Homebrew PCBs

Any recommendations on good websites with SMT assembly for 
homebrews? Issues like soldering irons vs reflow, component sizes 
and handling.

tnx
jtm

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mdgolfbum" <jim@j...> wrote:
> Any recommendations on good websites with SMT assembly for 
> homebrews? Issues like soldering irons vs reflow, component sizes 
> and handling.
> 
> tnx
> jtm



Use this link for a good one. 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs

They seem to be a group of very knowledgeable and friendly people and 
pretty much anything related to making and using PCB's is considered 
on topic.

Just ask the questions you are interested in or advice on those 
things.


Dave

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Mucha" <dave_mucha@y...>
wrote:
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mdgolfbum" <jim@j...> wrote:
> > Any recommendations on good websites with SMT assembly for 
> > homebrews? Issues like soldering irons vs reflow, component sizes 
> > and handling.
> > 
> > tnx
> > jtm
> 
> 
> 
> Use this link for a good one. 
> 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
> 
> They seem to be a group of very knowledgeable and friendly people and 
> pretty much anything related to making and using PCB's is considered 
> on topic.
> 
> Just ask the questions you are interested in or advice on those 
> things.
> 

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!

Steve

In a message dated 3/27/2004 4:59:36 PM Central Standard Time, 
alienrelics@... writes:
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!
Now, Steve!  Be nice!


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

babada beem! 

ok, that was fun.

since most of the discussion here centers around lithography and 
etching it wasn't obvious that smt for newbies was on topic.

so is there a preference for paste vs solder?

do most folks use irons or reflow?

i did find some pages by following the links section that were 
useful.

jtm

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "mdgolfbum" <jim@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2004 10:02 PM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: SMT info?


> babada beem!
>
> ok, that was fun.
>
> since most of the discussion here centers around lithography and
> etching it wasn't obvious that smt for newbies was on topic.
>
> so is there a preference for paste vs solder?
>
> do most folks use irons or reflow?

I use a Metcal system with a 'mini hoof' tip for drag soldering fine-pitch
device leads. Metcal equipment is expensive if bought new, but second-hand
units often come up on eBay and can be bought for about the same price as
new Weller soldering stations. It's much better, of course.

Leon

I think it boils down to what you are doing.  I've never used reflow 
but plan to some day. There is something attractive about "baking up 
a board". :) 

I've had no problem with using an iron but have only done soics, 
1206s and sot23s.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mdgolfbum" <jim@j...> wrote:

> babada beem! 
> 
> ok, that was fun.
> 
> since most of the discussion here centers around lithography and 
> etching it wasn't obvious that smt for newbies was on topic.
> 
> so is there a preference for paste vs solder?
> 
> do most folks use irons or reflow?
> 
> i did find some pages by following the links section that were 
> useful.
> 
> jtm

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> so is there a preference for paste vs solder?
> do most folks use irons or reflow?

I think its a horses for coarses kind of thing.  You can get a lot of 
milage out of a good soldering iron and good technique.  Some things 
are easiest with paste/reflow though.  Ceramic smt caps spring to 
mind.  It's pretty easy to damage these with thermal shock.  A hot 
soldering iron can create hairline cracks on these and they can fail 
fairly quickly.  I use paste/reflow for these.  I still use an iron 
for most everything else.  It's pretty easy to drag solder tight 
pitch smts if you've got a good iron and lots of flux.

I've done 0603's .5mm pitch TQFP's, various leadless packages and even the tiny 1mmx0.6mm SSSMini2P that Panasonic makes diodes in.  Surface mount is not hard for someone who is competent at soldering although high pin count fine pitch chips can sometimes be a little tricky to get properly aligned  A radio shack iron probably won't cut it but a $60 iron works just fine.  The only thing I don't think you can solder with a soldering iron is BGA

Paul Davis

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 23:23:35 +0000, Phil wrote:
> I think it boils down to what you are doing.  I've never used
> reflow but plan to some day. There is something attractive about
> "baking up a board". :)
>
> I've had no problem with using an iron but have only done soics,
> 1206s and sot23s.
>
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "mdgolfbum" <jim@j...> wrote:
>
>> babada beem!
>>
>>
>> ok, that was fun.
>>
>>
>> since most of the discussion here centers around lithography and
>> etching it wasn't obvious that smt for newbies was on topic.
>>
>> so is there a preference for paste vs solder?
>>
>>
>> do most folks use irons or reflow?
>>
>>
>> i did find some pages by following the links section that were
>> useful.
>>
>> jtm
>
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Bookmarks and
> files: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs Yahoo! Groups
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