I need some input on a soldering exercise. Knowing that some murcers here have quite a bit of experience in this sort of stuff I guessed it's the right place to ask these questions.
Here's the situation:
I would like to swap memory ICs on some of my ultra low-power servers (Linksys NSLU2). Apparently you can swap the 2x 16MB memory ICs with 2x 32 MB from PC133 DIMM donor PCBs. On the software side the support for the increased ram is very easy. For me the challenge lies in the hardware part.
I've got a simple Weller 50W adjustable temp soldering station. I've done through-hole chip unsoldering/resoldering with it, but never SMD type work (which is what is needed here). From some youtube how-to videos I've learned that people seem to use a hot-air station or portable butan-powered soldering iron to desolder these microchips. See here.
So right now I tend to do the following:
- acquire/buy a butane powered soldering iron that doubles as mini blow-torch. Like this one. I've noticed that these things are a lot cheaper in the US than over in continental Europe where I am. Should I import one?
- acquire a vacuum-suction device that can withstand high temperature of heated up ICs, to aid in lifting them up when the legs of one side of the IC has been heated to a temp where the solder liquifies.
- acquire one of these strips that absorbs excess solder when heated up (as shown in the video).
- acquire non-oxidizing flux
- practice the required techniques on electronic waste that serves no other use. Requires a bit of dumpster diving to retrieve some willing PCBs.
Are these the steps the knowledgeable ones of you would recommend? Thanks in advance!
Here's the situation:
I would like to swap memory ICs on some of my ultra low-power servers (Linksys NSLU2). Apparently you can swap the 2x 16MB memory ICs with 2x 32 MB from PC133 DIMM donor PCBs. On the software side the support for the increased ram is very easy. For me the challenge lies in the hardware part.
I've got a simple Weller 50W adjustable temp soldering station. I've done through-hole chip unsoldering/resoldering with it, but never SMD type work (which is what is needed here). From some youtube how-to videos I've learned that people seem to use a hot-air station or portable butan-powered soldering iron to desolder these microchips. See here.
So right now I tend to do the following:
- acquire/buy a butane powered soldering iron that doubles as mini blow-torch. Like this one. I've noticed that these things are a lot cheaper in the US than over in continental Europe where I am. Should I import one?
- acquire a vacuum-suction device that can withstand high temperature of heated up ICs, to aid in lifting them up when the legs of one side of the IC has been heated to a temp where the solder liquifies.
- acquire one of these strips that absorbs excess solder when heated up (as shown in the video).
- acquire non-oxidizing flux
- practice the required techniques on electronic waste that serves no other use. Requires a bit of dumpster diving to retrieve some willing PCBs.
Are these the steps the knowledgeable ones of you would recommend? Thanks in advance!
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