SMD R/C sets - help me get started! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 02:08:13 pm
content: Ok, so, I'm finally being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, and need to get myself a basic set of SMD passives; 1% resistors (E12 or E24 series) , MLCCs and electrolytics. But I'm lost when it comes to selecting the packaging - is 0805 (2012) the most common package used for resistors? 0.25W? Should I be getting more than one size? And what about capacitors? What do you guys stock, and what do you most often use?

author: ElektronikLabor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 02:48:20 pm
content: I like the 0805 components because they are big enough to solder them on the 0.1" prototyping PCB and small enough to realize reasonably compact PCBs.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 02:58:23 pm
content: Great to know, many thanks! Any reason not to get 1/4W resistors, other than cost?Nice rangefinder camera BTW - a Rollei?

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 03:07:11 pm
content: If you buy a resistor pack, you can go with 0805 because you will not use enought of them to make a difference. 0.1W is fine. The dissipation capability of an SMD resistor has nothing to do with the number written on it anyways, and you dont really need high temperature resistors (nor should you use them at that temperature)

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 03:32:46 pm
content: I prefer 0603. I personally find it the best compromise in ease of handling & soldering and nice, small footprint on PCB. Think about resistor networks around opamps, or pull-ups at digital IC's, or multiple series resistors with LED drivers: 0805 size clutters the PCB around standard large SOIC packages if you have more than one or two. 0603 is small enough not to be that problematic in design, but still very easy to hand solder. 0603 is also good on perfboard and between 0.1" pins.In some design cases, you need power dissipation. For this, 0805 is only marginally better than 0603. Get a few power resistors (like 0.1ohm, 0.47 ohm, 1ohm, 4.7ohm, 10 ohm, 47 ohm) in at least 1206, or preferably even larger, for example those specified for 1 watt.MLCC capacitors: you don't need too many sizes. Don't get any Y5V or similar, get X7R for large capacitances (power filtration) and NP0/C0G for signal stuff (such as 18pF for some XTALs, or some 100-200 pF for signal integrity RC filtration). For power, 100nF 16V X7R in 0603 is dirt cheap and holds its capacitance quite well at 5V. Get some 1uF 25V X7R for more power demanding uses such as power bypassing for drivers (mosfet, stepper, etc.); this size is available in 0603, but a bit more expensive.

author: Visher
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 04:07:24 pm
content: If you're using SMD resistors, I think you want use them as "configuration" passive element, like pull-up resistor, voltage divider element, opamp configuration resistor, RC filter - most of these, in use with uC especially, don't have to dispass much power, so you can go lower than 0805. However, there's one big advantage of 0805: you can place a copper track between the pads (0603 also). Consider it.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 04:34:51 pm
content: Thanks everyone, some great input here! Since I do as much repairing & modding as I do scratch building it might make more sense to buy two sizes of the E12 series, say 0805 and 0402, instead of one size in E24?

author: Visher
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 04:52:05 pm
content: Hard to guess, they both can be pretty cheap. I paid 50 PLN (9 GBP) for set of 117 different 0805 values, 50 in each strip. Could be lower if I would collect them by myself.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 05:39:53 pm
content: Quote from: Visher on March 09, 2016, 04:52:05 pmOk. Having burned my fingers on cheap capacitor & resistor sets in the past I'm now only buying named brand components from the big retailers. I recently threw out all through-hole resistors and ceramic disc caps (as in threw them in the trash!) and started over with 100 of each1/2W E12 series 1% metal film resistors from Yageo, and plan to get the a selection of TDK & Kemet MLCC caps (10-50 of each value depending on usage) and an assortment of common value Panasonic and Nichicon electrolytics as well. Polyester and/or polypropylene caps too, though I haven't decided on values for these. I already have a good selection of through-hole semis, though op-amps are somewhat lacking, so that's on the list too (I'd better hurry on that actually). Cost is not that much of an issue, within reason, and I'm prepared to spend ~£300 to get decent baseline coverage in my parts cabinets. I do understand that complete coverage is impossible to achieve, and there will always be gaps that need to be bought separately, but I like having at least the most common parts to hand. I have been building up separate parts lists on Mouser for a while now and will order them all in one go when I'm satisfied I've got the right selection.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 06:14:05 pm
content: On second thoughts... holy crap SMD resistors are expensive; 100 each E12 series Panasonic 0805 would cost almost £250 from Mouser!That's likefour timesmore expensive than the through-holes I got from Vishay!

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2016, 08:14:16 pm
content: For cheap/tempco-not-important smd resistors, I get Yageo from Mouser in 0603 and 0805. They are cheap.Edit:http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Yageo/RC0603FR-0710KL/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvLNADcllXbqHQ2CGarwjoTTempco is 100ppm. I use much better resistors when the circuit warrants it, but for general purpose use, pull up/downs etc, these cheap resistors work fine for me.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 12:17:17 am
content: Quote from: dadler on March 09, 2016, 08:14:16 pmThanks, I'll take a look at those! The Panasonic's were the first ones I managed to find a complete E12 series of (at least in 0805 size, haven't checked smaller yet), and they too are +/- 100ppm, which makes the price even more absurd. Need. To. Look. Harder. Do you ever find you need smaller sizes than 0603?Edit:Blimey, just saw the price difference:100pcs Panasonic 1% 100ppm 0805: £3.90100pcs Yageo 1% 100ppm 0805: £0.20HOWEVER, I see now that the Panasonics are an "anti-surge" type - is that enough to account for a 20x higher price?

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 02:32:56 pm
content: Thank you, that's a very detailed responseI had already discounted the Panasonics due to their high cost, I was just curious as towhythey are so expensive!

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 02:55:57 pm
content: Examples of stockjellybeancomponents:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0603-SMD-Capacitor-Assorted-kit-0603-50V-25x120-values-3000pcs-free-combination-/251678698983http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0603-SMD-1-KIT-RESISTOR-E-24-SERIE-153-VALUES-x-25pcs-/171701000268If you have particular requirements, then obviously you have to choose more carefully.Expect to lose components (and have to vacuum them up), so get surplus. Buy 100nF decouplers by the 1000Don't expect to reuse components; removal will knacker the contacts. Hot air guns help in removal, and to a lesser extent in assembly.Here's what I learned when I converted to SMD:https://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/tag/smd/

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 03:12:04 pm
content: Quote from: dadler on March 09, 2016, 08:14:16 pmBut this is not a kit...They usually come in a compact book form.May I ask how do you organise it?

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 03:30:36 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on March 10, 2016, 03:12:04 pmSure, as I am sure you are aware, Mouser ships the 100 count strips coiled up in identical labeled bags.For most of my components, these bags are the same width as a certain size of Sterilite latch box (http://www.sterilite.com/SelectProduct.html?id=653&ProductCategory=252&section=1). This is how I file all of my caps and most of my other components from Mouser.For resistors, the bags are of a dimension that just happens to match a certain size of cardboard shipping box that Mouser uses.I cut the boxes off (into a "tray") that is as high as a single bag, and then I file the bags in order by component value. I have a "tray" of 0603, 0805, and (some) 1206. I could also use the Sterilite containers, but since I have many more sizes of resistor, I think this is a better use of space.I also have some of these organizers, which I bought pre-populated and only use for less common values or true throw away prototyping:http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-SMD-SMT-0805-1-resistor-kit-0-10M-ohm-144V-100pc-value-14400pcs-BOX-ALL-/380414329881?hash=item5892760419I forget what brand of resistors/caps they are. Something cheap.

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 03:42:26 pm
content: Here are a couple of (not-so-great) pictures.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 04:04:02 pm
content: @dadler: That looks like a nice and simple way to store the components, thanks for sharing! Since I don't really haveanySMD parts yet (hence this thread) apart from some LEDs and a few bits that have been bought for specific projects I haven't really got a firm plan for how best to store them. I like the look of those little flip-top boxes that can be joined up into trays, but I'm not sure. I store pretty much everything in a stack ofRaaco Handy-Boxes, but while I'm a big fan of these, especially with thesmooth lids and dual layer inserts, I doubt they'd work well for SMD components - I've already found some SMD LEDs that have escaped their trays...Re. SMD resistors, I've now added 100 each E12 series of those 0805 Yaegos you suggested - total price: £35 for 85 valuesBased on what's been said I think I will be getting the same in 0603 OR 0402 as well. That's general purpose resistors taken care of - next up MLCCs...

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 04:26:49 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on March 10, 2016, 02:55:57 pmThis is something you absolutely should not get. First, it doesn't make sense to have every possible capacitance. Sure, have many sizes of resistors, but you don't need that many cap values, especially something with tolerances and specs (DC/temperature bias, etc.) so poor to begin with. Just have a few small C0G sizes for signal filtration and crystal loads, and then a few bigger sizes for power decoupling; get decent X7R from reputable companies (no Ebay stuff, no matter what they claim).Unlike resistors, MLCC's are more complex and more prone to problems (microcracking happens easily and really destroys them in the worst way), and this set has fake specs to begin with (10uF X7R 50V is simply not possible in 0603). The voltage rating may not be 50V for most of those, they might not be X7R but almost useless Y5V instead, and they may have cracking problems so that they eventually become short circuit after soldered in and ran for some time. So you have a "precision" set with every possible capacitance like 20, 22, 27, 33 nF, but in reality, even when used within the "specs", that 20 nF cap may become 2 nF instead, 10x loss of capacitance is everyday stuff with these things.So get decent MLCCs. You won't probably need more than 10-15 sizes. I'd say get decent resistors too, but Ebay resistors might be just fine. OTOH, forum knowledge says that the fake/substandard quality problem extends to SMD resistors too, even though it isn't so common.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 04:33:19 pm
content: Quote from: Lomax on March 10, 2016, 04:04:02 pmI suspect that sooner or later I would slip and the contents would fly away to become vacuum cleaner fodder.My solution is fast, simple, cheap, compact - as long as the individual straight-ish strips are marked.I put them next to each other in the right order, hold them together with a laccy band, and put the stack in my standard organiser drawers.When I need one, I pull out the relevant strip, peel back the transparent plastic just far enough, extract the component then reinsert the strip in the stack.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 04:49:31 pm
content: I had some extruded polypropylene sheeting used in mounting advertisements etc., you know this shit:http://www.plastics-technology.com/plasticsadmin/upload/productgallery/1382347957-img-image3.jpg(like the white thing at the bottom).Anyway, a certain size happens to hold SMD strips just perfectly, with a little bit of drag so that they don't come loose, inside those "tunnels", but are easy to slide in/out. Add labeling printed on paper - you need to find just the right line spacing so that the text lines up - and you have a compact SMD strip holding system for approx 100pcs each in 0603!

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 05:38:59 pm
content: Quote from: Siwastaja on March 10, 2016, 04:26:49 pmOh, don't worry, been there done that - ended up chucking those componentsin the trash. The 1% metal film resistors I got had legs as thin as a hair, and I strongly suspected that they were not actually metal film but carbon composites, despite the light-blue exterior. Like I said earlier in the thread:Quote from: Lomax on March 09, 2016, 05:39:53 pmQuote from: Siwastaja on March 10, 2016, 04:26:49 pmThis isveryinteresting to me. I currently have no capacitors at all, other than specific project one-offs, and have been struggling to come up with a good list. I think I have been able to identify the most commonly used sizes (100nF, 47nF, 10nF, 2.2nF, 1nF, 470pF, 220pF 100pF, 22pF, 10pF) based on what I've used in the past, recommendations from others and collating BoMs from various projects that I am interested in. I have understood that C0G (on the lower end of capacitance) and X7R (for higher values) are the only dielectrics worth getting for true "general purpose" use, where temperature stability may or may not be important. I carenot one bitthat I could get away with using cheaper dielectrics - a saving of £0.05 on a decoupling cap is far outweighed by having to keep track of what is what, which ones can be used for audio and which ones can't etc etc etc.My shopping list currently hasTDK FK C0Gfrom 1pF to 10nF, andKemet C3 X7Rfrom 100pF to 1uF (the overlap is intentional) in quantities from 10 to 50 of each value. BUT. I am confused about voltages for MLCCs. I'm tempted to get 50V for the TDKs and 100V for the Kemets, but I don't know if 1) theonlydifferences between, say, a 100V 10nF X7R MLCC and a 25V one is the physical size and the voltage tolerance 2) if the increase in physical size for higher voltage parts is likely to cause problems. Cost is not a huge concern here - it's more that I don't want to go through selecting, purchasing and labelling for a part that ends up being unsuitable. Since I am a bit of a labelling fanatic I also want to reduce the number of different series I have to keep track of!The above is what I have in mind for through-hole parts, but I guess much of it applies equally to SMD MLCCs.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 05:43:43 pm
content: Quote from: Siwastaja on March 10, 2016, 04:49:31 pmHey, nice idea! I shall keep those things in mind! For the time being, coiled tape in zip-lock bags in a box (as per @dadler's photos) will do nicely thoughHere's what my current storage unit looks like. The dual-layer Raaco inserts are great for density - but yeah, pretty much useless for smaller SMD parts, which can readily escape in the gaps.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 06:33:57 pm
content: Quote from: Siwastaja on March 10, 2016, 04:26:49 pmIt might not make sense foryouto have every possible capacitor value, but other peopledohave such requirements. Filter design is a classic case where you need a specific value to work with the limited range of available inductors. In RF filter design it is often the case that you have to tweak component values after design, to take account of inevitable implementation "suboptimalities".

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 06:42:57 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on March 10, 2016, 06:33:57 pmDon't worry, it is my intention to get at least E12 series; just fever #s of the rarely used values. This is for two reasons: I like the idea of having the correct value to hand for pretty muchanysituation where an MLCC is suitable, and I want to allocate storage for the full series in one go - labelling scales very well thanks tothe application I'm using. The additional cost for plugging the gaps is negligible in the greater scheme of things. But I'm still stuck on the voltage.

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 06:54:06 pm
content: MLCC capacitance drops a lot as the caps approach their peak rated voltage. It depends on your use case, but I usually spec my MLCCs at at least 2x or 3x their intended voltage in the circuit. For 3.3V/5V logic, I typically always use caps rated to at least 16V. Lower capacitance caps are usually rated to 50V anyways.The larger packages seem to lose less capacitance as they approach their peak voltage. For this reason, I may use an 0805 or 1206 cap rather than 0603 if I have the space.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 07:06:53 pm
content: Basically, X7R is so poor that it's only usable in energy storage, i.e., DC link filtration. Y5V is even worse. And not all X7R caps are the same. Some X7R caps lose 30% of their capacitance at rated voltage, some lose 60%. Y5V may lose up to 90%. Parts that are small for their capacitance, i.e., the "too good to be true" parts, suffer more. The high capacitance is not "real", you cannot use all of it in the intended purpose.So you just need to know what's the REAL capacitance is and use suitable parts. Then you have excess capacitance in some (good) conditions, but that's usually not a problem. You design for the worst case.So this is a price optimization after all:Let's assume you have analyzed that youreallyneed 50nF to reliably bypass a 5V IC power pin, which is fairly typical (very difficult toactuallyanalyze, but let's trust the datasheets). So,mostof the caps rated at "X7R 10V 100nF" would barely do, but some rated at "X7R 6.3V 100nF" wouldn't, because the loss of capacity is greater near the rated DC voltage. If you used Y5V, you would almost certainly need to use a part rated at 16V 220nF to guarantee 50nF over all operating conditions. Then, the supposed price saving in the Y5V suddenly goes away; you were comparing apples to oranges, or a 50 nF cap to a 20 nF cap, if you measured theactualcapacitance in its intended usage. TLDR: Y5V usually doesn't make sense, unless the price isexceptionallygood and you do the proper analysis. Don't buy those to your lab or for DIY.It's not only temperature and DC bias; aging also reduces capacitance, which is mostly reversible AFAIK.So you typically select X7R and at least at double the voltage rating, which kind of keeps the loss of capacitance manageable, you'll always get at least half of the rated C with most caps, usually at least 70%.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 07:24:21 pm
content: This is great guys, thank you so much for taking the time to share your insights! Basically, it sounds like I'm thinking along the right lines then, WRT dielectrics and voltages? 50V C0Gs 10nF and below, 100V (or 50V?) X7Rs 100pF and up? The same for SMDs as for through-holes?Quote from: Siwastaja on March 10, 2016, 07:06:53 pmWell, yeah, ok, I've seen the prices of C0G at the higher values - it starts to get crazy above 10nF or so - hence X7R for the top part of the range.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 07:44:35 pm
content: Going up to 50V, let alone 100V, doesn't always make sense. Most of the time, these caps are used to bypass 5V or 3.3V chips, in which case 16V or 25V has ample margin. If you go to 50V, you won't get higher capacitances in the handy 0603 case anymore at all; in corner cases where itisavailable, the price is often too much (and the real capacity under those conditions suffers more, so it's partially a marketing bluff).Get something like this:0603:4.7 pF NP0, voltage irrelevant (for smaller crystals)18 pF NP0, voltage irrelevant (for larger crystals)100 pF NP0, voltage irrelevant (signal filtration)1nF NP0, voltage irrelevant (signal filtration)10nF X7R 50V (some heavier RC filtration stuff)100nF X7R 25V (general bypassing; or get 50V if you use higher than 12V chips, e.g. opamps at high rails, but it'll be more expensive without much benefit at 3.3V, and you'll be using A LOT of these! Buy 500 at least, consider a full reel.)1uF X7R 25V (high-power bypassing, fet drivers, fet driver bootstrap caps etc. Going over 25V shoots the price up or ups the case to 0805)0805:2.2uF X7R 25V (DC/DC converter / LDO output caps)1206 or 1210:10uF X7R 25V (DC/DC converter / LDO output caps, less than, say, 15V)10uF X7R 50V (DC/DC converter / LDO output caps, higher than, say, 15V)Take this as a grain of salt. I don't completely agree with myself while trying to write it down like this, but the general idea is valid.In corner cases, where the energy storage is highish for the case size, go for the bigger case: not only it brings the price down, but therealcapacitance might be a bit bigger! You'll find this out when shopping for the parts. Practical limit for 0603 is somewhere around 1uF at 25V.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 07:56:10 pm
content: Quote from: Siwastaja on March 10, 2016, 07:44:35 pmFair points! Of course with SMDs the constrained physical sizes imposes some extra limits which are less obvious with through-holes. I'm still getting used to thinking in these terms.Quote from: Siwastaja on March 10, 2016, 07:44:35 pmThanks, that looks like a good starting point. I'm amazed it's possible to squeeze enough dielectric into a 0603 case to get 1uF @ 25V - or at least enough to be able tocallit that; I'm totally with you on the misleading specs.

author: Cloud
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 09:30:38 pm
content: I most of the time use 0805 resistors and 603 capacitors. I have bought resistors from farnell 100 pcs on tape for E24 and I think 100 pcs was about 0.3eur.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2016, 10:13:34 pm
content: Quote from: Lomax on March 10, 2016, 07:56:10 pmTrouble is the density keeps rising, 0402 (1005 metric) has cost effective 1uF caps with 25V and 35V ratings, 0201 (0603 metric) 1uF parts are routine at 10V ratings.Quote from: Lomax on March 10, 2016, 04:04:02 pmI've tried to find a use for the modular trays with flip up lids, they're too big for surface mount passives and too small for general hardware, they do well for small screws and nuts but thats about all. For surface mount storage the prepackaged kits that come in a binder with inserts that hold tape flat are very good but expensive, and there are some clamshell cases or trays with many little sections each with their own lid (sometimes sold as pill/tablet organisers and some directly marketed as SMD storage) that are better sized and although they're not as convenient to open and close they are easier to work with overall.

author: jambrose
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 11, 2016, 07:18:09 am
content: Thanks everyone for all of this great information! And Lomax for starting it! I'm also planning on getting a basic stash of SMD resistors and capacitors in the near future and this thread has the type of basic information about pros/cons of various sizes, dielectrics, etc. that I've been looking for.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2016, 11:10:14 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on March 10, 2016, 06:33:57 pmExactly. A lab should totally have an E24 series capacitor values, because it is neccessary. All those SMPS designs which have external compansation will require odd capacitor and resistor values. All linear regulator will require odd resistor values. A bunch of digital circuit will call for odd capacitor values for the AC termination, delays, 555, frequency generation. There are a bunch of cases, where yo absolutely dont want to wait.Thanks for sharing the images. Though... What I have at work is this:it was done by the guy working here before, he was dong it "as it goes", so components in random order. These are smd storage boxes, brand named Wen Tai, they do the job reasonably well. 100 of them goes for something like 24 dollars. So storing 5 x E24 series, 0603 and 0805 + capacitor is less than 500 boxes, which is very reasonable price IMHO on the long term. There are also bigger sizes for other components. I'm actually considering buying some for the home lab.And then maybe bigger boxes for the 1K, 10K, 100nF, 1uF, 47Ohm capacitors. Then I can say goodbye to the reels and baxs, which take the bulk of the storage. I'm still thinking.

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2016, 01:15:00 pm
content: I bought some similar boxes from seeedstudio many years ago, enough for all decades of E12 and a few dozen for caps and leds. But they was of very low quality, probably 20% of the boxes doesn't open automatically when the tab is pulled. I'd like to find new higher quality boxes that actually works.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2016, 01:46:16 pm
content: Just a quick note re. storage; while I'm happy for now to just keep the lengths of tape in individual bags, I have been looking at different storage options. The "tape strips in binders" style I have already discounted: I already have too many loose SMD parts in various quantities for tape binders to be a good option - and they're no good for wider tapes, or items that come in other packaging (or loose). The flip-top lid stackable boxes in @NANDBlog's post look like they can be a nightmare to get parts out of - you'd need to pick individual parts out with tweezers. I've also looked at theSMD trays from Licefa(model "A 1"), which based on price seems to be the Rolls-Royce option, but I really don't like them sharing a single lid - way too much risk of disasters; imagine dropping one of those traysThe most interesting option I've found so far is the "vial" type storage, such as the"V 11" from Licefa. These are more reasonably priced (~£25 for 130 vials) and look like they will be easy to get individual items out of, by simply tapping/pouring them out on a small dish, but would love to hear what others think about this option!

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2016, 02:19:10 pm
content: You need to grab it with tweezers anyway, to place it on the PCB??? I dont know about the quality, these are like a year old, and I havent used them "in action" they just look neat, and I thought I share it.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2016, 09:28:45 pm
content: Quote from: Lomax on March 11, 2016, 01:46:16 pmThe "phials" are available individually (V4-1) and can be packed tighter inside other boxes, they're good but the labelling can be tricky. Check out this company who no only sells kits but also the empty kit boxes:http://aidetek.com/

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2016, 10:55:42 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on March 11, 2016, 02:19:10 pmFair point! The few times I've done any SMD soldering though, I've always felt the need to place the part(s) I'm about to solder on a small flat tray first, so I can have a look at it under the scope, find the right orientation and then move it from that tray onto the PCB while looking through the scope. It may be that with practice I won't need this security blanket and can go straight from bin to PCB. 0402s are pretty damn small and fiddly though, at least to my imperfect eyes! I do like the look of those boxes you posted a photo of, in fact they were on my list until I saw the "phial" type storage and had an idea. But more on that below.Quote from: Someone on March 11, 2016, 09:28:45 pmYou know that wasexactlythe thought I had when I saw them, but I wasn't able to find the "phials" sold separately - now that I know the correct model number I've been able to turn up a few sources,like Farnellfor example. This could well bethe perfect optionfor storing SMD passives. As I've said many times, and will continue to do, theRaaco "Handy Box"storage units are frikkin brilliant:They lock together both vertically and horizontally, and can be carried around by a handle on top - also while stacked.The four service cases each one holds won't slide out while carrying them (or when moving house!).Each individual case has a handle as well - so if you only need screws, just bring the screwsThere'sa huge number of insertsavailable; from tiny half-height ones to almost half a case.You can populate the cases partially with inserts if you want to store outsize items.The inside bottom is ridged, which keep the inserts in place even when one has been removed.It's great to be able to take out individual inserts with just those things you will be using.They come in many different colours, so you'll know where each one belongs in the stack.Both cases and individual inserts are available inESD safe versions.They are made in Europe, Denmark to be specific, and the quality is great - yet they won't break the bank.Seriously, they're the best thing ever - I use mine to store everything from nuts and bolts to batteries, glues, soldering tips, flux and paste, fuses, shrink tubing, cable ties, blank PCBs, wire, drills, taps & blades, tissues, picks, pins, brushes, and of course all my electronic components, switches, displays and connectors. The stack of four pictured on the first page of this thread weighs a ton, but they handle it without bending or wobbling - sturdy enough to sit on if you need to! To give you some idea of the density you can achieve, I store the E12 series (10-1M) of 1/2W through-hole resistors (0207) - 100 of each value - inonesuch case, and I still have room for a tray of mixed power resistors in there as well. Magic.So naturally, I would love it if I could use these for storing SMD parts as well! I currently do actually, but the gap between the lid and the inserts is big enough that partsmaywillescape if you shake it about a bit. HOWEVER, using the "phials" we're talking about here it would be possible to stack a yuuuge number of SMD parts in these cases quite safely. Aaaand it would be possible to use a mixture of different containers, so power resistors could be kept in the same tray as regular ones, and electrolytics with MLCCs, and so on. It would even allow you to mix SMD and through-hole in the same case if you were thus inclined. There's just one thing that worries me: will one of those tiny "phials" (vials!?) hold 100 pcs of 0805 size parts? I think not. Has anyone seen (slightly) larger versions somewhere?

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2016, 06:37:07 pm
content: Here are some alternative storage options I've found. Mainly for chemistry and bead-crafting, but some may be perfect for SMD passives as well?Edit:I've just bought 10 each of the 1ml and 2ml clear tubes, just to see what they're like and how they might be stacked in a Raaco service case. The 1ml tubes are 36mm tall, and the 2ml ones 49mm, both 11mm diameter. They're the best option I've been able to find so far, given that I need to fit up to 100pcs 0805 in each one, and since they're round it should be fairly easy to make a tray for them by drilling a grid of 11.5mm holes a piece of acrylic. The Licefa "phials" discussed above are just 6x6x20mm, and though I like that they have a square cross-section, they will be too small for my needs. It should be possible to store about 300 of these tubes in a service case, with enough spacing to make them easy to grasp. As an example, that's more than enough for the E12 series (1-10M) in three sizes (255). Drilling 300 holes is a daunting task though - maybe time to getthat CNC routerI've been dreaming about

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 12, 2016, 08:26:17 pm
content: Go to ebay and do a search on "smd storage box". This will give you results like this:http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMT-SMD-resistor-capacitor-storage-box-Organizer-1206-0603-0805-0402-0201-tiny-R-/280633468437?hash=item41570ee615:g:PvgAAOSw~OVWvuRUThis will work much better than a bunch of loose containers.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2016, 09:19:44 pm
content: Quote from: bson on March 12, 2016, 08:26:17 pmThanks for the tip, but I'm afraid I don't agree; I find individual containers easier to work with, allowing me to pick out just the parts I need without cluttering up my workbench with component trays. It's usually pretty crammed anyway. If you want to stock whole series of resistors and capacitors, you would typically need to have at least three of those boxes on your bench (resistors+capacitors+others) to populate a board, and enough space left to unfold at least one - with individual phials/vials you can fetch only those parts you need from the storage rack instead. My through-hole storage already works like this, and I've found it to be very convenient.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2016, 05:51:37 am
content: +1.If you have an "engineering pillbox" with dozens of linked little boxes... uhh, how do you take out more than one or two parts at a time? Do you unlink all the boxes to get the one you want? Or do you clear your entire bench, put down a sheet of paper, then tip the entire thing over?LOL.What do you do when you add or remove a value?Seems dumb to me.I use test tube racks for resistors and caps and some LED and other small things. I can tap out a few parts. Or I can pour the entire tube of parts of each component I am currently working with into little dishes which can be arranged where they need to be on the bench. And then pour them back in with a funnel when I'm done. Because sometimes you need more than 1! The only drawback is you can't label little teeny test tubes from the top of the cap. But since you will probably store resistors and caps in some semblance of an order, this isn't a big deal.Using little locking pill boxes for SMD parts makes about as much sense as using same to store your spices. I can just see myself picking up single pieces of fennel and salt out of a huge organizer to cook dinner.If you want more options for test tube boxes that close and stack, Lomax, look at MTM ammo boxes. If you cross-reference the cartridges that they are compatible with, you can eventually figure out what size test tubes can fit in them.For anyone looking to switch over to SMD parts, the way I started my collection was to start scanning lots of partial resistor reels on eBay. When I found a lot with a good amount of practical values for a good price, I bought it. When I need a new value I am missing, I will sometimes order an entire reel. For high precision (expensive) parts, I usually just order those if/when needed. The rest just accumulates from projects.The larger the parts, the faster/easier they are to handle. The weight of them makes them easier to move around and release from tweezers. Getting down to 0402, it's hard to ever pick them up right with tweezers... and you need a stupid skinny needle on a pickup tool, which will be prone to clogging from paste/flux. 0603 is pretty much where I am landed, right now.

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2016, 06:51:49 am
content: Quote from: KL27x on March 13, 2016, 05:51:37 amI have mine in separate 1 row of 12 boxes for a decade of resistors. I flip open the lids on the ones I want and then just either pick up a single with tweezers or if I need a bunch of them I dip my finger into the box and then sprinkle the ones that get stuck on the fingertip onto a piece of white paper on the desk. The excess I just sweep away - I purchase SMDs by the thousands for uncommon values and full reel for the ones I use a lot so the cost for just tossing half of them is negligible...

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 13, 2016, 07:43:22 am
content: Quote from: Lomax on March 12, 2016, 09:19:44 pmWell, you take the say < 10k resistor box and put it on the bench. Then you pick the first value you want and place it on the board. See where else you need the same value and place those as well. Then move on to the next value < 10k. When you have placed all values from this box you close it, put it away, and get the next box you need. Place everything from it. Then get the IC box and place uC, peripherals chips, op amps, regulators, and what else you need. Get the assorted random stuff box and place LEDs, u.fl connectors, etc. Put away that box. Take out the hot air gun and place on the bench, turn it on. Reflow. Inspect. Done. Put away the hot air.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2016, 08:37:23 am
content: Uggh. I'm not going to dig around the bottom of a square box to get an 0603 part out of it. Not with tweezers, not with fingers (with all their natural oil and/or sweat), and not with a pickup tool.I treat SMD parts as a powder or liquid. Decant, use, pour them back.The perfect little dish for SMD parts is the bottom of a coke can, BTW. Nice and shallow. Bright background. You can easily see and pickup your parts. The lip is just tall enough to absolutely contain your items. The concave bottom keeps the parts in the middle, preventing the need to dig around in corners for parts that might be hardly larger than a grain of salt. And yes, I do use 0402 or even 0201's when need dictates. The lack of corners and aluminum construction makes them easy to clean as needed (any bit of oil/flux/paste will cause your parts to clump like old parmesan!).I have machined HDPE pucks to hold these can bottoms. They add weight and are perfectly stable/untippable. They also have a machined groove to stack one over the other, acting as lids for themselves. While a project is active, these pucks might stay filled with specific components for weeks/months. Give this a try; it's amazing.For parts that need to stay in the tape, like SOT 23, whenever I go to the reel, I take off a large strip at a time, and cut these into strips of predetermined length, to fit on little plaques. I've recently discovered 2L bottle preforms are good for storing these strips while they get used up. The diameter is just a hair larger than a standard 1" forstner bit. It's easy to make a rack to hold these.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2016, 09:37:41 am
content: I prefer keeping components in the reel/tape until I need them. At that point I peel back the plastic as far as necessary, and let them fall into a shallow heavy "tray" ~3in/75mm in diameter. I can easily use tweezers at that point, and the components stay grease free. Why?Decanting them into a container is a waste of my life.Retrieving them from a container is a waste of my life.And most importantly Iknowthat sooner or later I'm going to knock a container and lose the components - if I'm lucky they wont fall intoothercontainers and won't find their way through equipment ventilation grilles etc

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2016, 10:57:51 am
content: Messing with reels and/or peeling back cut tape every time I need so much as a part? lol. no. For passives, I'll just tap out a few right onto the board and sweep away the excess after I'm done losing my first one or two.I cry once, dealing with the entire reel / cut tape in one go, for passives.Decanting into a dish makes perfect sense if you are making several boards and/or using lots of the same passive. Don't have to count. Don't have to worry about losing a few. Put back what's left when you're done. Sure, it depends on quantity. But surely a lot of people use plenty of LED resistors, pullups, and decoupling caps. I usually have some of those in a dish at any given time.I have never spilled a test tube. They have caps when you're done with them. My cat once knocked over a full test tube rack, and I didn't lose a part.I have never lost a part out of a coke can puck.I've tried it your way. I've tried it other ways. Not waste of life.Arguing on the internet is a waste of life.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2016, 04:27:45 am
content: Quote from: KL27x on March 13, 2016, 05:51:37 amThat's a really good point! As my collection of parts has grown I've needed to rearrange my storage from time to time - the individual inserts used in the Raaco service cases makes that a doddle and since the labels are attached to each insert they follow the parts when moved to another case (or temporarily onto my workbench).Quote from: KL27x on March 13, 2016, 05:51:37 amOh I don't worry about that - I'm a labelling afficionado; I'm sure I can find a way to label the tops,andthe tubes. I've got a Brother labelling machine which takes 6/8/10/12mm laminated tapes in different colours, and the software is database driven; I've made my own parts databases with extra metadata - including pin-outs for transistors & ICs - so I can run off labels for, say, the whole E12 (or E96!) series with one click. The goal is to provide a miniaturised data-sheet right on the label itself. I've attached a couple of examples so you can see what I mean - though it's all very much "work in progress"!Quote from: KL27x on March 13, 2016, 08:37:23 amWhy would SOT-23 parts need to stay on the tape? I intend to use the same system for these as for passives, though ideally the indivdual containers should be ESD safe.Quote from: KL27x on March 13, 2016, 10:57:51 amQuite.Edit:I see now that the Vccand GND pins get the wrong symbols in the pinout list; some bug has crept in thereAnd yeah, there's an empty slot in the transistor parameters - I haven't decided what the sixth parameter should be yet. Max operating temp or Ccbmaybe?

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2016, 05:44:32 am
content: QuoteI was talking about myself.I get worked up over nothing. Apologies.The labels are nice. If you find a way to stick them to test tube caps, I'll be curious to see. I am thinking the caps I have are HDPE.Why SOT-23? Because when you take them out of the tape, most of them end up on their back, and I haven't developed the knack of effortlessly getting them right-side up, again. If you adhere the cut tape to a backing board with double-stick tape, you can pick them straight out of the tape with a pickup tool or tweezers. I think I first saw this in a mikeselectronicstuff video. The first time you need to place more than 10 of the same SOT23 part at a time, you will remember this.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2016, 12:27:58 pm
content: Quote from: KL27x on March 14, 2016, 05:44:32 amThat's the thing though:we all do.Something about the narrow channel. Lost intentions.Quote from: KL27x on March 14, 2016, 05:44:32 amThanks! And another good point. I haven't got the "test tubes" I ordered yet, but we shall see. There's also the challenge of makingroundlabels with a machine that only produces rectangular strips. A jig and a hole-punch could be the solution here. In terms of space though, I don't foresee any problems fitting a useful amount of information on them, and label colour can be used for an extra dimension (package size?). That's why I wanted to show my experiments; although the resolution produced by the labeller is severely limited you can fit a surprising amount of stuff on them, probably helped by the ultra-high contrast. The photos don't really do them justice.Quote from: KL27x on March 14, 2016, 05:44:32 amHehe, yeah, I seem to recall seeing this video. I guess I can store tape strips in my boxes as well, up to 30cm long. Makes me think ofthis German guywho's built his own servo driven pick-n-place machine from scratch -truly impressive stuff!

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2016, 10:17:57 pm
content: Cut tape is a necessary evil for small amounts of project-specific components, of course. The problem is you have to store the cut tape in something you can label. It's a redundant amount of packaging and handling, IMO, for generic, non-directional parts. I have tried sticking labels right on the cut tape and put them all in a box, but this creates a tangle of curly cut tapes of different lengths and does not sort well.Due to the directionality, I leave most all my multi pin IC's on the reel/tube/cut tape, as well as SMD LEDs and diodes. For SOT and LEDs/diodes, I do the tape trick. But for these kinds of parts, I usually am taping just one component tape to a plaque, instead of combining all the parts for a particular PCB. So I have a little board with ~200 SOT 23 signal NFETs on it, another board with PFETs, another board with SOT-23 Schottky diodes, etc. When it runs out, I removed them and replace them... 200 at a time. I minimize handling of cut tape, and it minimizes mistakes, without having to look for an arbitrary label printed on top of an ant that is going to be different on every order of such parts (because I buy w/e is cheapest, and even for the same component, the SOT label often changes between lots). For tubed IC's, I built a tray that holds up to a complete tube of SSOP IC's in 5 slots. SSOP of QFP are my preferred IC package, if I'm going to assemble it myself.Some of my methods are probably overkill for the average hobbyist. Test tubes for jelly bean resistors and caps is, I think, not. I was doing the test tube thing for many years of tinkering/design before I took on any significant assembly.Another trick I learned from doing high volumes is for getting cut tape from reels. Cut the tape only halfway through, to the little hole. Then fold it over on itself to measure out and make the next cut. Then fold it over again at this new spot so you get 2 more measured cuts. Then the next time, you get 4, etc. Then stick your cut tape accordion in a bag or a large test tube for when you need to refill a plaque.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 02:51:01 am
content: Thanks, more great info and useful suggestions. LEDs... yeah keeping them on the tape is probably a very good idea; a while back I bought 50 each of four different SMD LEDs (red, green, yellow and white) in 0603, but I didn't like the tape. It was only afterwards, when I saw them under the scope, that I realised the anode and cathode terminals look identical, and that you have to turn them over to figure out what is what. Won't be making that mistake againThe channeled plastic sheetingsuggested by @Siwastajalooks like a good way to store short lengths of tape. I'm very much a hobbyist and don't go through a lot of components - the 100 of each value passives I'm buying will last me years - so I definitely won't be buying whole reels of anything!

author: Apollyon25_
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2016, 09:19:46 pm
content: Go find a local contract manufacturer (with pick and place equipment), they will usually have pulled SMD parts from reels as they load them, as they need some leader tape length prior to populated tape.They'd probably have their own stock, and could get you a whole range of parts for cheap.I didn't have any 1M 0402's one day, and couldn't wait the 3-4days for Digikey, so rang my CM and said hey can you spare some? I got a bag of ~100pcs the next morning.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2016, 09:47:52 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on March 10, 2016, 06:33:57 pmYes, and in filter design you need those exact capacitances, not a set which has fake specs at 100% certainty, as I showed (the set has impossible values).

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2016, 12:32:52 am
content: Got the clear plastic "test tube"/vial things today and the taller 2ml ones are a perfect fit standing up inside a service case, so it looks like the plan might work. They're larger than I imagined though; I've moved some 0603 SMD LEDs into the smaller 1ml ones, about 20-30 LEDs of each type - they barely cover the bottom of the tubesI reckon the 1ml tubes can hold about 150 0603 parts, so about 300 in the 2ml ones. That may be a good thing though; it's easier to control how many items you "decant" if they have plenty of wiggle room. I haven't tried sticking labels to the tops yet, but they are perfectly flat and smooth - apart from a central gate mark, which is easily removed. I'm sure labels will stick well, I just need to figure out an easy way to makeroundones; my love of neat labellingdoeshave its limits, and cutting hundreds of round labels by hand is... well...no thanks. A picture:Edit:The plastic tray in the background is the smallest size insert for the service cases - 32 of these fit in each one. They happen to be exactly the right length to store the 2ml tubes inside, and nine of those fit in each tray, leaving enough room for a label. If you organise your storage in groups <=9 you could fit up to 288 values per service case, with 100+ pieces of each value - almost 30k individual components - while still allowing you to easily find the part you need. I still prefer standing them up though.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2016, 08:28:36 am
content: Those labels are beautiful.Quick, buy a lot more of those components, so you don't have to make new labels when they are out of production, lol.QuoteAny smaller and you might as well shrink wrap the parts and toss them in a black hole, lol. Those containers look plenty small enough.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2016, 04:19:30 pm
content: Quote from: KL27x on March 17, 2016, 08:28:36 amThank you!Quote from: KL27x on March 17, 2016, 08:28:36 amThat's the thing though; once I've designed a template it's super easy to generate new labels for other components of the same type. I just have to enter the right parameters in the database - for LEDs it's model name, maximum voltage & current, nominal voltage & current, wavelength, brightness and angle - and hit print. Takes less than a minute, and I can also go back and re-print any label, or sets of labels. In fact, I have considered offering this as a service - that is you'd email me a list of parts you want labels for, e.g. "E24 series 1% resistors in 0603" or a list of transistor models, or any other combination of parts, and what style of labels you want - I just doubt there'd be much of a market for it. Most electronics hobbyists seem to be uninterested in labelling on this level, and the pros have completely different ways of storing parts, typically in manufacturer packaging (e.g SMD reels) which already provide this information along with barcodes etc. But I'm content doing them just for myself; building up a nice collection of parts is almost as much of a hobby as actually using them! Yeah, definitely a bit of an AspieQuote from: KL27x on March 17, 2016, 08:28:36 amHehe, well, it's precisely the "black hole" effect I'm trying to avoid here!

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 17, 2016, 05:38:56 pm
content: Quote from: KL27x on March 13, 2016, 08:37:23 amI just grab one with the tweezers and put it on the board. What's the problem? Sounds like a made-up problem to me, in reality there's no problem here. There's no "digging" involved. Just pick one. It's not harder to pick one from a little enclosure that's about 1/2" deep than from a tray. Seriously.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2016, 07:23:47 pm
content: QuoteThen maybe I have it wrong.1/2" deep by how wide across? The boxes I am seeing look roughly square. I wonder is the bottom square, too? Or are the corners at least rounded?https://www.pricefalls.com/product/wen-tai-blue-component-smt-smd-component-small-part-hobby-storage-snap-box-and-organizer-small-set-of-10/63049644?source=GoogleShopping&medium=cpc&term=PLA-SC&content=88933900831product_type_l1office+%26+school+supplies%26custom0p1025&campaign=5thPostulate&adpos=1o5&creative=74735359591&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CMu37Oa2yMsCFRSUfgodJ_INOwI'm seeing very little of the bottom of the boxes in this pic, at this angle. So that means you can reach in at a 45 degree angle min (imagine a pickup tool, in particular), and only one side of the bottom of the box could be reached at this angle. And you can't even see the entire bottom unless looking directly from above.You need to actually see the components and aim for a specific one, IME, using a pickup tool. Stabbing somewhere in the middle of a pile of 0603 caps doesn't often pick up anything.I should like to see a pic of how you set these boxes up while populating your boards. Maybe I have it all wrong. I'm picturing a huge array of 40-50 boxes. And you then (for a larger project) unsnap them to get the ones you want. Set those up on your bench above the pcb. With the lids all up creating a potential knock-over hazard. And a potential contamination hazard of your entire stock of components. And then you have to pick up each box as you're using it to tilt it so you see what you're picking up. And when you're done you collect your boxes and snap them all back together after figuring out where they go.For a smaller project, I guess you would just leave the array intact. Open and pick out what you need, one component at a time, to transfer to pcb or a temporary holding tray. For small parts count protos, this sounds more reasonable, anyway.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2016, 10:19:58 pm
content: Here are some pics of how I use SMD parts.Test tube rack of passives:http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/DSC_3067_zpsjv3vu137.jpgThis is how I might arrange passive parts while populating a board. In the top left, you can see what I call my "dry funnel" which I use to put components back into the test tubes when I'm done with them, among other things. I've had one of these funnels for as long as I've been using SMD parts. The dish is easy to examine for hair or lint or other contamination before returning parts to the source. The aluminum is easy to label with a permanent marker, and it wipes off with alcohol. Even 0402 are cake to get back into the tube with only a bit of tapping.http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/DSC_3065_zpsuypftgpw.jpg... Or I can stack the pucks and set them aside to continue the project, later. The HDPE base adds weight, stability, and it glides over a bench top. The machined groove allows them to positively stack. The hole allows a place to tap the bottom of the dish with a fingernail for tiny components that might want to cling:http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/DSC_3068_zpse1ohgsie.jpgThe pucks are sort of like the "muffin tin" idea to hold components, except sized for tiny SMD parts. And very importantly, you can pour out the contents of a single dish, lol.For small directional components:http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/DSC_3071_zpsorzdqhtb.jpgFor specific parts I am only prototyping with on a blue moon, I don't mind digging them out, one at a time. I might heat seal them for very compact storage. I will cut open the end, take out the components, then close up the end with my soldering iron. (I also have my IC tray loaded; which I'm actually using right now; the rest is just staged for the photo, lol):http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b103/klee27x/DSC_3066_zpsmhahqxmq.jpgQuoteYou may not have a problem. It doesn't mean other people have the same applications and issues as you. Perhaps these little wentai boxes are ideal for you! I have a problem with them.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2016, 03:21:08 am
content: Quote from: bson on March 17, 2016, 05:38:56 pmQuote from: Lomax on March 11, 2016, 10:55:42 pmQuote from: Lomax on March 12, 2016, 09:19:44 pmThere is no problem here, only different preferences. I still struggle with almost every aspect of SMD soldering; dropping/losing parts, getting parts mixed up, incorrectly identifying parts, incorrectly orienting parts, incorrectly aligning parts, blowing parts out of alignment (or off the board!), or otherwise disturbing them (e.g. on transferring to the oven), bridging legs on ICs, etc, etc. Working under a scope is a must for me, and I find that the "decant and place" workflow helps speed that up. I have no trouble counting 0402 parts with the naked eye, but I do need the scope for placing them in the correct location with the correct orientation. Ultimately, I am satisfied that the storage solution I have decided on will work wellfor me.Quote from: KL27x on March 17, 2016, 10:19:58 pmI like your "pucks", neat idea - especially that they're stackable. I use one of those paint mixing trays for watercolours:

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2016, 09:25:42 pm
content: The main problem with an ice-cube tray, or watercolor tray, or any multi-component tray is what to do with it when you're done. Getting the parts out of it is the pain. OTOH, if you count out the exact number of parts into each compartment, it's redundant. When you then place them from tray to board, you are repeating the same process over again. The main benefit of the pucks is they are individual containers that can be emptied, easily.At one point, I had used a magnetic pickup tool for transferring parts out of such trays. Just a 1/4" magnet on a 1/4 dowel/plunger slipped inside the body of a Bic pen that has a thin piece of FR4 covering the end. There was additionally a plexiglass guard ring towards the end to prevent parts from sliding up the side of the pen. So you dip the thing into the compartment of parts, lift them all out, stick in the end of a test tube, then retract the plunger to release the parts.In the long run it is not wise to repeatedly expose your stock of parts to strong magnetic fields, but this worked really well; I never had a problem with accidentally magnetizing the parts. If you like to use that kind of a tray, you might want to give it a try. Every single SMD component I have ever used can be picked up with a magnet.BTW, an easier way to make the pucks is to just fill the bottom of a coke can with paraffin (or perhaps casting resin?). And then place another (greased) can over it while it sets, to make it stack. Then trim and file the edges of the can. I made some like that and it works fine. But I liked them so much, I went the extra mile with the HDPE.I also use a microscope for most of my SMD soldering. But I find it faster to place them with naked eye. I just plop the parts down with a pickup tool over the fluxed pads. Then under the microscope, the part is right there with the pads to align and hold with tweezers while I tack it. No switching back and forth to get the part then look in the microscope. Just move the pcb to center the next part/pad in the FOV, and it's already there. I have practically given up on pasting/oven. Even with stencil, it just wastes my time. I only do reflow for no-lead parts, and even here I do fine with a hot air station. I'm considering selling my reflow oven; even if my volumes justified a PnP, I don't have the space. And without a PnP, my opinion of pasting/reflow is pretty low. But you might try something similar, by plopping the parts down next to the pasted pads under naked eye. Then transfer to microscope to place them.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2016, 09:29:45 am
content: I just realised others might find it handy to use the component lists I laboriously created on Mouser for SMD resistors, so here they are:Yageo 0805 1% E12 resistorsYageo 0603 1% E12 resistorsYageo 0402 1% E12 resistorsThey've got 100pcs of each value, but you can easily change this.

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2016, 05:27:45 am
content: I just got my august order from mouser of the 100 pcs ea of 0402. Tiny so I will order lomax's 2 other Mouser lists.Amy similar posts for caps coils and actives? I'm experienced in audio and rf, but would like to future proof to play with fpgas. embedded, like arduino shields and the like, sensors data logginh. Oh crystals too.Buying for cost, can always mount SMDs on a through hole project.I mostly never get to an interesting project due to lack of parts on hand.Thanks Lomax.Mouser project list of o4o2 parts came today, had forgotten.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 11:44:32 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on October 15, 2016, 05:27:45 amI haven't done any (yet), but if anyone else has I'd be interested.Quote from: jh15 on October 15, 2016, 05:27:45 amYou're welcome, happy you found the lists useful!