[Elecraft] Small capacitor leads>>>>Bend or not bend??

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

The issue with those leads is that with a little too much pressure pulling
on one and you can pull it off! Those caps are actually chip type
capacitors, just like the surface mount types, with leads attached to the
terminals then the whole thing is dipped in epoxy. 

Those types of capacitors are not mechanically strong, since they are
normally mounted right on a PCB. The epoxy provides the mechanical strength
needed to keep from pulling the capacitor apart by handling the leads. If
you form the leads carefully without doing significant damage to the epoxy
coating, you'll be fine. The thing NOT to do is to tug on one lead while
holding the body of the cap or the other lead. When I need to reform the
leads, I start by flattening out the little bend where the lead exits the
epoxy by squeezing it in the flat part of my needle nose pliers, then gently
bending the lead as needed to fit the solder pads. If significant bending is
needed, I hold the lead where it exits the epoxy with the thin tip of my
needle noise pliers then bend the lead with my finger or another pair of
pliers. That way, all the strain is on the lead itself, with no strain
placed on the epoxy body. 

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----

I think this has come up before, but I can't find an answer in the archives.
KSB2 manual, page 6 says: "The leads on small capacitors do not need to be
straightened, but keep their mounted height at about 1/8" (3mm) or less."  I
find that if I don"t straighten them, they stick up about 3/16" or more.  If
I straighten them, I'm afraid it will mess them up.  What to do??

Help would be appreciated
, George, N4YM