Homebrew PCBs

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 13:23:13 -0800, Ted Huntington <thunting@...> 
wrote:

>>
>
> That  looks more labor intensive than this method that works for me:
>
> Put the pcb in the magnifying glass tool and collect a tiny ball of 
> solder on
> the tip of a 15w $5 radio shack soldering iron (basically solder held in 
> the
> 1mm indent of the tip) and touch the smt ic pin+board junction.  Trying 
> to
> put the tiny solder wire on the pin produces way too much melted solder 
> in my
> experience, plus I worry about overheating the IC.
>
> I think I want to add a soldering iron attachment to a home-made USB CNC
> device for precise and automatic soldering.

but what exactly is the advantage over oven/reflow soldering?

I mean the whole industry does it this way, they must have reasons for it.

what i would use a cnc for is application of solder paste.
(and placement of parts ;-) )

i would have this plotter here, any idea how to make a solder paste 
applying jig for it?
it surely can carry a thin hose and a nozzle....

any ideas welcome..

(and also ideas welcome where i can get CHEAP solder paste, is there any 
way to make it
at home (like tin filings and flux or so)??

ST