Puckdropper wrote:


In my opinion, an air compressor is not going to be sufficient to blow
chips off a cold circuit board.

Yup - and that was the whole point in my reply to Bill's post. Not even a
chance of that happening. Nothing to worry about.


However, socketed ICs, pin and header
connections, shorting jumpers, and maybe even some switches may be
negatively affected by the compressed air.

Not unless you intentionally try to direct the air stream in such a manner
as to try to lift them, and even then - not likely. Socketed IC's are not
likely to unseat with that air pressure, shorting jumpers - maybe since they
can be weak connections. But - you simply don't blow under them to lift
them. Not a complex solution. Switches - not too likely at all. Again -
it all comes down to how you apply the air.


If sufficiently high heat
enters the equation, however, the force of the compressed air can
easily blow the solder away from the component and cause it to fly
off.

Sufficiently high heat is the key. Solder requires a nominal 450 degree
heat to melt. Not likely you're going to get that from any gun in
combination with a blow gun. Think about it - you can cause enough heat
disipation just by breathing on a soldering iron to prevent it from melting
a solder joint. And now you're talking about mixing 80-120psi of air in
with a marginal heat source? Not much chance of lifting any joints.




You guys may have inadvertently sold me on another tool... I gotta see
how much those hot air soldering pencils cost.


Dude - remember what PT Barnum said...

--

-Mike-