>How does anyone cut the leads on crystal oscillators? I used some wire
>cutters and after a week the crystal failed.... I've heard before that you
>need to do it a different way to avoid the shockwaves going up the lead and
>cracking the crystal but how does anyone do it?? Is it better to do it
>before soldering it in??
>Ben

Solder them in first, and the board will absorb some of the shock.  The
way I cut the leads is to nick them with the cutters (squeeze lightly
and then go around the wire) and then bend them back and forth until
they break off.   Still, as Dave pointed out, I'm not convinced this
is a big problem with crystals.  I do it because it's easy to do.

Barry

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