OT: Soldering SMDs (was Re: [avr-chat] isp-usb)

[Graham Davies]

Erik Christiansen wrote
>  It's those pesky little chicken-food passive components ...

Here's an even quicker way to deal with SMT components (quicker than the
pre-tin one end, flux, etc. method).  Buy a syringe of solder paste from
Stencils Unlimited:
http://www.stencilsunlimited.com/solder_products.php
Squirt a little on one pad of each component.  Place the components (the
paste is tacky enough to keep them still).  Go back to each component and
hold it down with tweezers while you melt the solder paste. Then, solder the
other ends or the remaining pads.

By the way, I have successfully used the method of wiping along all the
leads at once on a 64 pin device with 0.5 mm pitch leads.  I too have a
magnifying lamp.

Of course, you can go the whole hog and use a toaster oven.  I have a
modified toaster oven that I use for small batch assembly with a proper
laser-cut stencil.  But, I still use the syringe method to try out new
circuits.  I now much prefer SMT to through-hole and only go back for the
benefit of my customers.

Graham.