There are many guides on making a vacuum pickup tool for SMT assembly on the web. This is mine.
There are at least two DIY guides for building your own inexpensive vacuum pickup that have been written up on Hackaday from back in 2010. Based on those, I built my own for about $15.
If you are willing to drill a couple holes, I think most aquarium pumps will work. I ordered an inexpensive pump ($5.80) from Amazon that I knew was quiet from using it in my aquarium : Tetra 77851 Whisper Air Pump, 10-Gallon.
soft, flexible tubing. I got 20 feet for $5.50. You will only need 3 to 6 feet. This is more flexible than the clear tubing you typically find. Flexibility makes the tool easier to use.
T connector. I had one left over from my aquarium setup. $1.
3cc syringe. I already had one laying around (note it has yellowed due to being ~15 years old). A 5cc would also work. These are so cheap it is hard to buy just one, but you can get 20/$5.
In addition, I used an xacto knife, a pair of diagonal cutters, small Phillips screw driver, two-part epoxy, drill bits: 3/16”, 15/64”, 3/32”.
1) Open the pump and locate the air intake. I used a 3/16” drill bit to widen the hole. Try not to get shavings in the chamber. I shook some bits out when I was done.
2) Cut one arm off the T connector and epoxy the hole closed. Of course, be careful the epoxy doesn’t get far enough inside to gum up the works.
4) I cut a 15/64” hole in the top for the tubing. This is loose enough to allow for final assembly. I hope it is snug enough to not put a lot of stress on the T connector when using the vacuum pickup.
5) Cut the tubing to length. I am starting with 6 feet. If that is too long, I’ll cut it down later. Feed it through the top and connect to the T connector. Then attach the top with a couple screws.
6) Pull the plunger out of the syringe. Pull off the rubber gasket. I used a new, sharp, Xacto knife to cut a hole in the closed end of the gasket. I cut the hole to be roughly even with the thickness of the side wall. Do a neat job with a sharp blade, and it should form a decent seal without glue. I poked the end of the tubing in the hole I made in the gasket, and pushed it into the syringe. This will probably pop loose eventually. If it becomes a problem, I’ll glue it in place.
7) Drill a small hole where your finger will rest, I used a 3/32”. Bend your needle at about 45 degrees for a comfortable angle and attach it to the syringe. You are done!
Cover the hole with your fingertip to grab a part, lift your finger to release.
This project takes less than an hour once you have all the parts and the tools ready to go.
