I have never used a hot air soldering tool. Why is it better for SMT parts? I generally melt some solder on the pads, place the part (like an SO28), tack down opposite pins, then press firmly down on each pin one by one with a small soldering tip so that each pin bends slightly as it melts into the solder below. I imagine that its not desirable to bend the pins like that and when I release the iron the pin will bend back slightly thus moving while the solder cools, but in practice it seems to work. Are there long term reliability problems with this technique? --BobG -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Kyrre Aalerud Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 10:54 PM To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [EE]: SMT soldering Much easier to use a simple and cheap pump from a pet-store and the steel-wool. It's easier and almost same price. Here: http://www.discountaquariumdecorations.com/eliteairpumps.html or here: http://www.petco.com/ for cheap pumps under or around 10$ Example from petco: $10.99 Tetratech rated 80 l/hr. That isn't more than 1.3l/min but it becomes a little abowe 22 ml/sec and that is a very nice ammount for such an application. (IMHO) Any of theese will give better presure*flow than any of your 80mm fans. The biggest cost here is the nozzle assembly, not the pump. KreAture ----- Original Message ----- From: "cdb" To: Sent: Friday, January 31, 2003 4:07 AM Subject: Re: [EE]: SMT soldering > How about pre-heating the air that is pumped to the nozzle, perhaps by using a Peltier device then the cooling fan for that would draw the air off the heatsink and down the tubing to the soldering iron. > > Colin > -- > cdb, bodgy1@optusnet.com.au on 31/01/2003 > > I have always been a few Dendrites short of an Axon and believe me it shows. > > Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until they speak! > > -- > http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! > email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body > -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body