[sdiy] O sweet, magical flux

[Steve Ridley]

> Now if I can find a practial way to apply it to the places I need it and
not
> all over my hands and pants everything will be wonderful. What is it about
> flux that makes it tame solder so well? Does it do something to the metals
> chemically to make solder adhere and flow  better? It also seemed to help
> the parts heat quicker. Dammit, I wish I had more electronics friends to
> show me this stuff.

A Pace rep gave a demonstration of surface mount desoldering station
at work today.  He had a sort of flux gun that took a syringe of flux and
applied it sparingly as necessary.  I'd forgotten how much difference
separate flux (as opposed to multicore) makes, especially for surface
mount work.

More interestingly, he had a soldering iron with a slightly hollowed tip,
for surface mount soldering.  Just apply a little flux along the pads,
place the IC, load a little solder into the hollow of the tip and draw it
along the legs of the IC.  Everyone who tried got it near enough
right first time (one bridge on a 68 pin IC, easily removed with wick),
and no need for solder paste etc.  Surface mount just got a lot
easier - and cheaper.  Time for some surface mount DIY...



Steve Ridley