Product recommendations: Pre-heater (SMD rework) and/or oven? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: tcv
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 12:25:09 am
content: Hi,I'm just starting out and playing with some things. I've soldered a tiny bit and have been having fun removing stuff from an old HDD PCB that I've got laying around.In another thread I started about my hot air station, it was mentioned that pre-heaters are good for removing SMD components. I see that HAKKO makes one. I also see that AOYUE makes one.Then I wonder: Would it be better to get a cheap oven? Right now, I'm literally just removing ICs and cleaning up pads and I plan to start trying to move ICs between boards.So, I don't really know when and why one buys an oven and/or a preheater?Any suggestions? If you have product recommendations all the better.

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 04:40:58 am
content: Have a read of this info from zephyrtronics, it should have some useful ideas for you to consider, as to purchasing their equipment, I have no idea as to it's quality, reliability, support or whatever, I have only read that those who have made inquiries of zephyrtronics just do not seem to get a response.http://www.zeph.com/pap1.html

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 04:37:37 pm
content: An oven is meant to be used for a reflow process (solder paste, stuff the board, then stick it in the oven to flow the paste).Preheaters are used with other equipment, such as soldering stations to heat up the board greater than room temp (heat applied to both top and bottom of the PCB simultaneously). Makes getting stuff on and off much easier (or even possible) on multilayer boards (less chance of pulling pads during desoldering for example). Can also be used with IR or hot air, and is also useful when working on boards that have parts on both sides.An electric skillet could also be used for single sided reflow or as a preheater. But more chance of being burnt for the latter use IMHO.

author: UPI
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 06:33:07 pm
content: I just started using a $50 preheater from Tenma to solder on some SMD fuses that required preheating of the board to 100C and 260C hand soldering temps.It does a good job of holding my 75mm x 100mm board at 100C with the preheater turned up halfway. Kind of simple and smells of hot paint for awhile but is inexpensive.TENMA - 21-10135 - MINI SMD PREHEATERhttp://www.newark.com/tenma/21-10135/mini-smd-preheater/dp/32T0391

author: tcv
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 10:56:07 pm
content: Quote from: notsob on October 20, 2013, 04:40:58 amThanks a lot for this. This really helped clarify that I want a pre-heater for what I'm playing around with, not an oven.

author: tcv
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 10:58:40 pm
content: Quote from: nanofrog on October 20, 2013, 04:37:37 pmyeah, this sounds like what I want. All I'm really aiming to do in the near future is:1. Remove a 40-pin IC from a board that has some problems.2. Place that 40-pin IC onto a donor board.FWIW: This is just something I'm playing with. It's not at all critical. It's more just to get a little more experience and confidence with rework like this.

author: tcv
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 11:02:33 pm
content: Quote from: UPI on October 20, 2013, 06:33:07 pmThanks a lot. This might just fit the bill for what I'm doing.I did notice in some of the review at other sellers that they felt the stuff that it comes with to hold the PCB above the pre-heater is weak and prone to failing. Has that been your experience?One of the things I noticed when I started playing around with my hot air station is that I need to be very careful about what the board is sitting on. (I mean: Duh, but... we all have to try.) Nothing bad happened, but I found that I really didn't know what I could use to hold the PCB in a way that I would burn up what it was sitting on. I eventually settling on a large corningware surface used to hold hot plates. It's big but I don't really have anything else at the moment. (Suggestion?)Cheers,m

author: UPI
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 11:44:46 pm
content: I built some quick aluminum blocks with three rare earth magnets embedded in the bottom. It does the trick for me.The original stands have the weak magnets hot glued into them. I don't suspect the hot glue would do very well next to a heater. The original stands are also very narrow.

author: tcv
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2013, 11:51:18 pm
content: Quote from: UPI on October 20, 2013, 11:44:46 pmOy, I wouldn't even know where to BEGIN to make something like that.