Hacks, Mods & Circuitry How-Tos
How To: Prepare the BGA site to start soldering
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates site preparation for BGA placement.
How To: Install and solder a 0402 component
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the installation of an 0402 component.
How To: Prep surface mount chip components w/ dry tack method
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the dry tack method for surface mount chip component preparation.
How To: Use StencilQuik for your soldering needs
This is a StencilQuik soldering demonstration video. This breakthrough method allows you to simplify placement/replacement saving 50% or more of time required to rework BGAs or CSPs.
How To: Place a J-leaded component on a PLCC with solder
In this two-part soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the placing of a J-leaded component on a PLCC circuit board using lead-free solder.
How To: Remove solder bridges on gull wing components
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier certified master instructor for Soldering Skills demonstrates removal of solder bridges on gull wing leading components.
How To: Use a multi-plated through hole tweezer removal method
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier certified master instructor for Soldering Skills demonstrates multi-plated through-hole tweezer method, also known as SOIC tweezer method.
How To: Remove plated through hole flat leads on a PCB
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier certified master instructor for Soldering Skills demonstrates removal of plated through-hole flat leads.
How To: Repair plated through hole printed circuit boards
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Bob Wettermann demonstrates the repair of plated through-hole printed circuit boards.
How To: Repair printed circuit board laminate materials
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Bob Wettermann demonstrates how to repair damages that have occurred to the based printed circuit board laminate materials as well as to PCB corners.
How To: Install and solder a 0805 chip compontent
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the installation and soldering of an 0805 chip component using a point-to-point soldering technique.
How To: Solder a SOIC14 gull wing lead component
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the installation & soldering of SOIC14 gull wing lead component using a point-to-point soldering technique.
How To: Lead-free solder a 1206 surface manner resistor
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the installation and soldering of 1206 surface manner resistor.
How To: Use the Christmas tree solder method for lead bending
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier explains how to prepare through-hole components for installation using lead-free solder.
How To: Prep through hole component for solder installation
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the through-hole preparation pliers method with lead-free solder.
How To: Convert a lead solder tip to a lead-free tip
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier explains how to converting a lead solder tip to a tip that will be utilized for lead-free soldering.
How To: Use the multi-lead style to solder an SOIC20 gull wing
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates how to utilize a lead-free solder in the installation and soldering of an SOIC20 gull wing leading component using a multi-lead technique.
How To: Solder a chip component with the point-to-point method
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the installation and soldering of an 0603 chip component using a point-to-point lead-free soldering technique.
How To: Solder an SOT23 component with a point-to-point method
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the installation and soldering of an SOT23 component using a point-to-point lead-free soldering technique.
How To: Use lead-free solder with the point-to-point technique
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates a point-to-point technique on a QFP 100 using a lead-free solder.
How To: Do the lead-free multi-lead soldering technique
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the lead-free multi-lead soldering technique.
How To: Insert a lead-free gold cup wire when soldering
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates how t insert a lead-free gold cup wire.
How To: Solder a lead-free through hole component
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates how to install and solder properly a through hole component into a circuit board.
How To: Prepare to solder gold cups using lead-free solder
In this soldering tip video brought to you by BEST, Inc. Norman Mier demonstrates the preparation of lead-free gold cup soldering.
How To: Build a sonic fabric reader
Sonic fabric is a textile woven from 50% cassette tape and 50% polyester thread. This video illustrates how to build a "reader" that will enable the user to listen to the sound embedded in the fabric. This allows you to play non-traditional music from clothing that's made of cassette tapes.
How To: Etch your own circuitboards
A step-by-step how-to video from grooveshark.com explaining how to make your own circuit board or PCB. It's a simple, but long process for copper etching a printed circuit board, so pay attention and pause when needed.
How To: Make photo etched parts
How to make your own thin metal parts, photo etched parts, SMD stencil.
How To: Make manual pick and place tools for SMD chips
Details steps on how to make your own manual SMD pick and place tools.
How To: Liquid cool your processor with nitrogen
In this project, using a 5GHZ processor, you'll see how to use liquid nitrogen to cool you computer down, giving magnificent speeds to boost your PC's productivity. Liquid cool your processor with nitrogen.
How To: Build a beeping electronic practical joke
Watch as Kipkay from MAKE Magazine shows you how to make something really cool for the office, with parts from RadioShack. One of the original practical jokes is the gravity activated subwoofer simulator, or better known as the Whoopee Cushion. See how to make a high tech prank... the Joke-A-Tron. This electronic prank device will beep and beep to keep your enemies on their toes.
How To: Recharge non-rechargeable alkaline batteries
Can you recharge non-rechargeable alkaline batteries? Yes you can! Gary Cutlack from techdigest.tv risks chemical burns to demonstrate.
How To: Build a small hydrogen HHO generator
Make your very own hydrogen (and oxygen) generator with a 9V battery, copper wire, and baking soda (or salt). Why? Who knows. Make sure to check your connections. For more information on this hack, including detailed, step-by-step instructions on assembling your own HHO generator, watch this how-to video.
How To: Extract an RFID chip from a card & make it wearable
Here's how to remove the RFID chip and antenna from a London Oyster travelcard. You can then put it in anything you want. You need a jar and acetone.
How To: Make a speaker from a balloon, magnet, and wire
Using a balloon, magnet, and wire, you will see how to make a speaker. The sound quality is impressive, and volume can be increased with stronger magnets.
How To: Reverse a cathode-ray picture tube
Reversing the image on a CRT computer monitor can be a great joke to play on your coworker, if you have the time to play a prank like this. If you have a lot of spare time on your hands, and love to see people miserable, then this is perfect for you. This also works with television sets.
How To: Make your own printed circuit boards on a laserjet
In this video, Make Magazine shows you how to make your own printed circuit board (PCB) using a laserjet printer.
How To: Make a printed circuit board
See how to make a PCB from a schematic in this ten minute video.
How To: Repair a printed circuit board trace
Have a damaged trace on a PCB? Then see how to repair it.
How To: Cool your beer fast
Learn to instantly chill your favorite drink... from 80 degrees to 30 in less then 20 seconds. Cool your beer fast.
How To: Recharge non-rechargeable batteries in seconds
This how-to video will show you how to zap charge a non-rechargeable battery with only two wires and a car. Sounds cool, and fun, unless of course you zap yourself. Watch this video circuitry tutorial for more information on this simple, money-saving hack.