This PiCowbell assembly method uses shorty female socket headers on the PiCowbell to create a standalone sandwich when attached to a Pico with shorty male headers.
This page assumes you have already soldered shorty male headers to your Pico. If you have not, please return to the Pico assembly page and follow the steps there. The page shows how to solder standard male headers to the Pico, but the concept is identical with the shorty headers.
Follow the steps below to solder shorty socket headers to your PiCowbell.
Solder the short male headers to the Pico. See the Pico assembly page for instructions on soldering headers to the Pico.
Place a shorty-header-soldered Pico upside down (headers up) on the table. Press the each of the short female sockets onto one of the rows of short headers attached to the Pico, until both are fully attached.
Ensure the PiCowbell is oriented correctly before beginning assembly. The PiCowbell should be top-down, so that you are looking at the bottom of the Cowbell. The STEMMA QT connector should be on the same end as the Pico USB connector, and the reset button should be on the opposite end with the Pico debug pins.
The PiCowbell pins must match the pinout on the Pico.
Remember, the pins are labeled on the bottom of the Pico. In this case, that works well because they are labeled on both sides of the PiCowbell, allowing for direct comparison before attaching the Cowbell to the stacking header assembly.
Press the PiCowbell onto the pins sticking up from the shorty female headers. You may need to push the shorty header pins in or out a bit to get the PiCowbell attached.
Solder the pins on each end of each female header, so that the opposite four corners of the PiCowbell are soldered on.
Try not to use too much solder on these four pins! The solder can wick into the associated female header socket, onto the inserted male pin, and permanently attach the two boards.
CAREFULLY remove the partially soldered PiCowbell from the Pico, before continuing to solder the rest of the PiCowbell pins.
As stated above, too much solder on the shorty female header pins can wick into the associated header socket, onto the inserted male pin, and permanently attach the two boards.
Solder the rest of the pins onto the PiCowbell. Be sure to keep the shorty female headers square while you solder the rest of the pins.
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