I finally tried a proper hot air station instead of my old heat gun for a tricky BGA reflow

So I had this old graphics card with a known bad solder joint under the main chip. My usual fix was a cheap hardware store heat gun, but it was always a gamble. Last week, I bit the bullet and got a used Quick 861DW station for about $200. The difference is night and day. The heat gun just blasted hot air everywhere, risking damage to nearby plastic parts and never giving a steady temp. The hot air station lets you set a precise temperature, like 250 degrees Celsius, and the nozzle focuses the heat right on the chip. I did the reflow in under two minutes, and the card has been running solid for three days now. Has anyone else made this switch and found other jobs it's good for, like removing big QFN chips?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnw4224d ago

It's a total game changer for sure... I use mine for all sorts of surface mount stuff now.

cole_lee924d ago

Right? Makes those tiny parts so much less of a nightmare to handle.

river_scott2d ago

Ever wonder what the worst part was before you got yours, @cole_lee9?