much of my work is repairs of crusty stuff where stronger rosin based paste flux is mandatory. I don't need to use extra paste flux for new SMD assembly, but I often use a mild liquid pen for rework. . I've been soldering for over 50 years now. Many people never really work out how to solder effectively. My biggest problem now days is my eyes, so everything needs to be done under a magnifying lamp 😫 . I have my soldering iron set hot at 375°C and can get in and done in under a second, It makes me cringe watching people staffing about like in this video, with blobby cold joints yet melted LEDs 😃

[@andyfraser5876]

How did you get the cell into the holder next to the switch?

[@pileofstuff]

It fit quite well. Had I put the cell holder in first, I would't have room to solder the switch, though.

[@shroomy7199]

opps on D5 solder paste far better Can i ask about your microscope please

[@pileofstuff]

It's this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aX2VaJuHaJeZrZY

[@jyvben1520]

makes me think, are crt displays also pov or is their refresh rate too high for that ?

[@johncoops6897]

Your eye and brain are the POV. The refresh rate of a CRT (TV) is interlaced at mains frequency, so 2 x 1/2 screens 50 or 60 times per second. So your minimum full screen refresh rate is half mains frequency, and the eye is much slower than that so no flicker is apparent.

[@TheEmbeddedHobbyist]

You should have got a Binocular microscope, much easier to see what you are doing. Leave the camera scope for showing the viewers

[@pileofstuff]

For the small amount of SMD work I do, It's hard to justify the added cost. However, if some sponsor wants to add one to my tool arsenal, I wouldn't complain...

[@Ni5ei]

That tin looks very crumbly

[@pileofstuff]

Yeah, it's low quality cheap stuff. But even with that limitation, it still worked. Just made it more difficult than it had to be.

[@Wayde-VA3NCA]

Life's too short for cheap solder😂

[@pileofstuff]

Yeah, I normally use MG, but people suggested something skinnier so I decided to give it a shot this time. Next week I'm back to better solder.

[@Irilia_neko]

Please never use this crappy solder again 😅