I found this Proxxon Microflame Burner on Amazon. I’ll bet it would be great for reflows. It’s priced a little over your typical FT budget burner though. Recharges with standard lighter fuel.
I got one from Harbor Freight several years ago for like $5… still works fine. I reflow all my stars with it.
I have the cheapie on that takes Bic lighters, probably like pyro’s. They work OK for emitter stars, just not great for reflowing on regular electronics. Nice n toasty J)
If $50 or a little more is what you can spend, you might be able to find a hot air reflow station for under $80. Now that I have one of these, I accept no substitute.
That Proxxon is nice but I personally don’t feel safe paying so little for a butane torch. Charge me 3 or 4 times that for it & we’ll talk. :bigsmile:
No, the one that I have looks and works a lot like the Proxxon. You fill the tank with butane from a can. I bought it on sale. I think the normal price these days is around $15.
The butane soldering irons that have a ceramic matrix in the tip, that don't shoot actual flame out the end, are much much better for reflowing/redneck SMD work. You can still melt stuff if you screw up, but you won't have things bursting into flame before the solder melts.
It sounds good. Maybe if it was $20 I’d get one, but at $60 dollars you can go in a lot of different directions.
http://www.bernzomatic.com/item.html?id=16
http://www.amazon.com/Bernzomatic-Micro-Torch-St250k-Kits/dp/B004QOJUPC
$22
9 bucks, harbor freight… mine looks a little different, more like the Proxxon.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=butane+torch