Favorite Metcal tip for 0.4 and 0.5mm pin spacing?

[Jester]

For those with Metcal soldering irons....

I'm curious as to your favorite tip for soldering 0.4 and 0.5mm packages?

I usually use STTC-145   (.016" Bevel Solder Tip)

I also like the EBM7SB275 (0.4mm 30 deg bent sharp tip), for most other relatively small stuff

[oPossum]

STTC-036 30° Chisel 2.5 mm

[thm_w]

What are we talking, TQFP-0.4mm or? QFN?
STTC-036 is what I did use. Its not as good for QFN though.

On the T12 I prefer to use T12-KU, a small knife tip, way better for QFN touch up.
The closest I can find is maybe M7DS035H, but, the end does not come to a sharp point as the T12-KU does.

The bevel stuff might be ok too, but, 0.016"/0.4mm is crazy small, to me those small tips are almost useless unless its for modwiring. I would want say 2-3mm bevel at least for soldering.

[Jester]

What are we talking, TQFP-0.4mm or? QFN?
STTC-036 is what I did use. Its not as good for QFN though.

On the T12 I prefer to use T12-KU, a small knife tip, way better for QFN touch up.
The closest I can find is maybe M7DS035H, but, the end does not come to a sharp point as the T12-KU does.

The bevel stuff might be ok too, but, 0.016"/0.4mm is crazy small, to me those small tips are almost useless unless its for modwiring. I would want say 2-3mm bevel at least for soldering.

Mostly TQFP, if I plan to hand solder QFN, I typically tweak the footprint with slightly longer pads to allow a fine tip to touch the pad. I don't have one of those knife edge tips, I'm going to get one to try, looks promising.

[thm_w]

Mostly TQFP, if I plan to hand solder QFN, I typically tweak the footprint with slightly longer pads to allow a fine tip to touch the pad. I don't have one of those knife edge tips, I'm going to get one to try, looks promising.

Advantage of a sharp knife edge is you won't need to extend the pads very much.

For TQFP I would tend to use a fat tip and lots of flux. Drag solder. eg this looks like a 3-4mm bevel tip:

[SteveyG]

SMTC-1167 or 1147 work perfectly for me