jeff1500,
I am using a metcal sodering station with a Bausch and Lomb stereo zoom microscope 7-30X and fine solder. I don't know the diameter of the solder. I do know that the solder is actually a little on the large size for the MAXIM small footprint and leads. The small metcal tip is also somewhat too big too. It's fine for SOIC and regular SMT parts but the Maxim 8 pin is pushing it. Don't try the MAXIM 1676 since there are 5 pins on a side and the package is the same size. The leads are smaller on the 1676 and are the hardest ones to solder.
I do most of my work after hours at work and we have two SMT re-work stations on one bench.
I also use tweezers of various types. The industrial kind.
I do my boards in Eagle Layout PCB software and then I toner transfer the image to copper clad board before etching them. So, my boards are custom made. During development I only make one or two. I then load and test them. If I find I need to do something different, I go back and change the schematic and layout and re-do the whole process. I've can average about a board a day change for these small converter designs.
If you want to do serious work, you will need an assortment of SMT capacitors and a good assortment of SMT resisitors, power inductors.
if you can't afford a B&L $2,000 stereo microscope, then, the next best thing is a tweezers with magnifier on it. There are several different models I've seen on the web.
The one I got at the local hobby store is called "Craft & jewely Tools" by Cousin Corporation of America, Largo, FL 34649. Made In Taiwan part number 4461 and list priced at $7.95. You can hold the SMT part and look through the magnifier to see where you are soldering it.
