anyone here with smd soldering experience ?

[A5]

solder mask

three things you need: small tip, small solder, big flux

That's it. Thanks - I always just think of it as "that green part" since I'm usually far more worried about every other part of the board

 

[mindless1]

solder mask

three things you need: small tip, small solder, big flux

Depends on which technique is used. Soldering individual pins a small tip can help, while drag soldering works better with a larger bevel tip like the one in the video Modelworks linked. I suppose people have some aversion to drag soldering but it's really, REALLY easier once you get the hang of it... perhaps some practice on old/worthless circuit boards would be a good exercise. Anyone that doesn't have any spare PCBs lying around could probably scrounge up some headed for the trash at a local mom 'n pop computer shop.

 

[Howard]

Depends on which technique is used. Soldering individual pins a small tip can help, while drag soldering works better with a larger bevel tip like the one in the video Modelworks linked. I suppose people have some aversion to drag soldering but it's really, REALLY easier once you get the hang of it... perhaps some practice on old/worthless circuit boards would be a good exercise. Anyone that doesn't have any spare PCBs lying around could probably scrounge up some headed for the trash at a local mom 'n pop computer shop.

I'm not familiar with the drag soldering technique but it looks like you would have to have a PCB with a solder mask.

Bigger chips seem to work fine with it though.

 

[mindless1]

^ The only tip size requirement for drag soldering is that the tip fit between the chip you're soldering and anything adjacent, but a bevel shape does allow more surface area so the iron temperature can be a little lower. The smaller the chip/leads are, the better it is.

Granted, most ready made PCBs do have a solder mask, but that isn't really relevant, solder doesn't stick to a bare PCB either. Where I feel most people hesitate is from experience soldering with only rosin core solder, they haven't yet had the pleasure of soldering with more flux added.

The key thing that most people ignore is that it isn't a matter of having a big rounded solder joint visible from the top, it's all about the pin to pad junction. IMO, most people use about 300% as much solder as they needed.

 

[joeybham]

thanks guys appreciate all the help.

heres a pic of the connector
upload tif

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif]No. of Contacts:30
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif]Pitch Spacing:1mm
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif]Contact Material:Copper Alloy[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif]Contact Plating:Tin[/FONT]

i have just ordered a different soldering tip as the only ones i have are small screwdriver tip and pointed tip which does not heat up the leads very good. maybe this is the problem.

i have ordered the xytronic mini wave soldering tip



will see how i get on with this tip once it gets here. and let you guys know.

 

[Howard]

solder doesn't stick to a bare PCB either.

Ha, it does for me.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Depends on which technique is used. Soldering individual pins a small tip can help, while drag soldering works better with a larger bevel tip like the one in the video Modelworks linked. I suppose people have some aversion to drag soldering but it's really, REALLY easier once you get the hang of it... perhaps some practice on old/worthless circuit boards would be a good exercise. Anyone that doesn't have any spare PCBs lying around could probably scrounge up some headed for the trash at a local mom 'n pop computer shop.

Drag soldering can be easy. I use it too sometimes but i use a rotating motion as well while dragging the tip of my solder iron along. The rotating motion is such that the soldering tip moves in the same direction as the dragging motion while touching the pins of the i.c. or connector. It works quite well but the speed while dragging and rotating is very important as is the temperature of the sodering iron. The distance between the pins.

 

[bobdole369]

I used drag soldering a LOT on various connectors. Once you get good at it you don't even need to go back and wick up what has bridged.

 

[santuitman]

Just curious... I think you said 330 for a temp. Im guessing Celsius? I work around 400 degrees celsius and thats with a good water wash flux. Hard to tell your pin/pad size but you may need to go a little hotter even. As others have said it would be nice if you had some scrap stuff to experiment with.

 

[sm625]

Follow the advice in post #2. I have used the same type of solder station as shown in post #11 to replace 240 pin TQFPs. It is all you need.

 

[mindless1]

Temperature depends on speed you drag (if dragging), tip size, solder formulation (lead free tending to need a few dozen ' higher). Start out towards the low end, you can always increase temperature if necessary.

The more proficient you become at a technique, the higher a temperature you can use, within reasonable limits, knowing when you have completed a joint so you're not still (over)heating it.

 

[William Gaatjes]

This is not a brag post, but i just would like to show that it is relatively easy to (hand) solder (by use of solder iron with fine tip) when making use of flux (and ventilation of course).

This is a picture taken of part of a pcb without the connector.
For size reference, the three components in the front, are of size 0603.

This is a picture taken after soldering.

I have to look it up what the heart to heart distance is of the pins of the connector. It looks difficult but with a clean tip and some solderpaste this is really easy.

 

[Howard]

This is not a brag post, but i just would like to show that it is relatively easy to (hand) solder (by use of solder iron with fine tip) when making use of flux (and ventilation of course).

This is a picture taken of part of a pcb without the connector.
For size reference, the three components in the front, are of size 0603.

This is a picture taken after soldering.

I have to look it up what the heart to heart distance is of the pins of the connector. It looks difficult but with a clean tip and some solderpaste this is really easy.

Could be better... some joints don't look too "hot" and some have excess solder. The best joint seems to be the right-most one.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Could be better... some joints don't look too "hot" and some have excess solder. The best joint seems to be the right-most one.

I know. But in my defense, it was a hasty job because i have a lot of work. And it works.

 

[William Gaatjes]

Again not a brag post but i felled a lot of joy when i got this working.
It is just another "share the idea" post :

The red paint is actually not loctite but finger nail paint.
It works great as a cheap version of loctite.

The component in front is of size 0402.
The wire strands are the same type as in the other thread.

I had to add a few wires on request (multi smps chip from freescale with extra diagnostics information). It was not easy but we got the device working.

 

[joeybham]

This is not a brag post, but i just would like to show that it is relatively easy to (hand) solder (by use of solder iron with fine tip) when making use of flux (and ventilation of course).

This is a picture taken of part of a pcb without the connector.
For size reference, the three components in the front, are of size 0603.

This is a picture taken after soldering.

I have to look it up what the heart to heart distance is of the pins of the connector. It looks difficult but with a clean tip and some solderpaste this is really easy.

fantastic soldering there mate very clean and shiney soldering pins really wish it would work out like that for me. i have used a small pointed tip with plenty of flux but yet i still have trouble soldering to the pads i have even tryed allpling a small amount of solder to end of tip but it wont flow onto the pad or around pin.

i used a flux pen. cant seem to find my solder paist seemed to have lost it.

is there anyone here in birmingham uk or could maybe help and solder these peskey pins for me.:\