I’m late coming to this thread, and maybe no one’s paying attention to it any more. I’m getting ready to solder some QFN components to a board, have the nifty hot air station from Spark Fun, and now I’m trying to refine my technique before I ruin some expensive chips!
Nathan, when you suggest applying heat to the whole thing, is there any special direction from which the heat should be applied, or just kind of give it the old Santa Ana from above? Circular motion? What temperature is suggested?
I assure that hand soldering such kind of component is quite possible!
You need to make a precise decal, and then solder tin on one corner first, then the diagnol one, making sure that every pin is in right position. Then you may trying soldering every side and remove excessive tin with tin absorder (the copper thread strip).
In fact, as in many schools in China, we hand solder every component if not BGA packaged.