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Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:05:33 +0100
From: Ed Simmons <ed AT estechnical DOT co DOT uk>
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Subject: Re: [geda-user] Cheap solder paste source?
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On 15/10/13 13:58, Rob Butts wrote:
> This begs the question, where do you get your paste stencils?  From
> the fab shop who makes your boards?
>  
> I've also seen some videos showing for ic soldering a strip of solder
> paste along the top of the pins works for non-stenciled.
>
The line of paste trick is fine for small qty of coarse pitch ICs, but
0.5mm pitch and below are not easy with this method! It tends to leave a
nasty puddle of flux around the IC leads, sometimes balls up between
leads (or in random spots on the solder mask) and generally requires
some rework...

Stencils come from a variety of places, our fab laser cuts the stencils
for us from stainless for about $100 - to be honest, this is a bargain
across a batch of boards, for the hassle it saves and the quality of the
result.

Ed