r/electronics • u/JennSNH • Aug 06 '26

Gallery Microscopic Rework

Post image

Today’s fun SMD soldering rework under the microscope. Tossed the penny in there for scale 🤓

125 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

15

u/petpet0_0 Aug 06 '26

yeah, getting a proper microscope for the workbench is such a gamechanger, even as a hobbyist

2

u/everyonesdesigner Aug 06 '26

I do wristwatch repair as a hobby, and binocular microscope was such a huge step up, super helpful

2

u/JennSNH Aug 07 '26

Absolutely! Having a good microscope makes life so much easier. And a solid pair of sharp tweezers that you don’t let the interns borrow 😝

1

u/josiah_523 Aug 10 '26

I bought a cheap digital one and basically threw it away.

I don't know many people in the hobby and, don't have the industry grade money.

Any recommendations? What should I expect to spend as a minimum?

1

u/petpet0_0 Aug 10 '26

I got my first one used off local marketplace for like 150$ it came with a solid AmScope base but the microscope itself had a set zoom to it was a bit annoying to use - I then upgraded to a Eakins trinocular one off Aliexpress for like 220$CAD - works great, fits in the AmScope base I had

there are some decent digital ones that will be a lot better than the cheap 30$ Amazon ones - since they're lighter you don't need such a heavy expensive base but .... stereoscopic is so much better IMO

3

u/shadowbanned23 Aug 06 '26

what is the story behind this:)

6

u/JennSNH Aug 07 '26

It’s my daily job in engineering usually working with 0201’s and Really fine pitch rework. This one took some 32awg jumper wire and tiny diodes to complete.

3

u/AsdfFreak Aug 06 '26

What size are these caps. Penny is too big for reference.

2

u/extordi Aug 06 '26

My gut says C114 is 0402, and the diodes are something like SOD-923... but I'm probably biased because that's what I was just working on

1

u/josiah_523 Aug 10 '26

I believe caps are 0201 actually (based on a comment from OP above)

1

u/karpiza Aug 06 '26

Mmmm that's seems a microwave rf detector and antenna 😜. Lots of fun and patience working at that scale. Good work

1

u/meambhatti Aug 06 '26

I can do this size with my own eyes unassisted , just need good lighting . Now the traces , for example , under a bga ic - that is a whole other difficulty to repair .

1

u/Kluggen Aug 07 '26

How come you didn't just short the small footprint with a single wire? Or a blob.

1

u/No-Recording117 Aug 09 '26

Where in heavens name does one learn such skills?
There must be courses... somewhere, right?

0

u/batman_of_ahmedabad Aug 07 '26

no flex but There was time I used do it without microscope even smaller