Learning to solder tiny SMD components with a hotplate - JLCPCB

Published at : 23 Dec 2025

Third time lucky? It's time to give SMD soldering another go with another new toy. This time, it's a hot plate. Well, actually, two hot plates. One tiny one, and one slightly ess tiny one. It wasn't as easy as I expected, but isn't that always the way?

This video is sponsored by #JLCPCB: https://jlcpcb.com/?from=John

The PCB being built in this video is my new camera trigger design. It's based on the intervalometer I built on a breadboard in 2020, although some of the components have been upgraded. The ESP8266 has been upgraded to an ESP32-S3, the DS1307 has been switched out for a more accurate DS3231 and the two 4N25 optocouplers have been swapped out for a single TLP291-4 quad optocoupler IC.

If you didn't see my DIY intervalometer build, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/Q1sggIBAV44

Mentioned in this video:
65W USB-PD Hot Plate - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DnqOjph
400W Hot Plate - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DdWizhD
Topnik TK83 Flux - https://amzn.to/3yugVVd

TS100 Soldering Iron - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DksXWTV
Pinecil Pine64 Soldering Iron - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBou2Wb
AIM 62/36/2 Solder - https://www2.mouser.com/ProductDetail/AIM/13772?qs=M7ZD%2F0QMIQxPWSj3dL3bjA%3D%3D

00:00 Introduction
00:14 65W USB-PD Hotplate
01:00 400W Hotplate
01:33 JLCPCB Sponsor Segment
02:11 Today's board (Intervalometer)
04:16 Populating the board
05:47 Checking LED Polarity
06:53 Capacitors & Resistors
07:47 Melting some solder
08:46 Fixing problems
10:36 Soldering the voltage regulator
11:07 Drag soldering the TLP291-4
12:48 Drag soldering the DS3231 RTC
13:28 Soldering the ESP32-S3
14:33 Soldering the 2.5mm TRS Socket
14:57 Thoughts on hotplates
15:51 I need your help! :)
16:24 The board works - Firing a camera!
17:36 Coming to GitHub soon...
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