Hi!
I wanna start with reflowing
…
where can I get cheap/good copper DTP boards?
do I need special solder paste for reflowing or is it possible with Flux core solder wire?
LEDDNA sells Sinkpads, International Outdoor sells Noctigons, Banggood sells Maxtoch's. I can't answer on the paste. I'd say it's possible with typical flux solder, but may be slightly harder.
-Garry
are there dis/advantages from each brand?
Not really sure. Someone with firsthand experience would have to chime in.
-Garry
Do yourself a favor and get yourself a pot of solder paste for reflowing, this cheap one will already do the job:
http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10003546/1261003-chips-repair-tool-soldering-paste-grease
Works way better and easier than solder wire for reflowing and gives all sorts of opportunities for other solder projects :-)
btw, I have never regretted my little project converting a 12V solder iron + a small aluminium block into a adjustable hotplate for controlled reflows.
Hey djozz do you know the max temp is safe for the stove method on the xml2? I should just look but lazy
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-Fasttech also sells DTP copper MCPCBs now. SKU 1855509
I ordered a 16mm last month and tried to get the thermal layer off, but I was surprised when copper was found right under the center pad solder.
Nowhere in the description of the product did it say it was DTP-
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Edit: Just checked and there is no conductivity from the center pad to the negative.
I’m sorry to mislead anyone.
I also have that exact paste djozz recommended, it works the same as the Five Times more expensive one i had before…
I bought on eBay a set of syringes with different sizes of “needles” which are not sharp. I squirled the paste a bit and then filled some of it in a syringe. Works like a charm. After using I put the syringe in a small plastic bag with a rubber ring around the “needle”…works perfect.
I like noctigons most, but I don’t have tried the new version of sinkpads.
Interesting. Did you try electrical conductivity test before scraping?
Sinkpad’s current design sucks is inferior to noctigon imho.
Thermal pad is a hole.
Doesn’t seem to have any impact on performance over v.1 design
As long as you lay on enough paste to fill the thermal pad hole and tap it down during reflow to hopefully prevent air pockets.
Is sinkpad priced much cheaper than noctigon?
I prefer Noctigons.
The bondpads on Noctigons are larger than sinkpads. Makes it easier to attach the bondwires. And because the thermal pad is flat, it’s easier to get the right amount of solder paste on it.
ordered the solder paste! 
@ hanks noctigons:
i am a little confused…
at the page where all are shown (djozz´s link) ther is written:
“Noctigon XM20 V2 Copper MCPCB (2pcs)”
do they sell in pairs? no hint at the product itselve…
Yes, intl-outdoor sells them in pairs.
thanks!
Just tried and there is no conductivity. I’m so sorry for the confusion.
I guess I have to scrape a lot harder…
It’s well worth your time and effort to buy stencils from OshStencils.com , this is a kapton sheet with your emitter sizes cut out…simply line it up over the star and wipe solder paste on, then lift the stencil. The exact right amount of paste every time. Place the emitter, reflow it. Perfection.
I’ve been using these for reflowing emitters and building drivers and let me tell you, any other way is just being a glutton for punishment! 
Hy,
i bought the Maxtoch Boards and reflowed my first LEDs to them - successfully :bigsmile:
Both fit perfect into the SN6X-2X (XM-L2@5,8A and XP-G2@4A) and surely are good for some other moddings as these boards are much bigger than Noctigons and the contact plates are far more away from the center. So no problem with big base reflectors. I will try these later in the Trustfire T90-2, too.
I used CR44 solder paste (melting ~180°C) to reflow the LED to the MCPCBs.
Greetings
Kenjii