Well, while we're sharing cunning plans, I'll blurt out mine before I apply for the patent (only kidding). This one's labour intensive, and I haven't tried it myself yet, so please don't send me the Blu Peter award for the worst idea, but . . . - get a 45 degree front coated mirror, Edmund Scientific do one 5x5mm, someone else might do one smaller - place the mirror close to the BGA / heel joint / whatever - apply light from that side - look down an inspection microscope (perpendicular to the board) at the mirror - cross fingers and see if there is any visibility Obviously if you're going to be spending a lot of time looking under things this isn't the way to do it, but for occasional looks, seeing whats going on, someone out there might find this a useful and cheap alternative. Of course, you have to treat front coated mirrors really nicely too, or they just become prisms. ############################################################## TechNet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ############################################################## To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TECHNET <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TECHNET ############################################################## Please visit IPC web site (http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm) for additional information. If you need assistance - contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 ##############################################################