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5 Mistakes First-Time Makers Make (And How to Avoid Them)
Common pitfalls we see in first orders — and how to sidestep them before you solder.
A
Ananya Tallanje
Jul 24, 2026
Common pitfalls we see in first orders — and how to sidestep them before you solder.
A part can be electrically perfect and still not fit your board if the footprint doesn't match what you designed for. Always cross-check package type (0603 vs 0805, THT vs SMD) against your PCB layout before ordering.
Running a component right at its rated limit works — until it doesn't. Build in headroom, especially on capacitors and regulators, so normal variance in your circuit doesn't push a part past its spec.
The single most common support question we get. Check the stripe on electrolytic capacitors and the flat edge on LEDs before you solder — desoldering is a lot more work than a five-second check.
It's tempting to over-order variety early on. Start with the values your design actually calls for, then build a stock of commonly-used values (like the E12 resistor series) once you know what you reach for often.
Every listing on PicMyChip links the full datasheet — it's worth the two minutes, especially for anything going into a design you'll build more than once.