[time-nuts] OT stuffing boards: was GPS interface/prototyping

[Chris Albertson]

>
> Am I missing some obvious cheapie oven without these types of problems?


A lot of people are building them from Black and Decker (and the like)
toaster ovens.  Use Arduino for controller or just eyeballs. oven
thermometer and wrist watch.    It is not rocket science the Arduino
controller software reads a thermocouple and controls an on/off relay.
Lots of instructions around if you google for reflow toaster oven.

As for pick and place, the old method still works.  Work by hand under
a low power stereo microscope.  You buy a syringe of solder past and
place little dabs on each pad then place the part with twitters.
Many years ago I worked at a place that had a few dozen women who did
this all day long.   You can get a very good used microscope (5x to
20x zoom works well) for under $250 and a workable one for under $100.
But many people today are using cameras and a big computer monitor in
place of the microscope.


-- 

Chris Albertson
Redondo Beach, California