Hi all
I wanted to use some miniature smd leds that are now on the market to light up some of my Sci-Fi models.These leds are incredibly small, rectangular and near impossible to solder by hand.When I say small they are available in the following sizes;
#1206 3.2 x 1.6 x 1.2 mm
#0805 2.0 x 1.25 x 0.7 mm
#0603 1.6 x 0.8 x .06 mm
I bought a 100 pc assortment of colors (white,yellow,green,blue and red) in the sizes listed above from a seller on Evil-Bae for $15.77 shipping included.I first tested some of them to determine the color in each packet of ten.Then I thought I need some sort of clamp to hold the led while soldering wire leads to them.
So when I was on the elevator on my
way up to my apartment the other day there was a hair pin lying on the
floor and a light bulb went off in my head(led of course> 
)
They are just little spring clamps! so went to the dollar store a
bought a package of them. I came up with this little soldering jig by
doing a little tweaking of the hair pins.First I soldered the pin that
holds the led onto a piece of pc board just to act as a heat
barrier.This was then screwed to a styrene base.The two pins that hold
the lead wire (I just used some .016" bare copper wire)where mounted on
styrene stand offs.To use it the led gets clamped bottom side up in the
base clamp then the lead wires are clamped vertically and adjusted(they
pivot on the screws) so that they fit into the notches in the base of
the led.Then I cut of a very thin slice of rosin core solder with a
scalpel.The solder pieces are then placed with tweezers on the solder
pad of the led and touching the wire.
Then with the homemade fine tip of the soldering iron I just touch the lead wire near the solder to join them together.
Worked on the first try! 
This
was tested using the larger leds (3.2 x1.6 x1.2)but it will still work
with the other smaller sizes of leds I have once I grind the hair pin so
it is a bit narrower.
The led clamp also serves as a heat sink so the led doesn't get to hot.Here's a couple of pics of the set-up.
Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
Microman.
The led
A happily glowing #1206 blue led in the test rig.
Then the jig with the finished first try next to it.
jig with components in place.
