Reflowing with a hot air station?

[zapta]

(posted this earlier in an old blog thread and got no answer so posting here).

Is it practical to use an small Atten or Hakko (e.g. FR 802) hot air stations to reflow small SMD boards? 

I am trying to avoid 'dicking' with a toaster oven, controller, etc. This is for a few one-of boards by an hobbyist, not any serious production, and with components like these

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/ATA6614Q-PLQW/ATA6614Q-PLQWTR-ND/3903739

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/CSTCE16M0V53-R0/490-1198-1-ND/584635

[mazurov]

Hot air is weak. In my experience, anything larger than TQFP-32 is painful to rework with hot air alone. For the packages you linked a preheater is very useful addition to hot air. That's the one I made recently -> https://plus.google.com/114645657478782700234/posts/hm3boiCHiqE .

[PlainName]

I've successfully reflowed that kind of component with a hot air blower, but it's quicker to use an iron if you can' t be arsed with an oven. Indeed, given your scenario I would only use the blower for a chip with hidden pins (i.e. an LGA or similar).

[Strada916]

If the board is single sided you can use an aluminium plate on a heat source.

[zapta]

If the board is single sided you can use an aluminium plate on a heat source.

Single sided copper or single side components?

My boards are two layers, with our without solder mask, components on one side.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[jeremy]

I have done both of those package sizes with both hot air and a toaster oven. You will have a hard time with the QFN using just hot air if you have a large ground plane, but it is possible. A preheater will solve that problem though.

Use a lot of good flux!

[zapta]

Thanks everybody for the information.  I decided to get an hot air station and give it a try. It will be useful anyway for reworking, etc.  I was thinking getting this Hakko  FR801 http://amzn.com/B001ICXTYI but than I looked at the tips and was surprised with Hakko's prices, for example $187 for a single QFP nozzle  http://amzn.com/B000PDQMZE .

Ebay has third party nozzles like this one http://r.ebay.com/iKKAN3 with significantly lower pricing.  Are these cheap nozzles just pieces of metal and work more or less the same?  Is it reasonable to mix the Hakko FR801 with cheap Chinese nozzles?

I could got with the less expensive Atten and the like but would prefer better safety and quality  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/deadly-wiring-fault-atten-858d-hot-air-rework-station/

Edit: here is another cheap nozzle from ayoue http://amzn.com/B0012379MQ  is it reasonable to use it with the Hakko FR801?

[amyk]

Nozzles are nozzles... all they need to do is direct the air where it needs to go, stay on the gun firmly, and not melt.

[jeremy]

I have the ATTEN one that Dave reviewed a while back, as well as an AOYUE. Both are equally as good as the expensive ERSA and Weller gear at work for hand placing a part or two.

[ivaylo]

I've done it but am always nervous with temperature control. Say I use solder paste the profile of which says 250C max. Then if I want the thing to melt in like 10 seconds I have to set the hot air station to 380C or so (same station Dave reviewed). Once it melts I'd pull it quick but I'll scorch a chip one of these days, I am sure. Need to calibrate it with thermocouple I guess...

[fake-name]

Nozzles are nozzles... all they need to do is direct the air where it needs to go, stay on the gun firmly, and not melt.

You forgot not rust. A lot of the really cheap nozzles have crappy plating, which can flake off, and then they get rusty.

[zapta]

Interesting, it looks the same as this one which is available from DigiKey.

http://www.chipquik.com/LowTempSolderPaste.pdf

I may give it a try. Currently using this one with good results

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/SMD291AX10T5/SMD291AX10T5-ND/3972568

Any disadvantage for low melting temperature solder?

[zapta]

250g is 67$ around here

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/SMDLTFP250T3/SMDLTFP250T3-ND/3645042

With this low melting temperature I can reflow it with a hair dryer or a magnifier glass in the sun ;-)

Edit: this guy is reflowing with a halogen lamp