Imdes Mini for 1600 EUR?

[lukego]

How is the Imdes Mini for an entry-level hobbyist/prototype reflow oven these days?

The price seems to have more than doubled from the ~700 EUR mentioned in the archives to the 1600 EUR current price:
https://www.imdes.de/produkt/mini-condens-it/?lang=en

Has the build quality also improved? Are the results still as great as people have reported before? How should we account for the price increase, is that simply a reflection of the lack of competition? Is there any competition at this "thousand dollars or so" price point now or coming on the horizon?

[Koen]

"entry-level hobbyist/prototype" : give a big cooking pot a try first. Switch it on, wait, switch it off at 230C.

[lukego]

"entry-level hobbyist/prototype" : give a big cooking pot a try first. Switch it on, wait, switch it off at 230C.

I am going to do this!

I thought you were being flippant at first but then I found this epic thread:
https://www.imdes.de/produkt/mini-condens-it/?lang=en

which referenced this demo:


and showed the basic technique for desoldering with vapor too:


and now this all makes total sense to me. You heat the Galden liquid, at 230C it becomes a heavy vapour that rises up a little bit to cover the board, it cools and falls before it escapes from the pot, and the vapor that condenses onto the PCB will be at exactly 230C to bring everything to the right temperature without overheating.

Just be careful not to heat it above 300C or it will turn into acid and kill you :-)

I'm sold! Just trying to work out where to buy a suitable pyrex beaker or asparagus pot in my neck of the woods...

[cgroen]

If I just knew if their "jumbo" version https://www.imdes.de/produkt/jumbo-condens-it-profiler/?lang=en
would work ok, and not have the same problems as shown here on the forum before, I would jump right in and get it.
I'm also looking at the IN6 from Neoden, but the european agent has gone kind of silent. Vapor phase would be cool if the imdes machines are ok.

[Koen]

A normal big pot will do. With a transparent lid. And something like a metal grid to make a spacer between bottom and PCBs.

I paid 20 EUR per pot, 5 EUR per spacer, 30 EUR for an electric cooking plate, 150 EUR for Galden (four years ago).

[cgroen]

A normal big pot will do. With a transparent lid. And something like a metal grid to make a spacer between bottom and PCBs.

I paid 20 EUR per pot, 5 EUR per spacer, 30 EUR for an electric cooking plate, 150 EUR for Galden (four years ago).

Thats true Koen, but in my case I need something ready and done, I'm already low on available time, I need something that can at least do 260 x 100 mm PCBs (preferably larger for panels)

[Koen]

Ha, I was replying to lukego last sentence.

[lukego]

I have ordered materials for my DIY vapor phase soldering setup:

500ml Galden LS 230:
https://eleshop.eu/vapour-phase-galden-ls-230-liquid-500ml.html

Tall asparagus pot:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01N39QI4N

Multiple K-type temperature probe:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07FKN6QJG

My first project will be to desolder a large BGA chip. I'm planning to kapton tape one thermal probe onto the chip and pull gently on the probe's cable to lift it off the PCB. I'll also have another thermal probe maybe 5cm above the PCB and when that approaches 230C I will turn off the heat. I'll be using the kitchen hotplate as the heat source. I'll need to work out the appropriate level of Galden to pour into the pot.

Safety tips? I'm thinking that my main concern should be to avoid the Galden reaching 300C and decomposing into a dangerous form, and that the main risk for that to happen would be for the bottom of the pot to somehow deform and unevenly heat, but that this is unlikely in a sturdy pot with ~1cm of Galden. I will read all the forum archives again on this issue before proceeding.

(I hope the basket in the pot will be big enough for my PCB, I'm not quite sure of that yet but I think so.)

[cgroen]

I have ordered materials for my DIY vapor phase soldering setup:

500ml Galden LS 230:
https://eleshop.eu/vapour-phase-galden-ls-230-liquid-500ml.html

Tall asparagus pot:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B01N39QI4N

Multiple K-type temperature probe:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07FKN6QJG

My first project will be to desolder a large BGA chip. I'm planning to kapton tape one thermal probe onto the chip and pull gently on the probe's cable to lift it off the PCB. I'll also have another thermal probe maybe 5cm above the PCB and when that approaches 230C I will turn off the heat. I'll be using the kitchen hotplate as the heat source. I'll need to work out the appropriate level of Galden to pour into the pot.

Safety tips? I'm thinking that my main concern should be to avoid the Galden reaching 300C and decomposing into a dangerous form, and that the main risk for that to happen would be for the bottom of the pot to somehow deform and unevenly heat, but that this is unlikely in a sturdy pot with ~1cm of Galden. I will read all the forum archives again on this issue before proceeding.

(I hope the basket in the pot will be big enough for my PCB, I'm not quite sure of that yet but I think so.)

lukego,
it seems that the LS 230 Galden is a little cheaper at IMDES: https://www.imdes.de/produkt/high-boiling-perfluorpolyeter-galden-ls-230/?lang=en
(euro 145 versus 189)
Just a tip

[lukego]

Thanks for pointing out the price difference. I see they also have more volumes to choose from. For the same money I might be able to get a practical amount of LS230 for lead-free and LS200 for leaded.

I'll see if I can cancel the original order.

[cgroen]

Thanks for pointing out the price difference. I see they also have more volumes to choose from. For the same money I might be able to get a practical amount of LS230 for lead-free and LS200 for leaded.

I'll see if I can cancel the original order.

Yes, there is quite some difference I think! I will be ordering too in the near future

[Spikee]

I have one for sale (second hand). If you are interested, hit me up