[Elecraft] OT: SMT kits?

[Bob - W5BIG]

I've used the "wire around the tip" trick too and it worked for me. Later I got a small tip (0.5mm) for my iron. I think an even
smaller tip might be better.

For fine pitch IC's I found that liquid solder flux makes soldering much much easier. You can get a flux pen from Mouser or Digikey
for $4 or $5.  If necessary, use solderwick to remove bridges between the leads.  This leaves enough solder to still form a joint
between the lead and the pad. When using the liquid flux, I haven't had trouble with bridges, even on 25mil pitch leads.

73/ Bob - W5BIG

============================================

----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Makoski W2LJ" <Makos327 at worldnet.att.net>
To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 5:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: SMT kits?


> A "trick" that I learned was to take a long piece of solid "bell wire"
> or hookup wire (copper) about 6- 8 inches long.  Remove the insulation
> and wrap a coil around your soldering iron tip.  Bring the last bit of
> wire out, parallel to the axix of the soldering iron. Plug the iron, in,
> let the wire heat up, cut the "tip" to the length you want and you have
> a very fine tip for soldering SMD devices.
>
> I wouldn't want to build a kit this way; but if you only have a couple
> devices to solder it works pretty good.
>
> 73 de Larry W2LJ - Vivat Morse! © ®
>
> W2LJ at arrl.net
> http://www.qsl.net/w2lj
>
> ARRL Lifemember  QRP ARCI #4488     NJQRP #47
> FISTS #1469  QRP-L #778   FP #612  QRPp-I #759
> ARS #1528,  AmQRP, CQC #746
>
> K1 #1647  -  K2 #4090  for QRP
> Icom IC-751A for QRO
> Butternut HF9V and G5RV antennas
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> John Payne wrote:
>
> > Who needs an expensive "soldering station" for SMT?  I've built a
> couple of
> > SMT projects with a standard soldering station (using a fine tip)with
> no
> > problem.  If one looks for excuses, one can find them, and never do or
> learn
> > anything new!  There are many cheap and easy tricks for SMT work, if
> one
> > only cares to look a bit!
> >
> > 73 de John N4FLJ
>
>
>
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