SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-28T11:48:46-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsTycho Vhargon on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsTycho Vhargonurn:uuid:fc18e83e-de1b-f32c-059e-3158ffb1e5df2010-02-16T15:25:13-07:00<p>What is solder paste? From what I read in the tutorial, it's paste form until you put it through the reflow oven, then it's solid (like normal solder).</p>
imMute on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsimMuteurn:uuid:4e81add1-3f1a-589e-f54d-8c1a9a6b0a012010-02-16T11:24:52-07:00<p>The assembly house I worked in last summer had a machine that would stencil on solder paste, then send the board down the line to the PnP then to the reflow oven. This was done using two separate machines (the solder stenciler and the PnP), I'd think having the two in one would be unnecessary, although for low volume situations like SparkFun, it's probably worth looking into.<br>
( I say low volume because the place I worked at took a stack of PCBs, laid down solder, placed a couple hundred components, reflowed, optically verified key components, and did this 400 times in a 3 hour period. All automated too :) )</p>
MountainMateo on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsMountainMateourn:uuid:9ee98b4e-4173-0473-07a0-0fd4d6753e5c2010-02-16T09:25:45-07:00<p>Our PNP machines can only place components onto the PCBs. We have some incredibly talented folks that first stencil the boards with lead-free solder paste. Then the PNP works its magic. And, finally, the boards are sent through a forced convection reflow oven. There are PNP machines out there that also dispense solder paste onto the PCBs before populating with components but we don't yet have any experience with this feature.</p>
Tycho Vhargon on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsTycho Vhargonurn:uuid:7fb4ea1e-df45-a762-5a01-cfdba204112f2010-02-15T21:30:19-07:00<p>I have a question about the PnP machines, do they solder the parts too?</p>
St.Eligius on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsSt.Eligiusurn:uuid:77c707f5-bc16-6989-0940-5d2331e600842010-02-13T12:51:30-07:00<p>That's what happens on the new swag posts. A bunch of people see the new shiny trinkets and make a mad grab for it. Since it's new I doubt SFE is going to mass produce until they see how well it sells (on the breakout boards, components may be another matter).<br>
Hit the backorder button and wait like the rest of us.</p>
Kam on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsKamurn:uuid:588c25e0-503d-646a-0404-9c4559ecc9a42010-02-12T19:47:08-07:00<p>SFE, It saddens me when you show a great <em>new</em> product on the home page and it is back ordered! I would have spent $70 right now (impulse buy), but alas it is not in stock...stop teasing us!</p>
Exonerd on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsExonerdurn:uuid:378d7143-e285-6295-a7ab-ff4bcf6788162010-02-12T15:27:53-07:00<p>That LED watch is one of the coolest electronic watches (of any kind) I have ever seen. While I'm still more drawn to skeletonized mechanical watches (I AM a mechanical engineer, after all) I would love to own something like that. Paul should be VERY proud.<br>
Why do you guys have to go and offer these awesome new kits right now? You're not helping my budget this month, SFE...</p>
smb1985 on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more Productssmb1985urn:uuid:302c05d1-834b-2001-ede6-8ccd69d43cb22010-02-11T22:24:58-07:00<p>I'll second that, I even have an old watch that has stopped functioning</p>
Generic on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsGenericurn:uuid:ee64b0f2-34d1-f545-18ce-eae7045dba822010-02-11T21:59:01-07:00<p>Wow, this is the best collection of new products I've ever seen. I want them all!!</p>
swherdman on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more Productsswherdmanurn:uuid:750b0df9-ab6b-5751-d4cd-2bfd7c7805de2010-02-11T18:41:32-07:00<p>you need to get a LED Pocket watch kit :)</p>
billiam2536 on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more Productsbilliam2536urn:uuid:8c0d2b6d-48d6-a696-5c5a-989e6918f6ad2010-02-11T18:35:47-07:00<p>I wanna see the homemade rail gun!</p>
cjh08052 on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more Productscjh08052urn:uuid:4524d093-0e80-54bd-8e6d-b2978638687c2010-02-11T17:49:21-07:00<p>That's one cool watch!<br>
;-> (cjh)</p>
Nate on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more ProductsNateurn:uuid:19b8168b-dfbc-f24b-037e-aa5c3fb81d522010-02-11T16:41:29-07:00<p>Nice catch! Fixed.</p>
crwper on More Twitter News, a Ton of Cool Projects, and more Productscrwperurn:uuid:5e156662-f9ed-cca2-2d30-87543853a3042010-02-11T16:09:40-07:00<p>I'm pretty sure you meant to say that the RFM12B-S2 is an "inexpensive" option, not an "expensive" one. :-)</p>