SMT rework bench in garage?

[Lelandwelds]

Ebay, YouTube, and China make it cheap and easy? Or not?

I have repaired some through hole boards in a "paint by numbers" kind of way. I build my own desktop PCs. (Yes, I still like a desktop for some tasks.) In short, I dabble in a low volume way.

I have two battery powered projects that are just odd enough that ready made components will not quite do. The volumes for custom board mfg are low enough to become interesting.

I can rig up something a bit worse than a class 1000 clean room for cheap. Hot air, board heaters, pre stocked SMT component storage, or just solder pots are cheap on Ebay. Circuit designs like I need are free.

Anyone shoehorn this stuff into a planning stage 30 X 40 along with woodworking, welding, car maintenance, and all the other "guy stuff" we all do? How good is the Chinese ebay stuff? How much will the dirty work need to be kept from the electronics?

I want to avoid something like placing a plating or parkerizing line near a machine shop. Or, a sander in a paint booth.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I assume you are talking about working on electronics that have surface mount technology semiconductors and other components? I'd at least plan for an antistatic surface on the workbench, along with some way of covering it up when not in use. If you're out there working on circuit boards I would assume you're not simultaneously running a table saw, so any dust in the air should have settled before uncovering the electronics bench.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Most of my jobs worth repairing are simple and old. I am interested in learning more about the Arduino and Raspberry type stuff and adding small LEDs and timers to wooden toys.

I want to build basically far more durable solar landscape lighting with extended infrared. The wife buys throwaway yard lights every year or two. I want some some light to cover the glow from see in the dark LEDs for cameras. I am thinking something like directional edge lit glass block in rough cedar with steel square tubing.

The rework and reflow stations I have seen are just in an office/warehouse environment. I googled solder pot stuff being done in Vietnam outside seated above the bare dirt. Can anyone think of conflicts? Is the ebay stuff ****? The youtube reviews suggest quality .

 

[rjwilliams]

I would recommend any old bench but with an ESD safe mat.

 

[Lelandwelds]

I have the lighting and bench stuff nailed down.

I wonder if ebay stuff is up to snuff. $400 to gear up is ok. $2000 for a single project a year is a non starter. Lots of better uses for that amount of coin.

How picky is this stuff? Angle grinder dust gets everywhere. Sawdust is pretty easy to blow or vacuum. What about oilly fingerprints? Plain old dust a problem? I would like to avoid sitting in a plastic booth like sberry paint booth and becoming a Bubble Boy if I can.

 

[engineer2]

It's not too picky. Just keep the sawdust out. We do lots of electronics at work and other than ESD, there aren't any special precautions. Of course, no one is making dust. If a board gets dusty for some reason, it can be sprayed down with contact cleaner.

There should be lots of used equipment on the market as industrial manufacturers finally have been forced to comply with RoHS (lead-free) materials regulations. Some of the stuff shows up on CL, probably more on eBay.

 

[Lelandwelds]

I suspected SMT would fit well. Thanks. The way hand placed components align themselves on the solder pads is so cool I need to get more involved.

I am going to miss this round of surplus equipment. I don't have a building yet. Any experience with the ebay equipment? So much stuff is made in China they should be good at making the tools to build and repair. (They have gotten pretty good at linear motion stuff.)

 

[engineer2]

I never bought any used myself. SMT components are placed by a pick-and-place machine. Hand placement is only for prototyping or repairs.

If I can't firgure something out, I give it to one of the repair techs at work. Often SMT stuff isn't worth the time to diagnose and repair unless it's something simple or you have no choice. Unless you have a microscope and a wiring diagram, it's going to be hard to tell what some of the components actually are.
Luckily many problems are related to power supplies, which are easy to fix. If you have an electronic gadget and a pre-programmed microprocessor is wonky, it's generally not worth fixing.
If you want to design your own new stuff, there are forums for that.

 

[Pathfinders]

Remember your ESD strap must be worn and not new.

 

[PCustoms]

Remember your ESD strap must be worn and not new.

?

I was just at a major PCBA house and the always give out new straps to visitors.

 

[RWorth]

Electronics doesn't take up much space, could you find room in your cellar instead of the garage? I have trouble enough keeping my wood working out of my mechanics, and vise versa, without adding electronics to the mix.

 

[Lelandwelds]

If you want to design your own new stuff, there are forums for that.

I have lurked on those forums and I do not speak the language. They don't seem to speak mine. Their off topic stuff seems to run more to music, video games, and celebrities.

Electronics doesn't take up much space, could you find room in your cellar instead of the garage? I have trouble enough keeping my wood working out of my mechanics, and vise versa, without adding electronics to the mix.

Cellars almost do not exist in Central Texas. Too rocky. I plan to do very little. It will be planned like a vacation. My mechanics can be called routine maintenance if you are feeling generous.