[time-nuts] I love the smell of tantalum in the morning

Everett B. Fulton efulton at rackspace.com
Mon Nov 7 11:59:53 EST 2016


I also use the double-iron method over hot air for tiny components. I use them 
like tweezers, yet with an improvement in dexterity.

Liberal use of liquid or paste flux, in addition to what might be in the solder 
itself, is very helpful in obtaining good results.  If you have the "SMT 
solder paste" with tiny spheres of solder mixed in with rosin paste, that also 
works well.

Obviously, a hot air machine with assortment of nozzles is the easiest way to 
handle components with a large lead count.  Under "field conditions" I've 
actually used a common heat gun and a watchful eye on the phase change.  Since 
leaving the 2-way radio field a dozen years ago, I only get to work on my own 
gear.  I still like maintaining the ability, although the eyesight is becoming 
an issue.  Time for those glasses I've been avoiding...

First post for me, despite a few years of lurking.  Always one of my favorite 
reads!

On Saturday, November 05, 2016 12:55:55 PM Hal Murray wrote:
> tvb at LeapSecond.com said:
> > Having not done SMT before, how should I do it with minimal risk to the
> > very precious PCB. Or, what equipment should I use this as a good excuse
> > to buy?
> 
> If you can get at it, 2 soldering irons, one on each end, works reasonably
> well.  When both ends are melted, just push the part out of the way.
> Small/light things like 0805 resistors will frequently stick to one of the
> tops by surface tension of the liquid solder.

-- 
Everett B. Fulton, AF5OK
efulton at rackspace.com
DNS/NTP Engineer
(the other time-nuts guy from the Spring Branch TX area)


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