AVR-Chat

OWEN-A wrote:

{superfluous text removed for brevity]
>  I found that most of the SMD
> components skewed due to misplacement of the solder paste, this dragged them
> between pads and most had to be reworked it seems that the solder paste has
> to be precisely placed on the pads and perhaps components glued down.  The
> board was milled not etched and perhaps solder mask on the board may help
> but I think accurate placement of the solder paste is the most important or
> perhaps tinning of the board with solder and using a liquid flux may work.
>   
   Many hobby outlets (and, I would presume, commercial outlets as well) 
which sell soldering and PCB
suppliues also carry an "Electrless Tin Plating" system which is 
incredibly easy to use.  After etching
and drilling (and routing, if you do that), you simply soak the 
(cleaned) PCBs in the plating solution.
After a very few minutes, a thin layer of real tin has been deposited 
upon the copper, protecting it from
oxidation and corrosion, improving solderability considerably (the tin 
plate wets very nicely) and giving
your PCBs a more "finished" and professional appearance.

tom