Unpopular opinion: flux pens are way better than paste for tiny SMD work

I tried a flux pen for the first time last week on a busted phone board with 0402 resistors I kept losing. I figured paste would be fine but the pen let me put just a tiny dot exactly where I needed it. No splatter, no cleanup like paste always gives me. Has anyone else switched over from paste and found it works better for fine pitch stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

lunakim11d ago

Have you tried tacky flux in a syringe though? Way more control than a pen.

olivia_harris1911d ago

Tacky flux in a syringe is great, but pens actually have their own kind of control too. The syringes can sometimes drip if you push too hard, and the tip can get clogged if you leave it sitting. Pens at least let you dab right where you need it without that initial blob. Might just be my shaky hands though, I always end up with a bigger mess using a syringe.