Have you ever wanted to visit Shenzhen, home of the world’s largest electronics market? This year, just prior to the Shenzhen Maker Faire, join us for a soldering workshop and market tour for hardware hackers April 3-5, 2014.

The main event is a two day soldering course at Shenzhen’s cell phone repair school. They’ll teach us how to solder tiny QFN and BGA chips using minimal tools, just like the cell phone repair shops in the market.

We’ll also tour the Huaqiangbei electronics market with a group of pros who source tools and components there on a regular basis. Meet freight shippers who can box your treasures and send them home at amazing prices. If you send us Gerbers and a BOM we’ll make your PCBs and try to locate suppliers of all the components.

Each day starts with a talk relevant to hacking in Shenzhen: how to bargain, what to eat, getting around, how to import/export, and how to find an office/home once you fall in love. Each day ends with a group dinner at very local food place.

Cost is yet to be determined, but a sample budget is:

Workshop cost: ~$250 (repair school, discussion rooms, goodies, PCBs)

Group hotel (Jie’en) 4 nights: ~$60-$100 (total)

Food: ~$25/day

Transportation: ~$10/day

If you’re interested in joining please comment below or hit us up via the contact form. We’ll be in touch with final details in about a week.

Registration is now open.

1 Week prior

Submit PCB gerber files and Bill of Materials

You’ll get 10 copies of the PCB on the first day of the workshop

We’ll make an effort to locate part sources during the market tour so PCBs can be completed before the end of the workshop

2 layers, maximum 100mm x 100mm

Optional- DAY 0 (02/04/2014)

Optional day for early arrivals. See some cool non-electronics stuff that’s easily made in Shenzhen:

Tailors in Louhu Commercial City. Meet Jery and have a suit tailored and ready to pick up in a week for less than $200

Sign makers in Dongmen. Shenzhen’s biggest single source of glowing, blinking, molded, laser cut, and generally cool outdoor signage. A custom sign can be made in a week for $50 and up. Includes a trip to the Dongmen food street and soup dumpling man.

DAY 1 (03/04/2014)

Start with an introduction to Shenzhen and a tour through the Huaqiangbei electronics market. Get to know your fellow workshop hackers.



First day greeting 10am-12am

A light and simple welcome to help you navigate Shenzhen.

Simple language lesson

Neighborhood and food overview

Get a bank account

Quick subway map intro

How Ian bargains

Huaqiangbei sourcers introduction

Hand out PCBs

Hand out Seeed Studio Huaquiangbei map

Hacker Lunch 12am-1pm

A group lunch following the first day introduction. Try Southern Chinese food in a local canteen. Cantonese food is almost never spicy and vegetarian options are available.

Cantonese restaurant on Songling Rd.

Huaqiangbei Tour 1-6pm

Hit the world’s largest electronics market with a group of pros. Find out where to buy tools like soldering irons, hot plates, reflow ovens, even a pick and place machine. Check out the components buildings selling a huge range of parts, connectors, and other electronics supplies. Even see the sketchy cell phone building selling random clone, look-alike, and bizarre custom cell phones. Meet shipping agents who can box up your goodies and send them home for unbelievable prices.

Tools and components buildings

Shipping agencies introduction and overview

Ghetto cell phone buildings

Find parts for PCBs

BBQ 8-12pm

End the first day with a group dinner at the local barbecue place. Vegetarian options, spicy or not.

Songling Rd Barbecue place

Shaizi lesson. Learn an extremely popular dice game played everywhere in China. A great way to make friends with Chinese people – even if you don’t speak a word of Chinese!

After party

Jetlagged and still awake after BBQ? Grab a drink and talk at the local bar street. A short metro ride or 25RMB ($4) taxi ride away.

Drinks and lots of fun @coco park

DAY 2 (04/04/2014)

Part 1 of the advanced soldering workshop at Shenzhen’s cell phone repair school located near Huaqiangbei. Learn more about setting up your own shop and working in China.

Second day greeting 10am-12am

Get down to business. Interested in working from China? Learn how to import and export goods, and how to start a business to secure a work visa.

Import/export talk

China work visa and Hong Kong/China business formation overview

Labour supply for small scale and short term kitting

Soldering workshop 2-5pm

The main event – part 1 of the soldering workshop. Learn how to solder tiny QFN and BGA chips from the pros at Shenzhen’s cell phone repair school. Everything is provided, just bring yourself.

QFN, BGA reballing, mounting, removing and soldering, etc.

All of the equipment and parts are provided, just show up

Hot-pot dinner 7:30pm

Finish the day with a group dinner at the best local hot-pot joint.

Cook your own fresh vegetables and/or meat in metal pot of soup heated by charcoal. Mix your own dipping sauce at the sauce bar. A traditional Chinese style of eating.

DAY 3 (05/04/2014)

More soldering goodness, and learn what it’s like to make the move to Shenzhen from local expat geeks.

Third day greeting 10am-12pm

In love with Shenzhen and ready to move here? Find out what to expect when looking for an apartment and office in Shenzhen. Local expat geeks share their experience living in Shenzhen.

House and office hunting

Living in Shenzhen

Soldering workshop 2-5pm

Part 2 of the soldering workshop continues.

QFN, BGA reballing, mounting, removing and soldering, etc.

All of the equipment and parts are provided, just show up

Hacker BBQ Dinner 7:30pm

Closing hacker BBQ on a local food street. Lots of hackers from around the world will be in town for the Maker Faire, they’re invited too! Bunnie might even play ”Chip Girls” on the guitar while Akiba breakdances on the street. Not to be missed!

Hacker Shaokao at Window of the World with all hackers in Shenzhen. Mingle with Maker Faire participants, hackerspace members, and workshop participants

Latest information will be updated on the wiki page!