PCEngine-FX.com

I've been doing surface mount stuff.  For removing surface mount chips I'd like to get a good heat gun which I assume is the easiest way to remove surface mount chips safely without damaging the solder pads.  I'm wonder what heat gun people recommend and where to get it.

Dave at the eevblog uses a cheapie Atten 858D+ (https://youtu.be/vva2t21sOAs&list=PL2862BF3631A5C1AA&index=4&feature=plpp_video) and he seems to think it works pretty good.
BTW anyone interested in electronics should check out his youtube (https://www.youtube.com/user/EEVblog?feature=watch) vids and forum (http://www.eevblog.com/forum).
I bought an AOYUE 909, but only because it has an adjustable DC power supply and extra soldering iron all in one. I can't remember what I paid, but to be honest I like the iron on it better than my Weller. It heats up way faster, but I haven't tracked down different tips for it - if they exist. It is a 220 volt unit so I use a step up transformer, this may be why the iron heats up faster, not sure, but they do have 110V units.
Checking ebay it looks like $200 is average and that sounds like about what I paid two years ago.
Mine came with a few different nozzles, but it uses a standard nozzle type so buying other types is easy though not really necessary for hobbyist use.

So the nozzles are important for targeting one specific area?  I bought a cheap 16$ one and it's great for heating stuff up enough to desolder.  I just have to be very careful otherwise I desolder everything in a certain area when I only want to desolder one thing.

Yeah, look em up on ebay, they make crazy designs for like quad flat pack etc.
I use a fairly small maybe 1/2" tube nozzle for %99 of the work I use air for.

Thanks a lot for all the great advice!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290785996515

Quote from: thesteve on 10/10/2012, 07:11 PMhttp://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290785996515

Only if you're doing speaker wire. I wouldn't use those on electronics. I'd get a FX-888 like dave says.

Quote from: vxbinaca on 11/01/2012, 02:31 AM

Quote from: thesteve on 10/10/2012, 07:11 PMhttp://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290785996515

Only if you're doing speaker wire. I wouldn't use those on electronics. I'd get a FX-888 like dave says.

its all about know your tool.
dont use a heat source without practice.

The atten looks like what I need. I ordered a bunch of smd caps, like the ones on the stock duo, but was having a hard time soldering them on with a soldering station.  Gonna order me one if these. Thanks for sharing. My goal is to make my repairs/mods work look stock as much as possible.

using general heat on aluminum is likely to damage the caps.
your best bet is to preheat the board, and use an iron on those