Kung Fu Flash Build

It’s time 😉
The Kung Fu Flash boards I got from the brilliant @JLCPCB need a few more components that were either out of stock or not suitable for their assembly methods.
So I better start sticking the other bits on!
Will it work?
Place your bets!

I’ll start with this transistor in position Q1. It’s a BC817-40. There are 10 in the blister pack. A fairly simple job with the right tools. My preferred method is to clean, quality flux, hold it in place, tack one leg, solder the other 2, then come back and reflow the first.

First pic is the part lined up and flux applied. Pic 2 has 2 legs completed and one needing reflow. Pic 3 is the flux I use for this. It's amazing.

Next, I’ll tackle the tricky one. This ARM STM32 Quad Flat Package 64 has 0.5mm pitch pins. This looks scary, but it’s actually really easy. Again, with the right tools.
Pic 1 is the chip not yet aligned.
Pic 2 is at least one side complete.
Checked with a microscope for bridges.

The micro USB socket sits on this bump on the edge. The ones I bought didn’t quite match the mounting holes, I had to bend the mounting legs out slightly. But there’s plenty of solder on each side holding it. I’m tempted to reinforce it with something later.

Micro sd cards slot.
This was pretty simple. I fixed the connections first and then the mounts. Have to be careful with these so as not to melt the insides. Would be a pain to remove and replace.

8mm tall buttons. Not much to say here. Very simple to install, they only go one way.

And very lastly the pin headers. I put some yellow ones in to give it a nice contrast. Not sure why, they’ll end up inside a cartridge case.
And that’s it finished.
Programming took about 30 seconds once I remembered to put the jumpers on.
But will it work?
Are the chips fake?

Oh yeah!
Happy danced for a short while 😁
If anyone is interested in one of these I have 4 more to build. I'll also be printing cases for them.
I need to go through the bills to see what I spent but I guarantee it will be cheaper than you can buy them anywhere else! 😜

Once again I forgot to credit the original source 😳
https://github.com/KimJorgensen/KungFuFlash
Kim is a genius in my opinion.

Originally tweeted by More Fun Making It (Lee) (@ZZleeZZ) on 8 December 2021.