Answers to: [Elecraft] Use Of Lead bender?

[Leonard, David]

I was asked to post a summary of the answers that I got to my original post
[See [Elecraft] Use Of Lead bender? ] 
Also, see my contribution: [Elecraft] Panavise Knockoff at Home Depot.

I don't know if you've ever seen someone put together a board with the
components "stuffed" incorrectly (i.e. leads spaced a little too long etc.
but it really looks "trashy". Ruins the look and can cause many problems.
Anyway, I haven't built a kit of any kind in several years so I was
wondering what might be new in the way of kit building "tools". 

(Yes I am "ANAL", I'm an engineer! 8-)

Well I got a lot of good answers and so here they are (my thanks to you
all!):

Note:

Reply 6  "quantifies" the process. 

And reply 8 was a good tip to avoid having to bend the IC leads to hold the
IC in place for soldering.
 

Reply 1

Hi Dave, just my two cents, I have been working on my K2 #3232, NB, SSB
board, filter board/clock for the last week.
I have been using either my fingernail or a pair of needle nose pliers to
bend the leads. 
Have not had a problem even with delicate germanium diodes. 
The holes in the board seem to be spaced to fit the components.  
There are only a few components which need to be "coerced" to fit.  
Hope this helps.  
Rich KQ9L

(By the way Rich I have SN 3231.... Dave Leonard 8-)

Reply 2

By far, the only items which need bending are the resistors. 
For almost all of them, I just used my finger to bend it downward close to
its body and they worked perfectly. 
There are a few with a slightly wider spacing so I just used my long nose
pliers for those. 
I found a bending device totally unnecessary.
  
Geoff, K6TFZ

Reply 3

Dave,

I used Kentucky Windage, and bent leads on the edge of whatever PCB that was
in panavise. 
Worked fine for me.  The only ones that gave me fits were two diodes on the
bottom of the RF board.

Gil  K2 #3104

Reply 4

> Does anybody use a lead bender to bend the leads to the "exact" 
> spacing prior to the insertion on the board?
>
> If so, any suggestions as to mfg. & model number?

www.productiondevices.com <www.productiondevices.com> , click on products.
I use the lead former model 801.

73,
Lyle KK7P

Reply 5

Hello Leonard,

I  use a simple small set of pliers with cone-shaped ends. 
A little practice and you will be able to form any lead to any angle. 
I picked it up at a regular hardware store, it's probably Chinese or
Taiwanese, 
cost abt a dollar or so.
73' Leo.

Reply 6

Dave:

    Here's a trick that was taught to me by an electronics tech when I was
building my (first!) K2:  
unless otherwise specified in the kit instructions, the proper lead length
for components installed 
on circuit boards, by design, is equal to the thickness of the PCB itself.  
Therefore, if you bend component leads around the edge of the circuit board
itself, 
the bend radii will work out such the components will drop right into place
exactly.
It worked for me on K2 #2519 and I expect it to work again for my new K2
which just arrived this morning. 
No special tool required!
Good luck with your K2.  
You are in for the experience of a lifetime. Just take your time.

Gary, VE1RGB

Reply 7

Go to www.jameco/com <www.jameco/com>   , type this part number in the
search box : 106884

Rich  K2CPE
K2 #1102

Reply 8

Dave:

Hi...I have built many K-1's and K-2's, I am a listed Elecraft builder...
For inserting IC's I use a 6 inch stainless steel ruler...
It is 1/2 inch wide (some people call this kind of ruler a "scale")...
I insert the legs on one side of the IC into it's holes and gently hold 
it in place with my finger...
Then, with the other hand, I use the END of the ruler and gently press 
ALL of the legs that are not inserted inward, all at the same time, 
until they line up with the holes and the chip will drop into place 
because you have gentle pressure on it with your other finger...
The beauty of this method is that it is quick and once the chip is in place 
but not soldered yet, it will stay in place even if you turn the board
upside 
down because the legs still have "spring" tension...
It only takes seconds to accomplish this and you don't have to buy any
special 
insertion tools...
You could probably even do this with an Ice cream stick if you square up the
end of it...

Jerry McCarthy, wa2dkg

K-2 # 2549

"Let's be careful out there! Because no matter where you go there you Are!"
(Buckaroo Banzai)

73 & BCNU Dave WB9SOG







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