somebody GAVE me a Hakko 850

it is obsolete, but there is a replacement model
they run about $750 USD (i think)
but here is the amazing part, the carton was full of nozzles and those 
puppies range from $80 to more usually $280  EACH !
the lot was worth maybe 3000

a new heater assy and i was off an running, it works really well 
although you do need a third arm or a friend nearby sometimes (they make 
a pole thing to hold the handpiece, but so far i have resisted)

i can pull off small or large QFPs and SOICs in about 45 secs,
very easy after some practice

never tried a BGA

the air and temperature settings are very important and vary quite a bit 
with the package, use as little air as possible to avoid splattering 
surrounding caps about

there is a very small general purpose bent nozzle, wave it about and it 
will pull off most stuff, but the air is so focused it is effectively 
hotter and i burned one board badly before i knew
get some junk boards to play with

i suggest not to use flux but some may argue with me

the main trick is to flip the chip with a little wire on a handle at 
just the right time, hopefully it won't fall back on the lands and 
stick, which is why you need the minimum temperature

on ebay i saw these but upon closer examination they were "QUAKO" 850's
same font and color and panel arrangement priced very low, i assume they 
are junk but i don't know

no shop air is needed and when you turn it off it keeps running for a 
bit which confused me until i understood it was cooling and then shuts down

the Hakko brand nozzles are way overpriced, it seems that everyone uses 
the same barrel diameter (which they don't describe) i took a chance on 
some Weller ones and they were a fraction of the cost and worked fine

personally i would stay away from PACE

NEXT MOST important thing
if you don't have one a must have tool is a MANTIS by vision engineering

once you see through one of these everything becomes much easier and better
they have a new mini benchtop portable one for about $1700 which is 
pretty cheap and worth every penny (i have not tried this new one i 
assume it is as good as the larger less portable one that i have)
and here is the good news:
no electronics! pure optics, true stereo vision, very comfortable for 
long working sessions with your back straight, good depth of field and 
plenty of working room for tools
i recommend 4X and 8X lenses

if with the hot air tool you intend to place rather than remove, i think 
you are better off not doing that and just hand solder using the Mantis, 
less trouble and no solder balls
use plenty of flux and it is surprisingly easy

the exception of course would be QFNs or BGAs or something like that
but with those i don't know how you would know it really reflowed properly

one other tip is that after something like a QFP is removed and assuming 
the lands look nice and not smeared take the time to go around and 
carefully remove all the solder with wick and plenty of flux (be gentle) 
to flatten the lands then clean the area (spay, swab, spray) then blow dry

this extra step (often needed anyway due to solder spreading) makes 
placing the part much much easier as it doesn't slip off the little hills

ds


Brad Velander wrote:
> Guys & gals, 
>       Has any body got any good recommendations for Hot Air rework stations? 
> We are interested but there is a lack of knowledge regarding which should be 
> good or which might not cut it. So any suggestions from your experiences 
> would be welcomed. Hopefully they are not the $70K US variety.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Brad Velander
> Senior PCB Designer
> Northern Airborne Technology
> #14 - 1925 Kirschner Road,
> Kelowna, BC, V1Y 4N7.
> tel (250) 763-2232 ext. 225
> fax (250) 762-3374
> 
> 
>  
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