Hot Plate Surface Mount Reflow

[TheLightningStalker]

"It works! ahaha it works! In all my life I've never made anything that works."

[djreyes53]

This is not the best way to do it. I prefer to reflow the unit through a reflow oven using the unit´s profile.

By heating the board directly on the Hot plate the solder mask of the board will be damaged.

My question is: How can i control the time this unit is being heating by using this method?

[stiffcookie]

yup, reflow ovens are the standard tool for mass production. but if you are making a pcb for home use, you're not gonna spend 1000's of pounds on an oven for one or two boards. I would just use a soldering iron to be honest - I hate heat guns lol, I end up blowing everything away ;).

[kc7fys]

I give an amateur "He's right." Heating the board from below, fighting the insulative characteristics of the board to heat the substrate is backward. Heat from above directly for a better result.

Ultimately, though--the board is tough enough to withstand this. It's just not the best method, IMHO.

[miledbill]

That is a pretty neat trick!

That the way to do it. :)

[mast3rbug]

I prefer using an heatgun

[ratgod]

What temperature does it start to reflow? I'm going to get a hot plate soon for this sort of thing but I want to make sure I get one that has the right temperature

[yawehc001]

I don't get why you are not using a soldering iron. Why use a hot plate?

[alizta]

Because soldering a big amount of SMD parts with an soldering iron is going to get you into a mental hospital. It really isn't fun at all.

[envisionelec]

No doubt. I have to solder my boards (all SMD) by hand. After half of one, I'm ready to quit. I'm building a hot plate ASAP!