Right here’s a intelligent hack. Easy, elegant, and eminently cost-effective: utilizing an SMD capacitor to carry your flash media in place!
It is a hack that may just about be summed up with simply the picture on the high of the web page — a fastidiously positioned SMD capacitor soldered to a routed tab makes for an especially price efficient locking mechanism for the close by SD card slot. There’s simply sufficient flexibility to simply transfer the capacitor when its time to insert or eject your media.
It’s value noting that the capacitor on this instance doesn’t even look like electrically linked to something. However there’s additionally no purpose you couldn’t place one of many capacitors in your current invoice of supplies (BOM). This type of mechanical help might be less expensive than particular objective clips or mounts. Not an enormous deal for low-volume tasks, however when you’re going high-volume that is undoubtedly one thing to remember.
When you’re simply getting began with SMD capacitors then one of many first issues to be taught is the right way to solder them. Additionally, when you’re hoping to salvage them then attempt to search for newer tools which is extra more likely to have SMD parts than through-hole. When you’re planning to make use of your capacitors for… “capacitance” (how quaint), you can begin by studying the fundamentals. And if you wish to know all the pieces you’ll be able to be taught in regards to the historical past of capacitors, too.
Due to [JohnU] for writing in to tell us about this one. Have your individual natty hacks? Tell us on the tipsline!
