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SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

2011-04-08 by Andrew

I needed to remove some SMD ICs from a board that had a design flaw. My current reflow setup is not quite hot enough to make removing ICs an easy task, and I didn't want to put a lot of heat into the ICs in any case. So I machined a new tip for my soldering iron:

http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_1.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_2.jpg

I sized it just to span across the body of the ICs, so that I could heat all leads simultaneously. It worked like a charm -- hold it in place for a few seconds, give a slight twist, and voila!

Question: have I just reinvented the wheel? Surely something like this is readily and commercially available? I didn't bother to look for anything like this, since I had a machine shop and a solid copper rod on hand that I could turn into the tool in 30 minutes or so -- rather than having to wait days for a catalog order to show up!

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

2011-04-08 by David C. Partridge

Yes, new wheels every day ...  This is nothing new I fear, lots of tips like that for the "professional" makes of iron (Metcal, Pace, etc.). 

D.
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-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Andrew
Sent: 08 April 2011 16:22
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??


Question: have I just reinvented the wheel?

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

2011-04-08 by DJ Delorie

I have a tip like that for 0603's and never use it, because I splurged
on a Talon.  Similar idea, though.

An alternate way to de-solder SMTs: use a $20 hotplate and some coins.
Position the coins where the part is, so it gets more heat than the rest
of the board.

Re: SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

2011-04-09 by AlienRelics

Sure, they've been around for a long time. I had one for removing DIP ICs that had a slot in each side for the pins to slip into, applied from the side opposite the components. You can buy them for all different sizes of SMD components. 

But so what? You needed it, you made it.

Steve Greenfield AE7HD


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Andrew" <a_wake@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> I needed to remove some SMD ICs from a board that had a design flaw. My current reflow setup is not quite hot enough to make removing ICs an easy task, and I didn't want to put a lot of heat into the ICs in any case. So I machined a new tip for my soldering iron:
> 
> http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_1.jpg
> 
> http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_2.jpg
> 
> I sized it just to span across the body of the ICs, so that I could heat all leads simultaneously. It worked like a charm -- hold it in place for a few seconds, give a slight twist, and voila!
> 
> Question: have I just reinvented the wheel? Surely something like this is readily and commercially available? I didn't bother to look for anything like this, since I had a machine shop and a solid copper rod on hand that I could turn into the tool in 30 minutes or so -- rather than having to wait days for a catalog order to show up!
>

Re: SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

2011-04-09 by Andrew

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "AlienRelics" <alienrelics@...> wrote:
>
> But so what? You needed it, you made it.

Exactly the reason I like having a machine shop in the garage. Not to mention the ability to fab a PCB as needed!

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

2011-04-14 by Steve Maroney

I think there is something called a hot air soldering station. :)
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From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Andrew
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 10:22 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

 

  

I needed to remove some SMD ICs from a board that had a design flaw. My
current reflow setup is not quite hot enough to make removing ICs an
easy task, and I didn't want to put a lot of heat into the ICs in any
case. So I machined a new tip for my soldering iron:

http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_1.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_2.jpg

I sized it just to span across the body of the ICs, so that I could heat
all leads simultaneously. It worked like a charm -- hold it in place for
a few seconds, give a slight twist, and voila!

Question: have I just reinvented the wheel? Surely something like this
is readily and commercially available? I didn't bother to look for
anything like this, since I had a machine shop and a solid copper rod on
hand that I could turn into the tool in 30 minutes or so -- rather than
having to wait days for a catalog order to show up!





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??

2011-04-14 by Andrew

Yes, of course. And ... ?

The cheapest hot-air station I've seen is $150 for an import unit. This soldering tip cost me ... $0.00. :)

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Maroney" <steve@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> I think there is something called a hot air soldering station. :)
> 
>  
> 
> From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Andrew
> Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011 10:22 AM
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] SMD soldering tool - reinventing the wheel??
> 
>  
> 
>   
> 
> I needed to remove some SMD ICs from a board that had a design flaw. My
> current reflow setup is not quite hot enough to make removing ICs an
> easy task, and I didn't want to put a lot of heat into the ICs in any
> case. So I machined a new tip for my soldering iron:
> 
> http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_1.jpg
> 
> http://home.earthlink.net/~a_wake/SMD_soldering_iron_2.jpg
> 
> I sized it just to span across the body of the ICs, so that I could heat
> all leads simultaneously. It worked like a charm -- hold it in place for
> a few seconds, give a slight twist, and voila!
> 
> Question: have I just reinvented the wheel? Surely something like this
> is readily and commercially available? I didn't bother to look for
> anything like this, since I had a machine shop and a solid copper rod on
> hand that I could turn into the tool in 30 minutes or so -- rather than
> having to wait days for a catalog order to show up!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

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