Ultra PicoKeyer
27 January 2017 (Firmware V2.2)
Page 13 of 21
Assembly Instructions
Before You Start
Your Ultra PicoKeyer kit was designed with the beginning kit builder in mind. With just a little care and practice,
even a first time kit builder can complete the project in a relatively short time. You will need to gather a few tools
and supplies together before beginning to assemble your kit. Here’s what you will need:
A clean, level, static-free work area with good lighting. Wooden workbenches are fine. If you are working
on a kitchen table, be sure to spread out some newspaper or something else to keep solder splatters and
sharp wire ends from damaging the table top.
A soldering iron. A small, low-wattage (25-35 watt) pencil type iron is ideal. Avoid larger, pistol-grip
types. You can find inexpensive irons at your local Radio Shack. You will need a small pointed or
“screwdriver” type tip intended for electronics. Be sure to use an iron rest or holder to keep the iron from
damaging your work surface. If you plan to assemble more kits, I recommend investing in a good quality,
temperature controlled soldering station such as the Weller WES or WLC series. You’ll be glad you did!
Follow the iron manufacturer’s instructions for tinning the tip, and keep a damp sponge handy to keep the
tip clean.
Solder suitable for electronics work. Use a good quality, small diameter rosin core solder intended for
electronic assembly. 63/37 tin/lead solder is great for electronics work, but lead-free will work also. DO
NOT use acid core solder!
Small needle-nose pliers and a pair of small diagonal or flush wire cutters. The smaller you have, the better
off you will be. Again, you can find hand tools intended for electronics work at Radio Shack and other
suppliers such as Techni-Tool, Jensen, Mouser and Sears.
A clamp or small vise to hold the work is a good idea. I use a PanaVise, but you can also construct a board
holder out of scrap wood and rubber bands. If you use a regular bench vise, use gentle pressure and
something to cushion the vise jaws.
A pencil to check off each step as you finish it.
Once you have all of your tools and supplies gathered together, you’re ready to get started. Warm up the iron while
you remove the parts from the bag and lay them out on the work surface. We’ll start with the small parts and work
our way through each component, checking them off on the list as we go.
To install a component such as a resistor or capacitor, follow these steps:
1.
Hold or gently clamp the PCB with the component side up. The side with the white printing is called the
“
component side
” or top; the side with no white lettering is called the “
solder side
” and is the bottom.
2.
Bend the component wire leads, if necessary, to fit the spacing of the holes in the PCB. Insert the leads
through the holes in the PCB. From the bottom side of the PCB, bend the leads out at about a 45-degree
angle to hold the part in place.
3.
Working from the bottom of the PCB, solder the leads in place. Remember to place the tip of the iron at
the point where the lead comes through the PCB hole, so you heat the wire and the hole at the same time.
Wait a couple of seconds for the lead to heat up, then touch the solder to the lead and pad, NOT the
soldering iron tip. The solder should flow into the joint. Remove the solder and iron and don’t move the
PCB for a couple of seconds until the solder has cooled. If you’re using tin/lead solder the joint should
look smooth and shiny. If it looks dull or rough, touch the tip of the iron to the joint to re-melt the solder.
If there is a blob of solder, use some solder wick or a solder sucker to clean it up; re-solder the joint if
needed. Lead-free solder joints won’t look shiny, but should be smooth and free of cracks.
Be careful not to leave the iron on the joint too long, and don’t use too much solder. Electronic
