This article describes how to solder a quad flat pack component to a printed circuit board. The details of the process are covered, including chip placement, bent pin recovery, tacking, the soldering and solder bridge removal.

You will want to wear disposable plastic gloves, a half-face reusable mask filters with a HEPA filter, and goggles or some other form of protective eyewear. You will also want to wear plastic disposable full body clothing such as a lab coat, and rubber boots or foot coverings.

You will need a good place to apply the spray paint. Hopefully you have a room with good ventilation. However, you don’t want to be in an area where there is a breeze and dust is blowing around.

For protection of your skin, I recommend using latex gloves. Make sure you get the powder-free ones so that you don’t get any talcum powder from the gloves floating onto your boards and solder. You can buy these gloves at the supermarket. They may be labelled “powder free latex gloves for food handling”.

Take the gel flux syringe and apply the flux to all the pads, all the way around the chip. Put on a reasonably good amount of flux. The chip is now ready for soldering.

Turn “on” the vacuum and begin the cleaning process. When cleaning the ducts make sure to clean with ease…..do not clean with force! Use just enough power to break the dust or mold away from the walls of the duct work. Use whatever cleaning pattern works best for you. Be sure to clean all the cracks and crevices (hard to reach places) so you can achieve the best results. You are only going to clean up into the vent so far with the length of hose. So, when there is no more hose to clean with you have gone as far into the duct work as your going to go. This process may take some time!

#5- Ok, we’re ready for primer. I like to use an oil base primer on all exterior paint jobs (believe me it’s just better). After letting the first coat of primer dry for a minimum 4 hourrs. you can make a judgment call on if it needs another (if painting a light color over dark i.e. white over red, you may want to use a few coats of primer. but if painting dark over light i.e. red over white, the one coat will usually due).

With workshop safety, when it comes to your eyes, your hearing, and your lungs, there is no excuse not to take the proper precautions. Remember the damage you do won’t necessarily be immediate, rather it will be cumulative. The protection is inexpensive and easy to find… so use it.