Thruhole soldering- quickest method?

Im trying to figure out faster way to solder thruhole components than with just soldering iron and lead spool.

Im only visualizing it but it seems like solder paste on topside > hot air gun might do the trick. Just dab the paste on vias and blow it with hot air. Most thruhole components im working with will withstand the heat and afterwards i can rework the flow the bottom side with the same method.

Does this seem like a good idea?
 
As far as your back pain goes it could be due to ergonomics which could be putting strain on your back.
Well there is always a wave soldering machine but that could be costly
Paste in hole technology requires the proper solder paste volume which usually involves the pad aperture and stencil thickness
Good luck with that
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMFahey
I dont see why id need the paste method to be so meticulous when you can just wing it with solder wire and still have a perfectly working circuit. Im looking for a method replacement, not a finish quality upgrade.

Granted ive not fooled around with the paste yet but from what i see on youtube their wicking behavior is rather predictable and margin of error should be even more ample the bigger soldering area gets. No hard science required for that.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Applying paste ´pad by pad will take as much time or more as applying solder wire +iron tip to it, NO saving at all.
And MANY components won´t tolerate that scorching high temperature in their bodies.
Datasheets usually state something like : "soldering temperature 300C for 10 seconds" or so, obviously on the component leg, not body.
I´d LOVE to see you hot air soldering electrolytics, specially with modern lead free type.
Applying solder paste "all at once" will of course an expensive stencil and the proper machine.
 
Applying paste ´pad by pad will take as much time or more as applying solder wire +iron tip to it, NO saving at all.
And MANY components won´t tolerate that scorching high temperature in their bodies.
Datasheets usually state something like : "soldering temperature 300C for 10 seconds" or so, obviously on the component leg, not body.
I´d LOVE to see you hot air soldering electrolytics, specially with modern lead free type.
Applying solder paste "all at once" will of course an expensive stencil and the proper machine.

The components i have in mind were carbon film resistors, ceramic caps and diodes, which by numbers make up at least 50% of the board components. If i can also do the same with to92 bjts then ill be real happy and wont have any complaints soldering a few el caps by hand.
 
Using paste and hot air is not a very good or efficient way to solder through hole components. The hot air will take to much time to get the solder to flow because TH components are bigger and will dissipate the heat. Also hot air can’t be focused on one component at a time and will unnecessarily heat surrounding parts. Another potential issue is cold solder joints and you will have to touch up with solder and iron anyway.
When I’m smd soldering I use a hotplate to preheat the pcb with the components placed in paste on the topside. Then hitting with hot air from the top the solder flows quickly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMFahey
Right but u move between the joints, realign the wire ect and it all adds up
You have to "move between the joints to apply paste and it all adds up" anyway ... am I missing something?
Unless you squeegee paste through a custom made expensive stainless steel stencil that is.
But if you manually go pad to pad with your little syringe, I don´t see the time saving.
I come across a through-hole joint that takes more than 2-3 seconds to solder
That.
He won´t take less to apply paste, and then he has to deal with (hot air) soldering..
how about those solder guns with automated solder spool feeding? Are they gimmick?
What gimmick?
They apply solder wire and a hot tip to a solder joint, exact same way as the regular way, only "saving you one hand".
Not sure what´s your point.
 
I dont see why this discussion needed to become so complicated. With paste and hot air theres less precision involved, and hot air being what it is covers more area at once. Precision= more time. Coverage= less time so it HAS to be the faster method.

Will it translate to thruhole assembly? I will let you know soon