Mike wrote:

> Ken, I've heard of using an oven to solder these parts, do you know of =
a
> URL with definitive info?.
>  How do you get the heat up and down in a suitably quick way without
> cooking the device you are trying to solder?.
> tnks, Mike
> --

For hobby use... You can go down the supermarket and get yourself a small
electric oven.  Make sure that it is not a microwave though :-)  The oven
needs to go at least above 180 deg C.  You need a solder paste screen to
apply the solder and something like a steel wall paper scraper that will
bend when you pull the solder over the screen.  The solder paste is
expensive, but you should be able to get a small syringe (20g) which will
last you a long time.  You need to clamp the pcb on a flat table with the
screen positioned over the pads.  For this you can get quick release hand
clamps, but make sure that the clamp also clams the board as well, otherw=
ise
the screen lifts up when it meets the pcb.  At a constant 180-200 degrees
you should be able to just put in the PCB to solder and take it out about=
 10
seconds after the last bit of solder has flowed.  If you are worried abou=
t
baking the parts, the commercial ovens step the temperature up and down
again, but they cost upwards of =A32500 UKP.  There is an interesting art=
icle
at http://www.ustr.net/smt/oven.htm using the same techniques with a regu=
lar
oven.

You can get the stencil from Sparks Laser in the UK
http://www.sparkslaser.co.uk/  =A3100.00 +VAT (Very good & very quick)or =
you
might also like to try http://www.laser-stencil.com/lsde/info.html althou=
gh
I have never tried these people.

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