Slightly OT: TQFP mounting

Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:54:16 -0800 From: Chuck Guzis <cclist at sydex.com> Reply-To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org Subject: Slightly OT: TQFP mounting If you feel this subject is too far off-topic, please respond privately. OTOH, it just might help some who are trying to repair some of the old gear that uses SMT. At any rate, I've got some 68-pin TQFP packages that I need to mount on a PCB. I've searched the web and become throughly confused over recommendations. I'd like to stay away from using a hot-air rework iron as I don't think I have enough skill to use it without causing some damage to the PCB or component. I'd like to use my temperature-controlled Weller soldering station as the heat source. I'll also be using Sn- Pb solder rather than lead-free. Two approaches that I've seen for conventional soldering iron mounting involve what I'll call "flood and suck" that involves covering all of the leads on one side of the QFP on the PCB with solder and then using a solder "sucker" (such as a Soldapullt) to remove the excess. The other approach uses solder wick (solder removal braid), laying the braid over the QFP leads and PCB and heating and applying solder *through* the braid to the leads. I'm fairly confident that I could do either, but who's had real success with either method? Thanks, Chuck