I recently read an article on the Sparkfun website regarding reflow soldering for surface mount components that can be done at home on any form of hot plate (stove top frying pan, skillet, etc...). I have several questions regarding this (that were unanswered in the article, and for which I was unable to find answers on the Internet). * I thought heat damages components. I was consistently cautioned not to overheat components during hand soldering. If the idea is to heat up the solder just enough to melt (and maybe a bit more so as not to form a "cold soldered" joint), then wouldn't reflow soldering do the same damage to components? * One of my DIP chips came with a notice saying that it should be "cooked" at 125 degrees Celsius prior to reflow soldering. I would never reflow solder a DIP chip, but this is interesting. Why do they have such requirements? Is it because of any possibility of trapped moisture in the chip that could rapidly expand in high heat and damage internals? What's the worst case for not obeying this notice? * I've also heard of reflow soldering "profiles". What exactly are these profiles? Is it a requirement that I adhere to them for homebrew reflow soldering projects? * How do I apply solder paste on pads? Do I just squeeze it out of the tube and rub it consistently over the pads so that all of it is connected? Does a very precise amount need to be applied discretely on each individual pad? How is this done? * Where to buy solder paste, are there different types, what brand, what type? Should I use flux? Should I pre-flux the pads or apply flux and then solder paste? * I've also heard that it is wise to calibrate or know where your skillet/stove reaches a certain temperature. What temperature is good for reflow soldering? How do I measure this temperature? * How long should the PCB be on the skillet/frying pan during the reflow soldering process? I know these are a lot of questions, but I am very interested in this cost-effective do-it-yourself technique to solder surface mount and fine pitch components on PCBs with ease. -- solarwind -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist