Thin, sharply pointed conical tips do not work very well, and run too cool. You need a small chisel tip.
And yes, lots of flux is needed, even on new, clean gold pads. Thin solder does not have much flux in it.
And yes, lots of flux is needed, even on new, clean gold pads. Thin solder does not have much flux in it.
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When you are getting older (I am 74) you will find out that chip manufacturers do not focus on elderly people.
Most electronic parts are now used for automated assembly, and hand pcb assembly is rare in industry.
The current SMT reflow processing is the new through-hole wave soldering, and is much superior.
The current SMT reflow processing is the new through-hole wave soldering, and is much superior.
Jewellers' and watch-menders' optical aids are great for SMT, from loupes to desk magnifiers - make sure to get non-magnetic tweezers though, most SMT packages are steel-capped.
I understand that aging does affect the eyes usually. I have astigmatism in both eyes, and a little bit of dioptre, but i manage to hand solder 0603. It's takes bit of practice in the beginning, and it helps to do the soldering when you are well rested. But smd is the way for me in any case. Much smaller pcb's, better handling of parasitics, smaller signal traces etc, and it looks really neat 🙂 95% of my arsenal is composed of smd components.
With a heavy sigh I concur. Watching the rationalisation of component formats since 2020 has been sobering,
All that replied have cheered me up, I will find a stand loupe and try a chisel tip on my iron. I may or may not post an image after some trials. It will take restraint not to visit Ali to see what potential house fire causes are available if I decide my skills are coming up short and I decide to spend on a rework station.
I believe some Chinese PCB suppliers now offer an assembly service, they will assemble the PCB with the components for you, for a fee of course, and they may insist on a minimum quantity.
That is worth looking at.
And in the early days, computer repairmen used heat guns for soldering, and now they have infra red lamps if a BGA needs replacement.
Those may be enough if only assembly is needed.
That is worth looking at.
And in the early days, computer repairmen used heat guns for soldering, and now they have infra red lamps if a BGA needs replacement.
Those may be enough if only assembly is needed.
My assembly house still does hand-stuffing of PTH parts. They looked at buying a machine for it but couldn't find one they liked. I do get the sense that the hand-stuffed boards are all legacy designs produced in extremely low volume for customer in the oil industry willing to pay a premium so they don't have to change the design.
The vast majority of their assembly is SMT, though. They're a relatively small outfit with three SMT lines.
True that. It also seems that 0805 resistors are going away. At least I notice much fewer 0805 in stock relative to 0603, 0402.
+1 I use a pair of titanium tweezers from Techni-Tool. Worth every penny.
Tom
I learned this technique from a rework girl at Rockwell-Collins.
The drag solder method. You just tack the corners down by soldering
a blob on each corner and then flood the side with flux and just drag
your iron across the pins on each side. A little solder wick to clean up
any extra.
This video shows it, but I had the volume off.
The drag solder method. You just tack the corners down by soldering
a blob on each corner and then flood the side with flux and just drag
your iron across the pins on each side. A little solder wick to clean up
any extra.
This video shows it, but I had the volume off.
I bought a dual soldering and hot air rework station a couple of years ago, one like this:
https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Solder...pcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3W1GP4TQNGUVI
I have only used the hot air side a couple of times so far. The difficulty is really in the footprint of the part - SO active devices are really not at all difficult to work with. You will need the right type of flux and solder to make it work well, but with only a little practice you will find it is EASY! For me the PITA parts are those tiny 0603 or smaller SMD parts. I hate em! But as you correctly stated, the options for thru-hole active audio parts is growing smaller, or at least the better or newer active parts are not coming in thru-hole anymore. Thinking op-amps mostly here, not sure about transistors, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Solder...pcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3W1GP4TQNGUVI
I have only used the hot air side a couple of times so far. The difficulty is really in the footprint of the part - SO active devices are really not at all difficult to work with. You will need the right type of flux and solder to make it work well, but with only a little practice you will find it is EASY! For me the PITA parts are those tiny 0603 or smaller SMD parts. I hate em! But as you correctly stated, the options for thru-hole active audio parts is growing smaller, or at least the better or newer active parts are not coming in thru-hole anymore. Thinking op-amps mostly here, not sure about transistors, etc.
Reverse tweezers are real handy.
https://www.amazon.com/iFixit-Tipped-Reverse-Tweezers-Electronics/dp/B09SS5Y8DP
https://www.amazon.com/iFixit-Tipped-Reverse-Tweezers-Electronics/dp/B09SS5Y8DP
You tweezer folk, Lindstrom and Erem are the tweezer of choice. As threatened further up I will buy some cheap 8 pin SOIC and try my hand, if that does not look good I will move onto some of the bakery techniques mentioned, all of which are interesting to say the least. I am glad I posed the question here, It has given much food for thought.
A salutary experience reading the replies. I have my work cut out, I feel for people who would draw a line at mounting SMD, by hand it seems unfriendly to those with an indelicate hand. The world turns, I am certain that if I was CEO of a semiconductor company I would not be pandering to a miniscule market such as I occupy, adapt or give up is the message.
Just today I implemented a screwball approach for resolving this dilemma:
Release version 1 of a project, including PCB manufacturing Gerber files, using only thru hole components. (Link to PO89ZB). Version 1 offers very good performance.
Later, release version 2 of the same project, also including Gerbers, which uses mostly SMD components. (Link to AmyAlice). Thanks to newer, modern, greatly improved components available only in SMD, Version 2 offers much much better performance than Version 1.
Want best performance? Build the SMD board. Refuse to touch SMD? Build the lower performance, all thru hole board. Your choice.
Will I do this on every project I undertake in the future? Of course not; why do double the work just to mollify a few crotchety old Luddites?
It's just a lucky accident that in this one particular case, the zippy SMD parts were unknown (to me at least) when the THT board was first designed.
Release version 1 of a project, including PCB manufacturing Gerber files, using only thru hole components. (Link to PO89ZB). Version 1 offers very good performance.
Later, release version 2 of the same project, also including Gerbers, which uses mostly SMD components. (Link to AmyAlice). Thanks to newer, modern, greatly improved components available only in SMD, Version 2 offers much much better performance than Version 1.
Want best performance? Build the SMD board. Refuse to touch SMD? Build the lower performance, all thru hole board. Your choice.
Will I do this on every project I undertake in the future? Of course not; why do double the work just to mollify a few crotchety old Luddites?
It's just a lucky accident that in this one particular case, the zippy SMD parts were unknown (to me at least) when the THT board was first designed.
That is no longer a choice for people wanting to implement IC designs by Burr Brown and other manufacturers, SOIC or funny can only. Passives and most transistors used by people who wish to build designs of the 1970's 80's are freely available for now at least, which makes life easy for a person equipped with a quality soldering iron, forming tools and trusty Lindstrom cutters*
The economy, reliability and short traces of SMD makes sense for all concerned in the commercial world or very keen enthusiasts but it makes for a higher initial expenditure and additional skills for those with just a table for a workbench. It has nought to do with being a Luddite and everything to do with expenditure, ageing eyesight and dexterity, for me at least.
* Other marques of nice cutters are available through your local retailer.