Anyone eat SMD parts thinking they were just crumbs ??? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 10:29:42 am
content: I haven't but I took some SMD LEDs off a board, and then later I was eating crackers and some crumbs off the bed, and it sure would be easy to mix them up.

author: woody
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 10:38:23 am
content: Eating bedcrumbs?!? Always a bad idea. The crunchy bits might be something else altogetherAnd what were you doing taking SMD leds off a board in bed? This all paints strange pictures in my head

author: llkiwi2006
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 10:43:47 am
content: Quote from: woody on March 14, 2018, 10:38:23 amAccidentally pokes bed with soldering iron

author: BillB
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:07:28 pm
content: 1206s? Never!0402s? Hmmm...

author: plazma
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:10:10 pm
content: Last year my work place started to use 01005 passives.... you just get used to smaller sizes. Stereo microscope, soldering iron/hot air just like with larger sizes.

author: BillB
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:17:14 pm
content: Quote from: plazma on March 14, 2018, 12:10:10 pmGood grief. I'm too shaky for that I think, 0201s give me enough trouble. What size tip do you use with 01005s?Regardless, those wouldn't be crumbs at that size, they would just be seasoning.

author: plazma
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:26:18 pm
content: Quote from: BillB on March 14, 2018, 12:17:14 pmJBC T210-A handle and some fine tips. I like to use C120011 and C120001. You can use the tweezer handle tips individually in the regular handle.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:27:35 pm
content: Never taken anything like that into the bedroom. Always stays on (or around) the workbench. After working with SMD, cleaning up afterwards consists of a scan of the debris for anything with 3 or more legs. Whatever is left gets swept up like sand.

author: capt bullshot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:30:19 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on March 14, 2018, 12:27:35 pmIf it had 4 legs, would that be your cat / dog?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:33:16 pm
content: The cat isn't allowed anywhere near my workbench - and it knows it! The dog couldn't get off the ground.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:36:39 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on March 14, 2018, 12:33:16 pmYou mean the cat it there when you are not at home.On topic: don't eat random crumbs!

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:40:28 pm
content: If I'm not at home, the cat would have to get through a locked door.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 12:46:51 pm
content: The strangest thing I've eaten is probably paper. The reasons why is it was late and I was bored.I've never been able to solder SMD stuff, my iron is too cheap, I don't have good flux to use, and most of what I've tried is entirely too small anyways.On the topic of doing stuff in bed, since my computer room is also my bedroom, I've thrown stuff onto my bed, as it's the best, flattest working environment I have besides going outside the room. It was also good for taking apart my iMac G3 which has a CRT permanently attached to it.Now that I think of this, all of the machines I take apart on my bed are usually when I am late and bored...

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 02:51:37 pm
content: I found I had to get a new pair of 0.2mm tweezer tips when I went down to 0201 and 01005 for rework, because there was no longer enough space to get in with my 0.7mm tweezer tips that are just fine down to 0402. The problem with the 0.2mm tips is that even with thermal reliefs it's not great for rework if one end of the target part is on a ground connection.One further problem is that you need to keep your *hand* tweezer tips very clean of flux all the time to stop parts sticking to them. Anecdotally, I may be wrong but I suspect there may be electrostatic stickiness at play here too which is much more noticeable at this level when hand placing.*Edit

author: KhronX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 02:57:15 pm
content: Well, there might be that, plus the surface tension of the molten solder on the tip, coupled with the that-much-smaller weight of the tiny components.Quote from: Howardlong on March 14, 2018, 02:51:37 pm

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 02:59:41 pm
content: Quote from: KhronX on March 14, 2018, 02:57:15 pmSorry, I was referring to hand tweezers, not soldering tweezers for that second bit.

author: jmelson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 03:52:38 pm
content: Quote from: Howardlong on March 14, 2018, 02:51:37 pmMany of these parts have some plating that is at least ferromagnetic, if not actual iron, under the solder plating of the terminal ends. I have to demagnetize my tweezers periodically. Best thing for that is an old Weller-type soldering GUN. Squeeze the trigger, and pass the tweezer inside the loop of the copper tip.Don't release the trigger until the tweezer is a foot away. Works amazingly well.Cheap tweezers get magnetized easily and then even fairly big parts will start sticking to them. Flux will make parts stick, but I've seen parts jump a couple mm toward the tweezers! That's magnetism.Jon

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 04:17:03 pm
content: Quote from: jmelson on March 14, 2018, 03:52:38 pmPossibly, I see this with Idealtek and Lindstrom titanium tweezers as well as the usual stainless steel ones. I used to think it was just that I hadn't cleaned them well enough, but I've also but them in the ultrasonic bath to see if I can shake it off. I'll see if I can have a go at demagnetizing them, I have plenty of Weller stuff here, just not one of the old guns.

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 04:24:48 pm
content: Even some through hole parts like tantalum capacitors actually look kinda tasty. Kinda gives a whole new meaning to jelly bean parts.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 05:07:28 pm
content: Quote from: lordvader88 on March 14, 2018, 10:29:42 amNo, but years ago I was with my mom, while she had lunch in the kitchen, and we had closed the windows and doors to let the parakeet fly around a bit. Mom was eating salad with crumbled soft blue cheese on it. That little piece of blue cheese that my mom picked up off the table and put in her mouth? It wasn’t...

author: RandallMcRee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 12:33:20 am
content: OMG! Reporting this to moderator as off-topic!QuoteHave you told your mom? Can you video tape it, when you do? Just kidding!

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 01:46:32 am
content: Your mom must have either no taste buds, or a steel stomach. (Or are we being spared the reaction?)I've accidentally gotten "blue cheese" in my mouth before, and EEEWWW (even the tinyest bit)! It's up there on the vomit meter (suprisingly I didn't), putridly bitter and sour (uric acid).

author: LoFi
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 09:55:00 am
content: If this has been a problem ( Anyone eat SMD parts thinking they were just crumbs)... then surely the converse must also be a problem:- Anyone soldering crumbs to into circuits thinking they were SMDs?Oh... the horror.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 10:02:36 am
content: So that's why my microcontroller smells of freshly baked bread...

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 10:34:10 am
content: I think I may have inhaled a few over the past few years, but never eaten any, I keep food away from my work station, mainly because while solder fumes don't have much lead, it does build up on your fingers.On the same vein as the OP, I have soldered on the bed, on the carpet while watching TV, On dinner plates (clean, just a convenient heat resistant ceramic), on my own leg (you generally only do this once),Surprisingly printer paper makes a pretty good 1 off hot air gun area, it browns but it doesn't burn, and its pretty easy to spot the speckles if it jumps off the board.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 10:43:00 am
content: eating food on the workbenchpoisoning your selflead free solder can help you live a bit longer, but your own stupidity will kill you in the end.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 12:34:18 pm
content: White dinner plates are a reasonable solution, easy to see smd parts.

author: Gribo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 01:11:05 pm
content: I ate some 0402 LED, now I glow in the dark whenever I eat tacos.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 02:03:51 pm
content: Quote from: jonovid on March 16, 2018, 10:43:00 amThe tiny bits of solder stuck to SMT parts is unlikely to do any harm, because not much of it will be absorbed. You will simply shit it out.

author: pix3l
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2018, 02:26:16 pm
content: Another issue with small parts: company cleaners don't dare to clean our desks because they're afraid to wipe parts away...

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2018, 05:42:01 am
content: Quote from: RandallMcRee on March 16, 2018, 12:33:20 amI hope you are joking.Quote from: RandallMcRee on March 16, 2018, 12:33:20 amTell her what? She was there!Quote from: Cyberdragon on March 16, 2018, 01:46:32 amI spared you the reaction, or rather, I left it up to the imagination for dramatic effect.(For those without the capacity to extrapolate: It was not one of happiness and joy!)