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[quote="vputz"] Evidently they triggered import and customs charges... equal to the amount I paid for the boards. AND equal to the amount I paid for "rush shipping".[/quote] Ouch. Too bad they didn't mark them as "gift". That usually works to avoid customs/import charges. Got my SMD guinea pig versi...

[quote="kenyee"] I ordered the FCI microusb part (it was only $1) w/ an order of parts for my project so I can get a better look at it to see how solderable it is. It's probably the best of the surface mount ones I've seen so far. Everything else seems stupidly buried under the shield/case :evil:[/q...

[quote="vputz"]It's interesting, because web searching has shown a lot of forum threads about how solder-mask on fine pitches is LESS useful and a lot of people don't seem to recommend it! Not what I expected. More research to be done...[/quote] Not from a quick dig. Apparently, the sparkfun QFN par...

[quote="vputz"] The design rules I have are probably overly conservative since I set them to be very safe based on my mill. ... there is a "straddle" version that goes on both sides of the board, but would require a little more intervention (no hot plate!) so I'm not sold yet.[/quote] FWIW, I've use...

[quote="vputz"] Kenyee: Actually as it turns out the footprint I used didn't have solder mask, so I can't blame the PCB folks. But this was the footprint adapted from Adafruit's 32u4 breakout board, so I'm going to ask if they really don't have solder mask on their 32u4 chips. [/quote] ? AFAIK, foot...

[quote="vputz"]Irritatingly, the pitch between the pins on the QFP package was fine enough there wasn't any solder mask there! [/quote] Eek. Can you find a place that does have enough accuracy to add a solder mask between the QFP package's pins? You're still going to get bridges even w/ a stencil IM...

[quote="vputz"]you've forced me into an existentialist crisis on the subject of proper use of space and I'm going to try shrinking the SMD board considerably after admitting the case should be different[/quote] lol. I do that too...OCD engineering optimizations :lol: Doesn't sound that much smaller ...

[quote="vputz"]cancelling my credit cards after a police call saying they'd apprehended someone with my information (nothing abnormal on my accounts thank goodness, but bleah, not something I wanted to deal with)[/quote] Make sure to check your credit records in a month or so...a friend had his iden...

[quote="vputz"]tradeoff is more complex inventory because now I have to have tops and bottoms, and then maybe two different tops because the PTH version may want a cutout for the large USB-B connector too ... The second is that this is still on prototype boards without solder mask ... As for the 10u...

[quote="vputz"if I cut a hole in the top for the DB9 and made a programming jig to eliminate the 6-pin programming header ... As far as the SMD boards... man, unless solder mask on the production boards makes a HUGE difference, I am going to have to charge a decent amount for assembly. I'm terrible ...

[quote="vputz"]Yes I am--I have two prototype boards and enough parts to test them. They aren't part of the original order, but if the prototypes work well, I'm going to make a larger batch order of both. I'll test those probably later this week, maybe this weekend.[/quote] Nice. I'll plan to guinea...