It actually works quite well. I used a butane solder iron with the hot
air tip (I guess this was intended for heat shrink tubing) for a couple of
years before I got a real hot air soldering station. I used the higher
quality ones sold under the weller or master name. They have different
sized tips, the larger ones seemed to work better.

  This all worked better for part removal then placement, a good fine
tipped iron always worked better for me at placing the parts.

  Be careful  about the temperature, these irons can get quite hot and you
will delaminate the pcb material if you are not careful.  Get some scrap
boards and practice.

  Regards,

carl


At 11:34 PM 4/30/2002, you wrote:
>This is a bit off-topic, but since I'm using a PIC in my circuit, I guess
>it's on-topic :)
>
>I'm thinking about using some SMD components on my next project, but I want
>to use something relatively simple (at home) to assemble a few dozen boards.
>
>I've read on the internet that you can use some solder paste and a toaster
>oven, but I've also read that you can use a hot air solder station (mega
>$$).  I've seen some portable butane soldering irons for $50 that have an
>optional hot air gun tip that supposedly fires out a 1400 degree F stream of
>"air" (or whatever products result from burning butane).  Anyone ever try
>this out?
>
>--Andrew

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