Tried using a hot air rework station for removing a tiny SMD capacitor and it blew off into the abyss

I was working on a 3 year old laptop motherboard last Tuesday and figured hot air would be faster than the soldering iron for a 0402 cap. Instead of melting the solder gently, the airflow just launched the part across the room and I never found it. Has anyone else had better luck with a specific tip or temperature setting for these small parts without losing them?

2 comments

2 Comments

jasonf175d ago

Used to laugh at people losing parts this way, now I get it.

jamie7704d ago

The real joke is how this hobby makes you pay for all your past arrogance. My dad warned me about that back when I was 16 and thought I knew everything. He said the guy who never gets bit is the guy who hasn't been keeping snakes long enough. Thought he was just being dramatic. Now I'm 34 and I've got the scars to prove he was right. Funny how that works.