It’s 1 AM and I apologize for the perhaps indirect topic subject, but allow me to explain. I’m building a custom enclosure for a MIDI drum machine (this one: http://www.beat707.com/w/). As part of the custom enclosure, I’m also using different buttons. On the actual board, each button has an LED above it, with a 1210 SMT package.
Now, I’m making a custom board for the buttons, which I’ll run wires from that board back to the button through-holes on the original board. But, these buttons have built-in LEDs. As such, I need a good way get from my custom button-with-LED-holding board to each of the original board’s LED’s tiny little SMT pads. So far, the best solution I can come up with is carefully soldering wires to it, and then coating each pair in hot glue to prevent any possible shorting out if they touch. However, this still feels like a hack to me, and that’s what I’m trying to avoid on this project. Is there a better / correct way of doing this?
Use some very fine wire, solid wire wrap wire 30 gauge teflon coated is a good choice. You won’t need hot glue for the insulation, but it might come in handy to act as strain relief for the connection, the only issue is if you break a wire later on, it will be a mess to repair.
Yeah, I was afraid that was what I was going to have to do. I was hoping maybe there was a 2 wire connector that fit that footprint, but I haven’t been able to find one yet. Thanks for the tip though! Here’s hoping the soldering iron doesn’t slip off the pad and into one of the many near-by components
It might be possible to drill a small hole through the existing SMT pads - which would make them into thru-hole pads. Check the other side of the board first, to see if a hole would cut some other trace. If it looks clear, use a very fine drill bit; hopefully about 1/4 the area of the pad. You may have to use a Dremel or a reducing chuck; since most drills won’t grip on a bit that is less than 1/16".
