Re: gEDA-user: Surface mounted circuits in hobby projects

[Stanislav Brabec <utx@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Dylan Smith wrote:

> Things like SOIC are really easy to do with a soldering iron. 0.5mm gets
> tricky and 0.4mm is about three times as hard as 0.5mm (from both the
> perspective of managing to etch a board with 8/8 rules reliably, and
> solder the chip to it). I've found for discrete components, 0604 is just
> about the right tradeoff of size to hand solderability. (Again, solder
> paste and hot air makes it easier).

If you don't want to invest hundreds dollars to hot air soldering
station. You may consider purchasing of a gas soldering iron.

With the cheapest one (~$15) you will get soldering tip and glow.
Soldering SMD with soldering paste and a glow is an adrenaline
adventure, but it's possible. Glow has about 1300°C, you have to find
the place with a temperature ~300°C.

With a bit more expensive gas soldering iron (~$50), you will get a hot
air tip with platinum catalyzed burning. Flue gas has ~600°C, regulated
soldering irons allow further temperature decrease.

Even it is still a bit risky with comparison with a professional hot air
station, but already acceptable.

You can use polyimide (e. g. kapton) adhesive tape (~$15) as a
temperature protection and also as a good indicator of overheating -
kapton softens above ~350°C and starts to singe above ~400°C.

And finally, you can use a flat-iron from your laundry as a poor-man's
preheating unit.

-- 
Stanislav Brabec
http://www.penguin.cz/~utx



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