I soldered 0201 LEDs.

[peteski]

Excellent write-up Craig. Especially knowing what soldering equipment you are using!!  It i like killing a mouse with an elephant gun!    I too wish I could give you more than one up-vote.

[wvgca]

excellent job ..

[MK]

You-have-got-to-be-kidding-me!   

I didn't realize it is that small!  I've done 402 easily.  But 201 is MINISCULE!

Good job!

[peteski]

You-have-got-to-be-kidding-me!   

I didn't realize it is that small!  I've done 402 easily.  But 201 is MINISCULE!

Good job!

0201 is exactly half the size of 0402.

0402 footprint: 0.040" X 0.020"
0201 footprint: 0.020" X 0.010"   

[craigolio1]

0201 is exactly half the size of 0402.

0402 footprint: 0.040" X 0.020"
0201 footprint: 0.020" X 0.010"   

1/4 the size actually as it’s half the height and half the width.

Thanks guys. It was harder than I thought but not impossible. I managed to get 6 done and used 10. Boy did the magnification make the difference. I’ve been doing 0402 with no magnification for years. With these I couldn’t even see the solder pads.

Craig

[tehachapifan]

What would one use LED's this tiny for? I envision maybe step lights or something along those lines.

[craigolio1]

Great work, Craig! Incredible pictures, awesome documentation of the process. I shall get an order off to Ngineering.com for their LED helper tool (and other supplies) forthwith!

Many thanks. I clicked on the up-arrow about a dozen times, but, alas, it only registered the first one.

Thank you and you’re welcome. Ngineering is where I bought the #38 magnet wire. It’s the smallest I’ve found. For 0402 I actually prefer a large size. (I think it’s #34 that I have) as the #38 is so fragile. But for the 0201 the larger magnet wire was too big.

[Steveruger45]

I like it Craig.  BTW are those Canadian dimes smaller than the US ones?

[peteski]

1/4 the size actually as it’s half the height and half the width.

Thanks guys. It was harder than I thought but not impossible. I managed to get 6 done and used 10. Boy did the magnification make the difference. I’ve been doing 0402 with no magnification for years. With these I couldn’t even see the solder pads.

Craig

Yes, 1/4 size when talking about the area, but to me dimensionally it is half the size, or half as large.

I have not used naked eyes for any small modeling tasks for quite some time.  I usually wear my Optivisor with #7 lens plate, but for 0402 and smaller LEDs, I use my stereo-microscope.

[craigolio1]

Yes, 1/4 size when talking about the area, but to me dimensionally it is half the size, or half as large.

I have not used naked eyes for any small modeling tasks for quite some time.  I usually wear my Optivisor with #7 lens plate, but for 0402 and smaller LEDs, I use my stereo-microscope.

I do wish I mad more magnification. A couple of times I put my magnifying glass under the magnifier for a closer look.

[craigolio1]

What would one use LED's this tiny for? I envision maybe step lights or something along those lines.

Step lights are one. The lights over trucks are another. Most of my applications will still use 0402. I don’t know if I have it in me to install step lights and truck lights on my N diesels although it would be amazing, and maybe worth the challenge on one.

My first application, I think, will be the marker lights in this caboose. The wires are small enough that I can hide them in plain site, and the LED is small enough that I can make a scale size construction barrier light and cast the LED into it. I’ve been doing this with 0402 in my ditch lights for years but they are too large for this application.



Mark Forseille photo.

Craig.

[craigolio1]

I like it Craig.  BTW are those Canadian dimes smaller than the US ones?

Only in value Steve!! Physical size is the same.

[peteski]

Those marker lights look just like battery operated flashing lights used on barricades in highway construction zones. At least I used to see them used that way in the past.  I think the lens si about 5" in diameter (or 0.031" in N scale), so 0201 LED is perfect.  The yellow plastic box under the lens holds a battery.

[craigolio1]

Those marker lights look just like battery operated flashing lights used on barricades in highway construction zones. At least I used to see them used that way in the past.  I think the lens si about 5" in diameter (or 0.031" in N scale), so 0201 LED is perfect.  The yellow plastic box under the lens holds a battery.

That’s exactly what they are. Hey, so how would feel about designing me a lighting circuit that flashes them with the same frequency, but with one slightly out of synch with the other?

[railnerd]

0201 aka "inhalation hazard"-sized LED.