Homebrew PCBs

> hi all, i'm new on this list :) i want to jump from through-hole to

> SMD and i see there are a lot new things you have to deal with! 

> 

> is it easier/cheapier to solder with a hot air gun or with a modified

> cheap oven?

 

Hi Eeks, welcome!

For soldering, I've found it's faster to use a toaster oven than a

hot-air-gun or hot-air-soldering station. With an oven you can do several

boards or a whole panel at once. For desoldering, a hot-air-desoldering

station is good.

 

> 

> if you have SSOP and that kind of small ic's you have to use soldermask

> to avoid a big soldermess don't you? well, you only have to buy a cheap

> laminator (20-30€) and get some dry-film soldermask, expose it, cure it

> and voila, doesn't seem to be very complicated

 

Without soldermask is fine. Make sure you use plenty of gel flux when

soldering.

 

> 

> do you buy solderpaste in any electronic component store or do you have

> to buy it online in a US store like digikey? (i'm in europe and the

> problem with soldermask is you have to keep it cool) 

> 

 

It's worth searching for your local supplier of soldering tools &

consumables store to buy solderpaste. The online stores like Digikey,

Farnell (NewarK), and RS can tend to be more expensive than your

local supplier.

In Australia, my supplier is Okay Technologies

http://www.okay.com.au/shop/login.php

 

They deliver the stuff straight to my door, in a little foam

Esky with a cold-pack inside to keep the solderpaste and other

stuff cool.

 

> are there any hints for a SMD-newbie or typical errors you do when

> starting?

 

Check out my site http://www.SuperSolderingSecrets.com <http://www.supersolderingsecrets.com/> 

 

Also some articles at

http://supersolderingsecrets.com/articles.html

 

> 

> regards

 

Kind regards,

Anthony Burch 

 



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