I am just curious. I want to make something small but don't know if DRQFN can be placed by hand. There seems to be no way to see if I get good alignment. Anyone did this by hand? Thanks.
(Dual row QFN package)
Alignment-wise, if the outer pins are aligned, the inner ones will be too.
Paste placement might be fun. Surface tension should help with positioning.
I wouldn't do it, though.
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OK thanks to you both. I might stay away from it for now. What I'm considering doing is to replace the 328P-AU with a 1284P on an Arduino NANO board. This would "upgrade" the SRAM and FLASH of a NANO footprint board. Who knows? Maybe there is market for it. The QTFP footprint 1284P gets very very close to the headers. If I have time, what I might try is to reduce the header pin hole's outer diameter to make some space.
A 1284 Nano would be fun 
I think I'd add the regulator and USB/Serial chip to a DIP package instead. Need the space for the pins anyway, yes?
I think separate works better, unless there's nothing else in your system. How many designs are just a Nano, and nothing else?
I was just thinking about a nano upgrade, more SRAM and more FLASH. Not gonna really do it. Fall semester just started. I'll only maintain my data logger project.