[SOLDERING] Anyone with delicate soldering experience?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 21:28

A chip on the mother board of one of my Apple Macintosh computers suffers a broken (soldered) connection. I think it's known in the business as cold soldering in the factory. Is there anyone out there who has experience with this kind of delicate soldering? If so please contact me via mail hansdoeleman@allcrusades.com or via mobile phone: 0533 864 5433.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 21:29

H&NComputers: if you read this: do you repair Apple Macintosh computers?

gooligan


Joined: 30/01/2007
Posts: 1591

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 22:04

Hans,if you know which chip it is it's not rocket science to repair,you can buy soldering irons from 1001 as well as the solder,in fact they may even sell them at Mr Pound.If you do take it to a shop it's a 5 second job with a steady hand.

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 22:09

Hans,

Whoever it is, make sure he is below the age of 60, otherwise with shaky hands you will end up with a few legs all soldered together. At the end of the job, make sure you examine it under a magnifying glass.

ismet

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 22:17

Dear Ismet, I'm over 60 and I need a magnifying glass to read Turkish news papers - so I don't qualify to do the soldering...

Thanks gooligan, I know which chip it is indeed, so I'll have a look at Mr. Pound and hope to find a very, very fine soldering iron. The chip has 32 pins and they are d*mn close together...

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 22:24

Hans,

Are the legs soldered through or are they soldered on? In other words do the legs go through holes or are they on the same plane? If it is the second type, it may be better to simply blow hot air on the legs until the solder softens. Its best to take the board with the relevant chip on it to a professional repairer and hey will do it while you wait.

ismet

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 22:31

Ismet, the legs are soldered ON and there is very little room between the mother board and the chip - I'm afraid to kill the chip if I try hot air. Professional repairer: this must be a Turkish Cypriot joke... It's an Apple Macintosh and I'm sorry to say it, but I have only found an Apple approved dealer - btw a very nice and helpful Greek speaking Cypriot - in South Nicosia.

Another question: do you happen to know where I can buy a case for a 750Gig/1Terrabyte drive (must be Firewire 400 or 800 and preferably also USB 2.0) in Northern Cyprus?

YeniTom


Joined: 29/12/2009
Posts: 198

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 22:38

Hans



I do this type of work now and again. Sorry Ismet but blowing hot air over it won't melt the solder usually until the lot is very hot and the chip may be damaged by it. It is not a difficult job but the main criteria is heat. The best iron would be one a low voltage iron on a workstation so that the temperature is controlled. The tip should come down to a point of about 0.8mm. Whilst soldering do not linger with the iron on a leg. Make it a smooth fast operation.



There is a very, very good video here: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-solder-surface-mount-chips-164033/



If you really feel that you can't then of course take it to someone who can. Don't damage the chip just because you feel that you should do it.



Cheers



Tom

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
10/01/2010 22:54

RE msg 8, YeniTom: Thank you, good video indeed (and about more than soldering! Interesting!).

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 11:25

Hans, would love to help and have the soldering iron you need if you wish to try - my eyesight is now well past this sort of work and the shake of the hands makes it a really dodgy business.



For reference to anyone, I have a Bonkote Model TC-500UK soldering iron system, 50W output at 24V with variable temp from low all the way up to 440C. 60/40 solder at 22SVG. Various tips but sorry no liquid flux - bottle smashed in transit. This is probably a fairly rare item to find out here and if anyone needs to borrow it I am quite willing to lend it to you for free - but I will want it back, have had it a long time!



I would still recommend some sort of heat sink when working with PCB's, a slip of the hand and you can do a lot of damage! Also note the small vice in the video - what I would not have given for one of them in the past instead of using the locking pliers and a heavy weight!!

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 19:07

Thanks all! Waddo, I'll contact you as soon as I've time - right now every Mac gives up when I only touch the keyboard... Today been busy replacing the display inverter of my wife's iBook. No soldering, but taking apart one of Apple's masterpieces and build it up again make you sweat!

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 19:31

Hans It sounds like you might need to ask YeniTom (in case you have not already done so).

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 20:02

Hans, for a real shocker go to the Mac site and see how you are supposed to open the case on a Mac Mini so you can get at the CD reader. I was ok till I got to the part about using the paint scraper! I kid you not.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 20:34

Waddo, remember Apple's old slogan: "Think different"..?

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 20:52

Sorry about the hot air, don't we all at times

ismet

YeniTom


Joined: 29/12/2009
Posts: 198

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 21:03

I'm actually Macphobic. I'm sure they employ magicians on the assembly lines to assemble them - Mary Poppins like.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 21:06

RE msg 16: Yok. More like Charley Chaplin in "Modern Times". Oh, now I see that you are Macphobic - why do I talk to you..?!

YeniTom


Joined: 29/12/2009
Posts: 198

Message Posted:
11/01/2010 21:08

Cos I'm a good egg