[Elecraft] OT: SMT kits?

[Stuart Rohre]

SMT:
Actually, you can use your present soldering station if it is heat
controlled, and just get a smaller conical 750 degree tip for the Weller, or
Ungar lines.  For home use, this works for 1206 components well enough.  The
secret is to not apply heat too long, you are not soldering like you did
with leaded components and trying to melt a whole pad.  You are "tacking"
down the 1206 one end at a time after centering it on a pretinned pad.

A simple 25 watt iron could be used if you got or made a suitable tip of
copper.   A larger wattage iron might work well if you put a diode in series
with hot side of AC line to limit the voltage and thus wattage.

For simple projects, it is NOT necessary to use the hot air gun, or reflow
solder tank.
-Stuart
K5KVH