Cheap oven to solder SMD components in Europe - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: lilmantis
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 02:21:14 pm
content: Hi all, I will make soon some PCBs for an LED lamp and due to the dissipation of pads I think the only way to assemble them properly would be in an oven. Excluding an expensive assembly house of course.Does anyone know if I can buy something already made from Europe?Any suggestions for an controller and adapt an oven for it?

author: danadak
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 02:48:30 pm
content: No small number of people have adapted toaster ovens, search the site for those threads.Regards, Dana.

author: lilmantis
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 03:19:07 pm
content: I was wondering if there is anything ready made that I can buy from Europe.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 03:30:29 pm
content: I have a converted toaster oven but a hot plate works just as well if the board is small - say 2"x3" or so. I used a GE Hotplate and just turned the power knob all the way up and watched for the solder paste to flow.My toaster oven is a simple Black and Decker Infra Wave from which I gutted the controls and replaced them with a solid state relay and a PID controller:http://www.rocketscream.com/shop/reflow-oven-controller-shield-arduino-compatibleI insert the thermocouple into one of the vias so that the controller sees exactly what the board is doing.I also filled the cavities between the walls with high temperature insulation to make it easier to get up to temperature.The hot plate is still a viable alternative...

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 03:31:12 pm
content: buy a cheap toaster oven - Severin makes some nice and cheap toaster ovens (i have the SEVERIN TO2054 - it's a tiny one) + buy a PID temperature controller + a temp sensor. and you have a crude but usable setup for reflow soldering.if you plan to reflow only few boards a week then go for a hot air station.

author: Fred27
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 10, 2016, 03:47:58 pm
content: If you want something of the shelf then take a look at this. Really just a packaged toaster oven and PID controller.https://www.beta-estore.com/rkuk/order_product_details.html?p=624

author: savril
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2016, 02:11:19 am
content: You may be able to get an halogen oven. This oven use an halogen lamp and a fan beside disperse the heat evenly. Toaster oven use IR and have a tendency to overheat black parts and underheat PCB that is behind the metallic grid, ...A basic one with 1400W power cost 50€. You can get these in France and UK easily (mostly by internet), I don't know if you can get those in Romania.Take a look athttp://andybrown.me.uk/2014/05/11/awreflow/for an example. The guy made also another reflow controller which is more easy to duplicate and has a better "PWM" control:http://andybrown.me.uk/2015/07/12/awreflow2/.The temperature curve he get with his last setting is interresting :

author: lilmantis
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2016, 01:17:05 pm
content: Thank you all for the suggestions. It would appear that one project leads to another.