Re: gEDA-user: Re: Soldering irons

[Dave McGuire <mcguire@neurotica.com>]

On Sep 26, 2004, at 10:42 AM, Samuel A. Falvo II wrote:
> > FYI: the SMTs were easier to solder than the through-holes.  Once I
> > got them positioned with the tweezers, that it ;-)
> What method did you use to solder them?  Did you place a blob of solder
> on each pin of the 0803, place the part, then reflow the solder?  Or 
> did
> you just place the part, somehow fix it to the board, then solder?
>
> SOICs and QFPs I can just see running a single bead of solder down each
> row of pins (basically a poor man's wave soldering).  It's the small
> stuff that worries me most.
  [answering out of turn, but I'm jumping in because do this type of 
soldering daily]

  The small stuff is actually the easiest.  I do it by putting a blob 
of solder on one of the pads, then pick up the part with tweezers, melt 
the blob, place the component, then solder the other pad.  After you've 
done a few of them, it really only takes a few seconds.

           -Dave

--
Dave McGuire             "...it's a matter of how tightly
Cape Coral, FL             you pull the zip-tie."       -Nadine Miller