Homebrew PCBs

"clayton.gilmore" <clayton.gilmore@...> writes:
> I haven't yet soldered any SMD IC's myself, but this tutorial may be 
> of help:
> 
> http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/present.php?p=SMD-HowTo-1

The one thing those tutorials don't cover is chips with thermal pads,
which is what the OP is trying to solder.  You need a way to get heat
*under* the chip for those.