Hello everybody,

i am new here and i hope that i can ask it here. With time my hands are too shaky for using a forceps and vision is not great either but i finally have a space for my electronics home workshop. I was wondering if you guys know a hand operated cheap pick and place machine for the hobbyist? Thanks heaps!

richardson

 

Welcome to AAC.

Have a look at THIS: It's still subject to shaky hands and poor vision, but it's not tweezers. The things I've always hated about tweezers is the possibility of damaging a component, and the possibility the tweezer could slip off the part and send it flying somewhere - never to be seen again. I've lost a few resistors and caps that way. Other small components as well.

 

Check youtube. In the past I have seen manual pick and place tools on there, though they were commercial. Maybe by now someone has made a more consumer level one.

 

I use for manual placing SMD components a syringe and modified aquarium pump. It is far easier compared to picking small componts with tweezers. I think i get this idea from this or similar video. But i stick small lenghts tapes with 10-45 components to cardboards with two side adhesive tape, i find this more handy when you need know how many components of same type you must put to PCB.

 

trebla I like the idea of double sided tape. Keeps parts from getting mixed together; and from getting lost. Thanks.