Fine pitch drag soldering

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1

I had very little luck soldering fine pitch packages until I watched this video:

I ordered one of those Hakko well tips (correction: bevel tip, as patent crap attempts to prevent the well tips from being sold or used in the US) and a box of kim wipes from All Spec. My delivery came in today.

I tried this for the first time tonight on an SMD kit. Processor is an ATXmega32 with 0.8mm lead pitch (on the large side of TQFP packages but still pretty small). It took me less than 10 seconds to solder the whole package. The iron spends so little time on the board, you barely need to be concerned about heating anything up too much.

Attached is my first attempt at this (that’s a quarter in the background). It’s just about fool proof. My result isn’t as pretty as his, but it looks good to me :slight_smile:

I did it as close to the way the guy in the video did as I could:
[ulist]Clean the board with alcohol
Flux all the pads
Tack down opposite corners (I used regular solder, he used paste)
Flux all the pins (I used a flux pen, not the syringe he had)
Load up and drag relatively quickly
Clean up with kimwipes and alcohol.[/ulist]

I didnt have any bridges, and only one tiny horn on one pin. It was quite a bit faster than soldering a big DIP package. Im sold.

I’m also giddy :slight_smile:

Pete

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Where’d you get the well tip? They’re not available for sale in the U.S., and I haven’t been able to find them from any of the usual eBay suspects…

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I have tried this technique recently for the first time as well. I was amazed how easy it was too. ;D

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Took this image by holding my camera up to my wife’s microscope. I really need to get an adapter :slight_smile:

Pete

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[quote]Where’d you get the well tip? They’re not available for sale in the U.S., and I haven’t been able to find them from any of the usual eBay suspects…
[/quote]
All Spec has them for $33.37 a piece for Hakko 2027 irons

Part T15-CF3
http://www.all-spec.com/products/T15-CF3.html

I’ve gotten all my soldering supplies from all spec (also my anti-static bags). They’re great.

Pete

6

Ah, that’s not the well tip, that’s the beveled tip. Apparently it works just fine, though, so I should get one sent over.

FYI, the “well” tips are the BCM/CM series and the bevel face is actually concave, so it holds solder:

http://www.hakko.com/english/tip_selection/type_bcm_cm.html

As the Hakko page says, “Shape BCM and CM are not available for sale or use in the U.S.A.” Apparently it’s a patent thing.

If you do find a source for the BCM/CM tips, let me know. I’d love to have one.

7

Apparently Dangerous Prototypes tracked down a Costa Rican company that will/would sell clones here in the US:

http://dangerousprototypes.com/2012/02/17/drag-soldering-tips-for-hakko-900m-series-and-compatibles/#comment-31072

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And, voila, Mouser has some in stock:

http://au.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Plato/HS-0530/?qs=yG55FOIierkI6FzqsFJXbA%3D%3D

Grainger also sells them:

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It appears those aren’t for the 2027 irons, in case that’s what you have.

I see! As it turns out, it holds a fair bit of solder as-is. I wonder how the actual well tip would work? From the description, looks like it’s better if you have a bridge.

Pete

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I’m used to drag solder packages with 0.5mm lead pitch with a cheap 35W weller with 1mm round tip.

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Some people can do that, just like some people can build amazing furniture with single saw and a file :slight_smile:

I’m not one of those folks. This tip made all the difference for me compared to my chisel tips.

Pete

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Well, it all started like this: it was 10PM and I really wanted that damn thing soldered on the PCB before I went to sleep. With me, just the Weller, flux pen and some solder… :slight_smile:

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I have solder BGA’s with a flex pen and a heat gun and the BGA was hand placed :slight_smile:

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Pete,

That looks great! Not sure if I would be brave enough to even attempt that.

Good job

-Eric

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Yeah, I have a knockoff 936B iron, so I use the 900M tips (which I think are now T18 since the FX-888 was released)?

Now THAT is impressive. I wouldn’t even consider trying it, not on a dare.