I’m planning on making a really small 7-segment clock. I plan to make it really small by making the switch over to SMD parts. I’m basically using this project as a learning tool for SMD development. I’m nowhere near ready to move full steam ahead with this project. I have so many other projects that I’m juggling right now. I just wanted to put something together to get an idea of what I’m going to need.

Here’s a sneak-peek:


It’s going to be really small. It measures 50mm x 50mm.


I already picked up a display for it so I can start to draft some code. I know it looks yellow, but it actually lights up white.



I know I’m going to need a ton of SMD caps and resistors so I picked up Adafruit’s 0805 SMD book. It’s a lot smaller than I though it would be. I know 0805s are pretty small, but somehow I imagined the book being bigger. Not that I’m complaining. I’m glad that it’s really small. I can tuck it away neatly with all my other parts.



The book comes with an assortment of 3,725 resistor and capacitors.



Wow, those are small! I should be able to solder them with the aid of some tweezers. After seeing these guys up close and personal, I can’t imagine soldering 0603 components. Those things are even smaller. I don’t plan on getting a pick-and-place machine any time soon, so I’ll just have to try my hand at the 0805 stuff and see how it goes.



See this project from start to finish:
Adafruit SMD Book
Mini 7-Segment Clock
Mini 7-Segment Clock, Part II
Mini 7-Segment Clock, Part III
Mini 7-Segment Clock, Part IV