Things are getting smaller and I've not very much experienced in smaller than 0805.
I see posts about soldering small chips with solder paste and stencils.
It still seems difficult to get a clean stenciling.
Also, ordering a stencil is a hassle.
The few times that I've done small chips I've just tinned the pads with a soldering iron.
Without the chip being there it's easy to blob the solder on without bridges.
Then I liquid flux the pads again, stick the chip on and use a regular heat gun.
Since the chip is the center piece it's the only thing on the board at that point and I don't have to worry about melting connectors.
Any advice, suggestions?
I wouldn't mind owning a reflow oven, but they all seem to be crazy sizes.
I don't have the space or power for one of those T-962.
It seems that there would be a market for 100 mm x 100 mm.
imho one major problem with solder paste is, that one uses too much of it; the proportions tin vs. flux is not the best; this is why I always stir up a small portion of solder paste with additional flux; the required amount of tin for a stable connection is really tiny, but its flux behaviour is very important -> more flux, less tin
such a mix of paste and flux I just spread randomly over the pins to solder, put the chip on it and solder with the rework station. that practically always works without any manual rework with a solder iron. flux is really crucial for proper work. I also never use stencils.
and don't use heat guns; their temperature settings is everything else than stable; and if you don't just have a QFN or a BGA chip, there is no need to heat anything else than the chip's pins; so you need a nozzle which matches the footprint of the chip