Amusing Frustration .. .. .. .. .

[Musicmanager]

Hi Guys

I thought I'd give you all a laugh by outlining the highlight lowlight of my day yesterday .. .. .. .. .

I'm building a circuit based on a Hobbytronics module to convert an Arduino Serial output to a VGA input. The circuit includes a 256k Eeprom chip but a more experienced friend suggested I should use FRAM .. .. more expensive but better on a number of fronts.

I managed to track down the right FRAM chip @ £10 plus from RS Components and placed an order for it along with a few other bits & pieces.

Yesterday morning, Parcelforce arrived here and handed me two cardboard cartons, both emblazoned with the red RS logo. The first carton, about the size of a Mills & Boon novel, contained the bits & pieces, but no FRAM chip, so I presumed that was in the other carton.

However, the second carton was 50cm( 1/2 metre ) long and about 10cm square section .. .. surely not for one SMD FRAM chip?
When opened it revealed an antistatic bag, also 50cm x 10cm, and in the bag was a 50cm length of antistatic IC tube containing, you've guess it, ONE SMD FRAM chip.

On the side of the antistatic bag was a yellow label with WARNING printed large and reading I was told that once opened the chip must be soldered within 108 hours to avoid moisture ingress causing damage. So I decided to implement my intention to solder the chip to an SOIC to DIP converter board that I use for ease of handling.

Out came the solder paste, a converter board and my soldering iron .. .. .. .. I put the board in a little holder I made to keep it still, applied some paste to the contacts, located pin 1 on the chip with contact 1 on the board and using my antistatic tweezers I picked up the chip to place it on the board.

At this point, the doorbell rang which made the dog bark, as she was sitting under my chair I jumped, the tweezers twisted, and the chip became airborne with some velocity, but in which direction - I haven't a clue !

I've turned my entire workshop over a number of times but no sign of the itinerant IC.

Oh well, you can't win them all .. .. .. .. but one would be nice !

MM

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

However, the second carton was 50cm( 1/2 metre ) long and about 10cm square section .. .. surely not for one SMD FRAM chip?
When opened it revealed an antistatic bag, also 50cm x 10cm, and in the bag was a 50cm length of antistatic IC tube containing, you've guess it, ONE SMD FRAM chip.

I order a LOT of bits from RS (funnily enough, none this week so far - might be a record?), and small quantities of tiny chips often come in half metre long lengths of tubing. It's not just RS, it's the same from Farnell as well.

Bad news on losing the chip - never order one!.

Funnily enough I stock FRAM chips, as we use them in one of our products.

 

[atferrari]

10 pounds is a price!!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

10 pounds is a price!!

FRAM's are pretty pricey! - and RS aren't known for been cheap.

 

[alec_t]

the chip became airborne with some velocity, but in which direction - I haven't a clue !

It's amazing how small items manage to hide themselves so completely. You think they should be close to where they drop, but they obviously sprout wings and if you ever do find them they're well concealed at the far end of the workshop.

 

[Ian Rogers]

That really is your own fault for laughing at my egg debarkle...

For those unfamiliar.... I chose to have an egg mayonnaise sandwich... So I place one egg onto boil, realising one of the egg sandwich components were missing, I ran to the Tesco at the end of the street... Not realising how long the egg had boiled I cooled it and started to peel it... Well it wasn't cooked so I lobbed it in the microwave for 15 seconds... Took it out and walked over to the sink to cool it when.... BANG!!!! egg completely covered me and the whole kitchen.. Apparently MM thought this hilarious...

 

[Musicmanager]

Apparently MM thought this hilarious...

Only to be Eggspected !!

 

[Musicmanager]

FRAM's are pretty pricey! - and RS aren't known for been cheap.

So where would you buy from then ?

MM

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

So where would you buy from then ?

Usually RS - work pays, so it's not an issue

However, if you check Farnell, they are often (but not always) a bit cheaper - and if Farnell stock it, then check CPC (a Farnell Company) who are often a LOT cheaper than Farnell themselves (just use the same Farnell order code).

FM24W256-G 256kb FRAM

RS - £5.27+vat
Farnell - £6.01+vat
CPC - not stocked.

 

[JimB]

I jumped, the tweezers twisted, and the chip became airborne with some velocity, but in which direction - I haven't a clue !

Clumsy old fool!


However, I have had similar problems, dropping 0.25W wire ended resistors, 6BA/M3.5 screws and nuts and they just disappear.
But the funny thing is, the next time I drop something, I find the object which was lost the time before. What is that all about?

JimB

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

the doorbell rang which made the dog bark, as she was sitting under my chair I jumped, the tweezers twisted, and the chip became airborne with some velocity, but in which direction

The dog ate your homework!
She probably thought you tossed the chip in the air for her to catch.

 

[Pommie]

The dog ate your homework!

So still retrievable then.

Mike.

 

[Musicmanager]

She probably thought you tossed the chip in the air for her to catch.

So still retrievable then

Eww .. that is a possibility I hadn't considered !
And, if it's alright with you, I'll continue to not consider it ! Eww !

Clumsy old fool!

 

[Musicmanager]

However, if you check Farnell, they are often (but not always) a bit cheaper - and if Farnell stock it, then check CPC (a Farnell Company) who are often a LOT cheaper than Farnell themselves (just use the same Farnell order code).

Yes I know CPC quite well, I've used them quite a lot, but .. .. .. .

The big issue I have with all three - RS, Farnell & CPC - and I assume the other big names will be the same, is the delivery charges .. .. .. as a hobbyist putting together an order for £30 minimum free delivery value is often unrealistic. This last order being a classic example .. .. the original order value with the FRAM chip and the other bits & pieces qualified for free delivery, but now I need a replacement chip I have to pay £4.95 for the privilege.

The other issue is that CPC are not always willing to ship a part from Farnell that they do not stock. I've tried that in the past and the Farnell part appears on the delivery note marked 'to follow' .. but it never does.

MM

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Yes I know CPC quite well, I've used them quite a lot, but .. .. .. .

The big issue I have with all three - RS, Farnell & CPC - and I assume the other big names will be the same, is the delivery charges .. .. .. as a hobbyist putting together an order for £30 minimum free delivery value is often unrealistic. This last order being a classic example .. .. the original order value with the FRAM chip and the other bits & pieces qualified for free delivery, but now I need a replacement chip I have to pay £4.95 for the privilege.

Not a problem for me at work, as we have accounts with all three - but use RS massively more than the others. To be fair, small order delivery charges are reasonable enough - on a small order you're going to lose money if you offer free delivery - for that reason I still tend to try and order £30+ in most cases, even though as account holders we qualify for free delivery regardless of order size.

The other issue is that CPC are not always willing to ship a part from Farnell that they do not stock. I've tried that in the past and the Farnell part appears on the delivery note marked 'to follow' .. but it never does.

I wouldn't even think of asking CPC for a part they don't stock, as in my example above I wouldn't even try CPC as they don't list it. But CPC stock some 'interesting' items, and are excellent for low cost leads etc.

 

[JimB]

Clumsy old fool!

Earlier this afternoon I was soldering some SMD components onto a small circuit board, and thought that it would be appropriate to show how I try to avoid tiny components pinging off into the shagpile.

Two kinds of tweezers:

A conventional pair which have to be manually squeezed to hold the component,
and a pair which are spring loaded to the closed position...

Shown here holding an 0603 size resistor.

The gripping action of the tweezers leaves the hand and brain free to concentrate on the positioning and soldering of the component.

Like this:

As a close up view:

But what is it? they all cried...
It is a simple filter network for a phase locked loop that I am experimenting with.

JimB

 

[Musicmanager]

Very Good Advice Jim

Looks somewhat like the pair I was using ?

but what is it, they also cried .. .. . ?

The short & curlies !!

MM aka Clumsy Old Fool .. .

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It doesn't matter what you use, or how good it is, you're still going to drop components occasionally, particularly SM ones.

I dropped a IN4148 (through hole) the other day, it just 'disappeared'

 

[Pommie]

One day I'm going to empty and clean my vacuum cleaner, then vacuum my study. The contents afterwards will be worth a small fortune.

Mike.

 

[Musicmanager]

It doesn't matter what you use, or how good it is, you're still going to drop components occasionally, particularly SM ones.

You're right of course Nigel, but I think you should try thinking of me as an old clock and JimB as the key ! It's one of our favourite pastimes !

One day I'm going to empty and clean my vacuum cleaner, then vacuum my study.

I tried that approach the other day whilst searching for my chip; I did find some bits I didn't know I'd lost but sadly not the chip I really needed !

MM