I can now solder 0402 components with ease

[Speakerguy]

And all it took was a really expensive microscope and a few components worth of practice.

If anyone really wants to get into fine pitch or super small SMT stuff, a microscope is a really really good investment.

 

[picbits]

I use an old Canon camcorder in Macro mode with a fixed focus on the board and a 19" monitor to watch what I'm doing.

Also a good setup for inspecting tracks and reading the component values on smaller SMD components

 

[Boncuk]

How often did you solder your fingers instead of the components?

 

[Speakerguy]

Not once! But that rosin flux is sticky as all get out.

 

[DirtyLude]

What kind of microscope is this? The ones I see rely on light coming up from the bottom.

I don't have much trouble with 0402 with just reading glasses on, but it's not pretty.

I have this thing for checking work and it's actually awesome for such a cheap lens and the led lighting really works well, but you can't use it while soldering.
**broken link removed**

 

[Speakerguy]

It's a Leica GZ6 on a boom arm with fiber optic lighting from above. I don't know how much it cost originally but similar brands in the Techni-Tool catalog run anywhere from 1.5K to 4K USD depending on features.

My boss could hardly tell the difference between the resistors/caps I had populated, and the ones our NASA-certified technicians had done. I was kinda proud.

 

[DirtyLude]

Well, as long as it's as cheap as that, I'll be getting two.

**broken link removed**