MOTM

I have to agree here.  It's not a question of just soldering skills,
it's a question of deteriorating eyesight.  I might be able to manage
SOICs for now, but will reach some point in the not too distant future
where I couldn't do this without a good microscope.  I already get the
young kids at work to read part numbers off the surface mount devices
for me.  Of course this transparent "white" paint they use these days
for lettering doesn't help.
John Loffink
jloffink@... 
-----Original Message-----
From: paulhaneberg [mailto:phaneber@...] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 10:18 AM
To: motm@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [motm] Re: Opinions on surface mounting
 
I would just as soon not have to solder SMDs myself.  I'm probably 
one of the older farts in this group and my eyesight is not as good 
as it was and I can't quite hold a soldering iron as still as I used 
to be able to either.  I do have one of those nice big magnifier 
lights and a good soldering iron so perhaps I could do it, but I've 
never tried and I really don't want to bugger an expensive chip in 
trying to learn how.  I'd rather pay the extra $30, or have the SMD 
presoldered.  I'll still buy the module if I have to solder the SMD 
myself.  I just would rather not.