Gikfun DIY SMD SMT Welding Practice Soldering Skill Training Board NE555 CD4017 Water Flowing Led DIY Kit EK1885

I bought this for its intended purpose: Learning how, but more importantly, practicing soldering a variety of SMD components. It was successful 5 minutes into the project as I opened the package and started looking at the miniscule bits and figuring out how to determine where they went on the board. The package included instructions, but they were in Chinese for the most part. That being said, the PCB is marked with identifiers that can be referenced against the parts list and you can figure out what needs to go where. The only part I was confused by was the fact that you are supplied with some extra parts for practice. I recommend using a portable device and Google Lens/Google translate to translate the Chinese instructions. I did get a pretty good laugh out of the translation for the second row of components that were included JUST for practice and were not necessary for actually making the LED circuit work: "The following components are the combat equipment for practice." Overall this is a really good kit for the price, the quality is great and robust, it's not going to be something that falls apart while you're trying to put it together. I'd say this is more intermediate level than beginner though. Understanding how to apply small amounts of solder and control your iron or heat gun is going to be vital for preparing the PCB for populating. If you aren't there yet, watch some youtube videos and practice just putting solder on pads and using flux to make things go smoothly. I would even buy these as gifts for electronics geeks that are curious about getting into electronics as a hobby or just want to put together a kit for fun!

This board kit is extremely beneficial for enhancing your surface mount component soldering skills, but sadly, upon completion and a careful double-checking, the board did not function. I believe it was a resistor issue, as the components in the kit I received where not the same as the others I'v seen on YouTube. The company reached out to me offering a full refund/replacement which I found extremely honorable and greatly appreciated. My personal soldering skills have definitely improved with the use of these kits, this is my second kit. I also find these somewhat relaxing and therapeutic to build, as they require concentration.

I bought this board because I want to teach myself surface-mount soldering and there aren't very many project kits available on-line that are suitable. Most project kits are almost (or entirely) through-hole, which is fine, but doesn't suit my purpose. Searching Amazon, I found a very small number of SMD practice boards, but only one or two let you assemble a board that actually does something - most just have dozens or hundreds of pads for attaching components, but nothing more. This Gikfun board has the best of both worlds. About half of the board consists of pads for practicing on a variety of different kinds of components and the other half forms a "water clock" where a timer and counter circuit make LEDs animate in a pattern that resembles a clock face. Using advice from many YouTube channels on how to hand solder SMD parts, I was able to assemble the functional part of the kit in about four hours. There are additional components for the non-functional part of the board that I have yet to assemble - I'll probably do them at a later time. The kit does not include anything resembling a power supply. Just two pads labeled +/- 5V. I used a 4-AA battery holder that I had lying around to send 6V into those pads, which made the entire clock come to life. Which is important because it demonstrates that I successfully assembled the kit, even though this is far from the best quality soldering job (it is, after all, my first practical SMD project!) My only complaint is that the instructions are minimal. There is one piece of paper. On one side is the schematic of the functional part of the board. On the other is a few paragraphs of Chinese (which I can't read) and a parts list, where the text is Chinese but there's enough non-Chinese text (numbers, part numbers, component ratings, etc.) that I was able to properly match up the supplied components with the parts list, the schematic and the markings on the board. I have sent a copy of this paper to a friend who reads Chinese so he can translate it. After I hear back from him, I plan on sharing that translation on my personal blog and will share a link here, if Amazon allows it.

This is a very good SMD soldering kit. Gives you MANY components of different types, different sizes, and different pitches. It is NOT something that you end up with a useful or fun toy afterwards, so don't expect that. But if you really want to hone your hand soldering of SMD components get this board. And besides soldering practice, it's got some interesting details about SMD on the board. If you want to see a complete build video of this, search YouTube for "C.K. builds a Gikfun surface mount soldering practice kit"

I can deal with the mostly Chinese instructions since there is enough English to figure it out. What I found very frustrating, however, is that NONE of the SMD parts are labeled and even with a magnifying glass I can't read them. On top of that, they claim a lot of the parts are 0805 when most are in fact 0603. To make matters worse, it did not include enough of the 470 ohm resistors, and of course they were 0603 instead of 0805. I'm only partway done but may not be able to finish it. There is no indication on the value of the tiny capacitors, and it's almost impossible to measure the tiny SMD parts with my Fluke 87 meter (with gold tipped probes). I have a bunch of left over 10K resistors and a shortage of 470 ohm ones. Granted, this is only my second SMD soldering project, but I do have a lot of experience with electronics and through-hole. With SMD, labeling the parts is essential. I just had several SMD boards manufactured (still waiting for them to arrive). When I purchased all of my components from Digikey and Mouser, they all arrived in separate bags that were clearly labeled as to what was in them. That allowed me to sort and put them into my appropriate bins, also labeled. Even the surface mount ICs are very difficult to read. I don't know why they do it, but the grey on black ink that only shows up if you have a LOT of light drives me crazy. I keep a flashlight with me to give enough light under a magnifying glass to read them. Again, these should be placed into small bags and labeled.

I ordered a few soldering kits here on Amazon, not realizing that they had SMD components. I once took training for such components a few years ago, but haven't done any SMD soldering since then. I was afraid I'd easily ruin the kits, so I got this to practice. There's no instructions in this kit. It's literally just a practice board. About 1/4 of the board does feature a functioning LED circuit, but the other 3/4 of the board isn't functional. I had my soldering iron set too hot, so the components in this kit would immediately stick to my iron when I applied solder. I lost several resistors this way, so I won't be able to finish the functioning LED circuit this board features on one side. I do wish Gikfun would have included several extra pieces for all the component types, rather than supplying the exact amount of parts needed for the LED circuit, and some extras to solder onto the practice side of the PCB. Be as it may, this kit served it's purpose. I'd rather ruin this practice board rather than the functional kits I bought this to practice for. Again, it would be really nice if Gikfun included extra components of all types in this kit. If you need to practice SMD soldering, or you really enjoy it that much and don't want to source your own parts and fabricate your own PCB's, then this kit will be a good challenge for you. Otherwise, just don't buy this kit, there's no point in doing so. SMD components are microscopically tiny and unless you have some equipment, like fine tweezers, a soldering STATION with adjustable temperature, a microscope or magnifying visor, etc. this kit or any kit with SMD components will be a nightmare to work on.

Taught myself SMD soldering on this bad boy, instructions come in Chinese but you can find guides online and of course can use the product pictures as a guide. Was a serious learning process and I have become 20 times better at soldering working on this lil guy

Gikfun!

If your starting off with electronics you may find this challenging, SMD component’s are normally on a reel for a pick and place machine and this is why you will find none of the cut of strips label up. Resistors are easy look up SMD resistor codes and you will find may calculators to help you. Caps are no so easy but if you look at the BOM you can match quantity’s with value or get you meter out and test one to find value. As I did you may find only one diode but not issue as they all do the same thing. LEDs have a green dot you align with board all in all a good bit of fun to test your skills with. I had one IC with a bent leg that lifted the IC and created an issue soldering but all part of the challenge. Don’t wade in and expect an easy ride have a good soldering Iron good grade of solder 0.5mm nothing bigger, good quality tweezers and paste flux grease RMA223 will help to flow solder or fix issues with poor soldering. Take your time start with resistors then caps, diodes, leds and last chips. Check as you go along solder a resitter check value with a meter same with caps and diode check LEDs so you know they are the correct way round. Open only a small section 1 to 4 component’s from a strip into a tray and take your time or you may loose a component and when it gone there is not second chances. Clean you table before starting and take your time. If you have a SMD heat gun and SMD microscope this will help loads as by eye this is not easy and you will solder the LEDs the wrong way round if you cant see the markings. Have fun I did and don’t forget you can strip other scrap SMD components of other boards and then use this board to practice more replacing them.

Great for learning how to or refreshing surface mount soldering skills if you were once a master. Not sure what the lights are supposed to do once it's done. You do only get enough components for 1 attempt, no spares. However the chips at the side are not used in the circuit so I felt bad putting them on. No sorry, I put them on badly that was it.

Not very big my fault didn't look at the measurements before ordering