Rolf wrote: > > On a (very) slightly different note.... Solder paste, I have not used it > before, so I would like to understand how it works better. > > Looking at digikey part KE1507-ND > > . Kester Solder Paste - NO CLEAN 63/37 35GM at $53Canadian. We use Kester paste with water soluble flux. After soldering, hot water washes the flux off - works very well. But Digikey wants about US$42. Future has it for US$14; search distributors listed on Kesters site. Yes, it needs to be stored cold. We buy 10 tubes at once and store them in the freezer. When one is brought out, we just leave it on the bench. I date the tubes as I open them; they last around 2 months before the paste is too thick to squeeze out. New tube of paste will flow with the slightest thumb pressure on the syringe plunger; dry paste will not flow at all. We also bought a bag of 100 syringe tips from McMaster-Carr - about a nickel each. BTW, wash the flux off before reworking with rosin flux. Otherwise the two different fluxes will mix making a difficult to remove gummy mess. The hot air method works but does tend to blow parts around. The "easy bake" method works well. A toaster-oven is used. We have one with elements above and below. Preheat the oven at 250F for 10 minutes minimum. Put boards in with paste and parts. Heat for 1.5 minutes. Turn off the bottom element and turn on the top (broiler). Between 2 and 3 minutes, the solder will melt. (You watch through the glass door). Turn off. Done. Wash boards. Great for hobby projects or engineering prototypes. Makes you appreciate having a good assembly house for the real stuff. You can do boards with parts on both sides but make sure the board has cooled before picking it up after the second side. I got in a hurry once and shook off half the parts from the bottom because it was still hot. Doh! :( -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist