[Elecraft] Few Ideas & a Question

[George, W5YR]

Dennis, there are many ways to deal with the non-90 deg pins on IC bugs, but
I always hold the chip with a thumb and forefinger at each end, lay one edge
down on the bench and roll the chip in the proper direction to bend all the
pins on the "down" side toward the other side. Then repeat the operation
with the other set.

Seems to work pretty well and since no pin is ever touched, they don't get
bent and can't fight back!

73, George W5YR
w5yr@att.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dennis Payton" <n9jxy@earthlink.net>
To: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 11:12 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Few Ideas & a Question


> I just added the KAF2 to my K2 and it's the first I've had the rig opened
up
> in a while. Working on it gave me the idea to share a few thoughts:
>
>
>
> 1.) After building the rig, the construction and parts pages of the manual
> are of little use, and digging through them when I'm trying to access
> something can be a pain in the neck. I went through my manual, bunching
> together the pages I no longer need, and taped them together with a strip
of
> scotch tape top & bottom near the outside of the page. Now I leaf through
> the manual and see only currently useful info, and if I ever do need info
> from the other pages, all I need to do is cut the tape.
>
>
>
> 2.) I don't take the "officially" proper precautions when working with
> static-sensitive components, but believe I create a static-free
environment
> by building on a slightly dampened cloth, laying the parts on it, and
> keeping my forearms on it.
>
>
>
> 3.) When using solder braid to clear holes, I first put a drop of rosin
> between my fingers and rub it into the braid. I believe the rosin helps
even
> the crummiest braid to work pretty well. I also keep rosin flux handy when
> soldering, and any time there's a question of solder flowing into a joint
> properly, I dip my solder into it.
>
>
>
> 4.) To me, a small piece of perfboard, such as 3/4" x 3", is a great help
in
> installing resistors. I use it to measure the spacing of the holes in the
> board, then to bend the resistor leads before installing them.
>
>
>
>  I also have a curious question - one I ask almost every time I build
> something: Why don't they manufacture IC's with the correct spacing
between
> the pins? Since I've been building, I've broken a few pins, and put more
> than a few holes in my fingers bending them. I suspect it has to do with
> them being built to be handled & installed by machines, not people.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Denny Payton    N9JXY
>
> Auburn, IN
>
>
>
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