Re: gEDA-user: Soldering with cheap Stencils at home

[Darrell Harmon <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, Aug 27, 2005 at 01:45:18PM -0400, Bob Paddock wrote:
> 
> Seems I'm starting an 'at home series'. :-)
> 
> On Aug 22, 2004, at 8:55 PM, Charles Lepple:
> 
> >> But "reflow soldering" is much more practical.  I'm gearing up for 
> >> that here right now.  You take "solder paste" (a mix of finely 
> >> powdered solder and flux) and apply it to SMT pads with a syringe.
> 
> >At least one PCB proto house has a deal on solder stencils-- thin 
> >sheets of metal (stainless steel, IIRC) which you place over your 
> >board, and spread the solder paste across with a squeegee. From there, 
> >it's just as Dave described.
> 
> I believe what Charles was referring to is now:
> 
> http://www.smtstencil.com/
> 
> as described here:
> 
> http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/SMD_Printing/SMD_Printing.htm
> 
> Anyone have experience with the cheap stencils or SMT Reflow Skillet, 
> described in those pages?
> 
> 
> Now if I could only find a cheap and easy automated 'drill at home' system 
> like:
> http://freeandeasy.sourceforge.net/
> 
> Might as well round out this At Home stuff with:
> 
> "Low Cost SMD Soldering Guide"
> http://www.avrfreaks.net/index.php?module=dpDocs&func=index&cid=4
> 
> Anyone else have 'At Home' tips or links good for new-comers to SMT?
> 
> I'm not a new comer to it, but trying to get someone else up to speed, as well 
> has getting my own home shop up to date.
> 
> 

I have my surface mount soldering page at http://dlharmon.com/smd.html
I describe my own style of soldering there.  I generally use a large
soldering iron tip, lots of flux and no wick.

I have not used stencils yet, but I may give it a try now due to the low
cost. I have a blank DSPcard that would be a really good test (except for
the $120 worth of parts involved). It has a LQFP176 and a FT256 BGA. I
have previously soldered the BGA in a toaster oven with no paste and
everything else with an iron. I don't see the stencil being too beneficial
for the LQFP (takes about 45 seconds to solder by hand), but the 0402 caps
are not much fun to solder (there are 57).

I tried to order some paste from stencilsunlimited a few months ago, but
gave up because getting $16 worth of paste was going to cost $50 because
they would only ship next day air in the summer. I can wait for winter.

-- 
Darrell Harmon
http://dlharmon.com/dspcard
Credit card size DSP/FPGA board