Homebrew PCBs

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "electronut" <electronut@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 7:52 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] BGA Soldering: Hot air rework station


> Recently, I started making electronic circuits as a hobby and now
> I want to do more complex stuff like FPGAs.
> For that I need to solder BGAs. I'm considering buying a hot air
> rework station. So far I'm looking at either
>   Aoyue 968 http://www.aoyue.com/en/ArticleShow.asp?ArticleID=359
> or
>   Aoyue 99* http://www.aoyue.com/en/ArticleShow.asp?ArticleID=375
>  The first one has a digital display and a soldering iron while the
> other one has a manipulator.
>  I already have a good quality soldering iron. Do you think the
> manipulator would be more useful ?
>
>  The goal is to be able to build prototypes with BGAs (maybe up to
> 500 pins). I only need to build like two boards a year for myself,
> and I am not concerned about the time it takes, as long as I can be
> reasonably sure that it will work.
>  Or maybe, I should make a temp controlled toaster oven and
> dispense with the rework station already.
>
>  Could someone with more experience share their advices ?

If you are only doing a couple a year it might make sense to get them done 
professionally, it could work out cheaper than buying the equipment.

Leon
--
Leon Heller
Amateur radio call-sign G1HSM
Yaesu FT-817ND and FT-857D transceivers
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
leon355@...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller