ReflowR on Tindie, any good ?

[cgroen]

Kean,
I asked Henning about the API/Protocol for the oven, he mentioned that once he has it documented and the App is updated, he will make it public. Personally I would love to have/make a PC application for the oven, I would rather NOT have that running on the phone but instead on my shop-pc. It would be nice to have both options.
Apart from the PCB and the "alfa" App, the oven works really well, I'm impressed with the uniformity of the temperature. Tomorrow I will make the first small run of boards on it.

[neslekkim]

do anyone know what kind of heating element that this unit uses?, or other small flat/square heating elements around this size?

[ANTALIFE]

do anyone know what kind of heating element that this unit uses?, or other small flat/square heating elements around this size?

Mine broke the other month, took it apart and it looked like a mica heating element (some wire wrapped around a sheet of mica). Lafras said he will send a replacement but that was ages ago. Have kinda given up hope and started using a modded heating-platform (https://www.antalife.com/2018/10/project-hot-plate-mod.html)

[neslekkim]

ah, cool, I suspect the reflowr is kinda dead issue, nice to see that there are alterntives.
Are you happy with the new one?

[ANTALIFE]

ah, cool, I suspect the reflowr is kinda dead issue, nice to see that there are alterntives.
Are you happy with the new one?

Sorry for late reply, so far the initial tests seem promising. The big downside is that the heating-platform has a big thermal mass, meaning it takes a some time to heatup and cool down so you can't straight up copy the standard JEDEC profile. My workaround is to have the PCB sitting on a baking tray which I then remove to rapidly cool the board (or so the theory goes)

[nardev]

Just got mine after 2 months wait. Actually it looks like the first one was lost and than the guy sent another one via DHL, which arrived from Sout Africa to Bosnia in 46 hours.

I just did 3-4 reflows until now, looks fine, even doing multiple boards, covering most of the area. I used regular program.. Yes, the temperature seems to be bit unstable, but thankfully i don't need any more sensitive and stable than this.

p.s. i didn't have stencil for this one so there is too much paste on the board.

[extek]

Yeah, it's OK, with a caveat. 

I have the small one and decided I wanted the larger one, emailed Lafras for confirmation of the model I was wanted (had an extra thermistor input or something) and I ordered it directly from his site.  He never shipped it and wouldn't reply to emails after that.

Caveat emptor.

 

[seon]

Yeah, it's OK, with a caveat. 

I have the small one and decided I wanted the larger one, emailed Lafras for confirmation of the model I was wanted (had an extra thermistor input or something) and I ordered it directly from his site.  He never shipped it and wouldn't reply to emails after that.

Caveat emptor

You paid him for it and he never shipped it? And never replied to you? Wow.

Seon
Unexpected Maker

[Kean]

Yep, I guess he found he could get away with it on Indiegogo so then decided to do that with Tindie and direct sales too.  At least Tindie seems to have shut down his store.

Check out his original IGG campaign before the ReflowR - he never delivered anything at all on that, with many pledges of US$1000 or more
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/go-from-3d-printing-to-desktop-injection-moulding/

[nardev]

Sorry i  didn't reply before on this one.

After about  40-50 uses, the heating element failed.

The seller  at  first offeredto  replace/fix it but the cost and time for shipping  was about 2 months. And there was no point doing that. The seller promissed to give the detailed instructions once i get the wire for the heating element. But, despite several emails, several messages at tindie by me and the support people over there, the guy is simply ignoring me.

I changed the wire and positioned it at the same place, it was of the same resistance that he suggested and the same quality but it failed again.

He is there just to sell you the device and forget about everything else.
 It's good just "to test", not to be used again and again!!! And also, stay away from that guy! I can show you our conversation if you are interested.
Guy turned to be completely ignorant once i deleted the review and once the paypal protection have passed

And the Lafras Henning is definitely not thrust wordy guy once he gets paid and once you remove the bad comments from his selling shop.



p.s. i was waiting for the reflowr more than 2 months and it was obviously lost somewhere. He was pushing me almost to give up and forget about it. Than, as it was still within paypal protection period, i opened the claim and he sent it via DHL for sellers (same price as EMS) and i got it within 36 hours.