[Coco] Surface Mount Soldering

[Rob Rosenbrock]

I never thought this would be possible. I've had a fair amount of practice soldering standard DIPs and leaded components, and even some surface mount Rs and Cs, but I thought SMD chips had to be installed by machine due to the tight spacing.

I'm still certain I'd have a lot of bridges. They make it look so easy!

On Jul 6, 2010, at 12:06 PM, Little John (GIMEchip.com) wrote:


> Uh Oh - I've started a debate :-)

> J/K - I've often wondered how a hobbyist could work with BGA and then I decided this morning to look at youtube. Man there are all kinds of videos on there - some of the techniques by hobbyists such as myself don't look like they could possibly work, and yet they do. I am amazed at the ingenuity of some of these folks.

> -John

> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Marlette" <mmarlette at frontiernet.net>

> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>

> Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2010 10:51 AM

> Subject: Re: [Coco] Surface Mount Soldering

> 

> 

>> james,

>> 

>> How does one manually locate/align(x/y/z/theta,down force) of a BGA on to the pads using a hotplate?

>> 

>> I use our Air-Vac DRS25 unit and I am spoiled with it.

>> 

>> Mark

>> Cloud-9

>> 

>> 

>> ----- Original Message -----

>> From: jdaggett at gate.net

>> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>

>> Sent: Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:57:08 -0000 (UTC)

>> Subject: Re: [Coco] Surface Mount Soldering

>> 

>> The key to using a soldering iron for SMT work is having enough flux on the board and not to

>> much solder.

>> 

>> There are other alternatives to the soldering iron approach.

>> 

>> One is a hot plate. A 4in square hotplate by Thermalake is very good alternative.

>> 

>> Second is the few toaster oven reflow boards out there. The stand alone controllers range in

>> the $60 to $100 and then add what ever your local Walmart or Taget has in a 1500 watt

>> toaster oven.

>> 

>> The lone issue with the toaster oven is that it should have burners on the top and bottom and

>> a circulating fan inside to reduce hot zones. ALso the toaster oven method needs to work at

>> max temperature to melt the newer lead free solders. Also the different preheat times will

>> need adjusting.

>> 

>> I still like the hotplate for small boards. especially with BGA packages.

>> 

>> james

>> 

>> On 6 Jul 2010 at 0:30, Aaron Wolfe wrote:

>> 

>>> On Mon, Jul 5, 2010 at 9:39 PM, Little John (GIMEchip.com)

>>> <sales at gimechip.com> wrote:

>>> > This guy has some amazing videos on SMT soldering - I never get bored > just watching these. Some have sound, some are silent, but they are > beatiful nonetheless :-)

>>> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQXhny3R7lk

>>> > This is the vertical drag technique that my dad uses too.

>>> > -John

>>> > P.S. check out all of this guys videos if you have time. They are > amazing.

>>> > -Lil' J

>>> >

>>> 

>>> That is interesting to watch.  I recently got a ham license and have

>>> been soldering together some very simple circuits to reduce

>>> interference when connecting a radio to an PC to decode digital

>>> modes.. anyway, boy am I bad at soldering!  That guy is like the

>>> maestro of solder.

>>> 

>>> There are a lot of good "how to" videos on youtube for all kinds of

>>> things, if you're in to do-it-yourself, its a great resource.

>>> 

>>> 

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