[hpsdr] Weapon of choice?

[Neal Campbell]

Thats fantastic advice, thanks! It sounds like the hot plate/hot air
combo is the least opportunity to screw something up and I will also
take your advice on the practicing on a dead board!

vy 73
Neal k3nc
Neal Campbell
Abroham Neal Software
Programming Services for Windows, OS X and Linux
www.abrohamnealsoftware.com
(540) 242 0911




On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 2:41 PM,  <ke9h at austin.rr.com> wrote:
> Neal:
>
> You have asked a somewhat religious question, so are likely
> to get multiple answers.
>
> What ever you do, do not use your Penelope for the first
> attempt or practice.  Practice on some junk board first,
> like a board out of an old hard drive. Remove and replace
> a few parts first, and get your temperature settings right.
>
>
> If you want to use a hot plate, I suggest you read Cash Olson's
> website for tips and some video.
>
> If your hot air rework station has a hand held hot air head,
> I think Cash and his congregation have had real good results
> using a hotplate to warm the card to just below solder temp,
> then use the hand held hot air gun on the top to push the temp to
> just over solder melt for a very controlled reflow.
>
> http://www.kd5ssj.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=120&Itemid=54
>
> http://transmitter.amateurlogic.tv/video/amlogic15.wmv
>
>
> At work, we use a $29 dollar turbo oven as a reflow
> oven for quantity one boards.  It works real well,
> if you take the time to calibrate the temperature.
> It is not that critical.  I would
> also recommend preheating the oven to temperature
> before you put the board in, since you get some uncontrolled
> and very high localized temperatures while the oven is
> initially heating up.
>
> I have seen some web sites where some have put some
> sophisticated temperature controls and thermocouple
> monitors on the cheap turbo ovens.
>
> It is all about temperature control, and
> getting even temperatures across the area
> of the board you want to solder, even though
> you have multiple parts with different thermal
> masses.
>
> What ever method you chose, do not use your Penelope
> board for the first attempt.  Practice on some scrap
> boards, remove some parts, then resolder them on a
> junk PC board, like out of an old obsolete hard drive,
> or what ever you have in your junk box.
>
> I personally hand solder my SMT boards, using an
> anti-static temperature controlled micro-point
> soldering iron, but would use a turbo-oven
> for a complex board like Penelope.
>
> Search for solder reflow on YouTube.  There are
> dozens of videos, both professional and amateur
> on there.
>
> --- Graham / KE9H
>
> ==
> ---- Neal Campbell <nealk3nc at gmail.com> wrote:
>> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
>>
>> Okay, I have all the parts, stencils, etc. to do the penny build. My
>> question from those with more experience than I (thats everyone) is
>> whether a hotplate approach is better than a hot air rework station
>> approach? I cannot afford a reflow oven so thats out but which is
>> best, especially for someone who has never used a hot plate?
>>
>> Neal Campbell
>> Abroham Neal Software
>> Programming Services for Windows, OS X and Linux
>> www.abrohamnealsoftware.com
>> (540) 242 0911
>> _______________________________________________
>> HPSDR Discussion List
>> To post msg: hpsdr at hpsdr.org
>> Subscription help: http://lists.hpsdr.org/listinfo.cgi/hpsdr-hpsdr.org
>> HPSDR web page: http://hpsdr.org
>> Archives: http://lists.hpsdr.org/pipermail/hpsdr-hpsdr.org/
>
>

 1236626404.0