SMT Components

[modsquad]

Is there a good way or any way of soldering surface mount components yourself.   I have a couple of Maxim chip samples that I want to use for a switcher and it only comes in SMT type case.   Really small legs on the ICs.  I was thinking I could make the pads really small and solder them.   But the problem I see is that the legs are so dang close together that I'm worried about solder going everywhere and connecting everything together.  Is it hopeless?

[PerroGrande]

I've been getting into SMT lately myself, so I'll share my experiences thus far.

Is it hopeless?  No -- it certainly isn't.   For starters, check out the tutorials at www.sparkfun.com.  They've got several examples of soldering and de-soldering SMT chips.

For the chips that have the pins sticking out the sides (like an SOIC-8, which is a common package for an Op Amp), your idea of making really small pads is correct.  You can look up the various pin spacings, etc, in the data sheets (SOIC, for example, is 50-mil on centers).

Most of the techniques I've seen out there that use a traditional soldering iron involve putting a dot of solder on one of the pads and using that to hold the chip in place and get it properly aligned.  Then, they drag the iron and the solder across the pins to get the soldered.  Bridges and the like are carefully removed with solder wick. If you're really ambitious, you can get into a hot air rework station, but you can use your iron for a lot of the stuff.   Oh -- and for this type of work, flux is your friend.  All of the examples and tutorials I've seen involve using flux to help the solder flow and adhere.  My experiences reinforce this -- flux helps. 

I also like to use 63/37 alloy for this work.  It melts at a slightly lower temperature and flows better than 60/40 for this type of application.

[The Tone God]

The was a SMT FX-X awhile back. There should be some good info in there.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=52892.msg400828

Also my entry was an article on how to make quick SMT boards without having to etch. You can find that article at my site.

Andrew

[drewl]

We have all the necessary equipment at work, so I've been doing it for over ten years.
Special soldering tools and stations and  microscopes etc.
That's probably why I can't see close up anymore!

You get yourself a magnifying glass and mount it to a vise or something to hold over your work, that will help alot.
Hot air is used for desoldering along with different size air attatchments.
Get yourself a small tipped pencil iron, that will help.