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Showerthought: I've seen three shops this month using the wrong tip on their hot air station for SMD work.
They were all using a wide nozzle for a tiny 0402 capacitor, which just blows the part off the board before the solder melts. I switched to a 1mm tip and the joint flowed perfectly in under two seconds. What's the most basic tool mistake you keep spotting in other people's shops?
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the_logan1mo agoTop Commenter
Saw a video last week where a guy was trying to use a massive chisel tip for fine pitch IC work, just mangling the pins. It's wild how often the wrong tip gets used just because it's already on the iron. That wide nozzle thing for small parts is a perfect example, like using a sledgehammer to push in a thumbtack. Gotta match the tool to the job or you're just fighting yourself.
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markhall1mo ago
Totally agree with you and @the_logan on the wrong tip problem. I watched a coworker fight with a QFP for ten minutes because he had a huge wedge tip on his iron. He was basically just melting the plastic body. Swapped it for a fine point and the solder flowed right into every joint. It feels like some people just grab the first iron they see without a second thought. Matching the heat and the tip size to the part is the most basic skill, but so many skip it.
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verar211mo ago
Watched a guy in my old shop try to rework a tiny 0402 resistor with a giant hoof tip, just smearing solder everywhere. It's exactly like @markhall said, the right tip makes it a clean job instead of a fight. He finally swapped to a small conical and fixed it in seconds. That basic step of picking the proper tool saves so much time and ruined boards.
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