Hot air solder station query

[gregoryfenton]

Please don't flame me

I have just purchased (and am awaiting delivery of) a solder station reviewed by our very own Dave (ATTEN 858D+, eevblog #167).

My question is this: Can I use a hot air solder station to do normal through hole soldering?

I have spent hours today trawling the internet watching videos and researching but I can't find anywhere that gives me the answer.

I hope that this site and its users can answer the question for me.

[8086]

It would probably work to some degree, but basically no. Use an iron for that.

[gregoryfenton]

Thanks for the quick reply 8086.

[Fraser]

What you can do is pre-heat a pcb using the largest hot air nozzle to reduce thermal shock to components and help with soldering to large groundplane copper masses that would otherwise act as a heatshunt.

Hot air guns can perform desoldering of through hole components but it is less efficient than direct contact desoldering and risks scorching the PCB if not done well. Soldering with such a unit would prove challenging if you used 'wire' solder as opposed to solder paste. The wire solder would melt every time you brought it into the hot air stream and before it got to the correct location on the pad. Overloading of solder would likely result.

For an easy life stick with a soldering iron and vacuum desoldering pump or gun for through hole components.

Also note that the hot air station that you are expecting should be checked for good earth continuity to the case parts and for open air intake slots in the handle (they are often almost completely closed due to poor moulding). Sort these issues out before use.

Fraser

[ablacon64]

Hot air takes too long when working with through hole components, you're better off with a soldering iron, it's faster, will do less thermal stress on the component.

[amyk]

Hot air is really good for SMD, but as others above said, quite difficult for through-hole. They make units that have both for exactly this reason.

[Psi]

Hot air is quite handy when trying to desolder through hole components with lots of legs.
Like connectors and dip ICs.

It takes a little while but you can just pull them out once all pins are hot.
It's often faster than trying to remove the solder on every pin with a typical spring desoldering tool which often leaves some solder behind.

[gregoryfenton]

Thanks everyone for your input. It is much appreciated

[T4P]

Using hot air to remove is not destructive if done better, if done not so good then the board will most certainly char,
only use hot air for boards you don't mind.