Jeff Thiele wrote to Tristan Greaves <=-

This is certainly a 'hole in my arsensal', as it were. Soldering is
just not my thing (yet).

Hence the idea of recapping motherboards and so on (The Amiga is
notorious for requiring this) is beyond me. Thankfully, there are professionals who do this as a service out there.

Desoldering is definitely a much bigger challenge than soldering. With
new retro kits (such as Lee Hart's Membership Card kits, or Don
Superfo's Harlequin ZX clones) you don't have to desolder unless you
make a mistake (which tends to make it a mistake you're not terribly enthused about repeating).

Solder Wick is sold by several places - including Chemtronics & Newegg:

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=solder+wick

To do the complete job I recommend their kit with braid and a solder
sucker included:

https://www.newegg.com/p/0X6-08WU-00B69?Description=solder%20sucker&cm_re=solde r_sucker-_-9SIATNNDAZ7015-_-Product

A little practice et voila, Bob's your uncle.


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--- MultiMail/Win
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On 21 Feb 2022, Dave Drum said the following...

Solder Wick is sold by several places - including Chemtronics & Newegg:

That's my preferred method, but results in removal of the pad far more often than I'd like. I'm almost certainly doing something wrong, and cheap protoboards don't help the situation.

To do the complete job I recommend their kit with braid and a solder sucker included:

I do have braid and a solder sucker, and have gotten better at using the sucker. It helps to use a vise or something similar to hold the PCB upright
so that both sides can be accessed simultaneously. However, I still find it somewhat frustrating; that might just be me.

I have a soldering/desoldering station on my wishlist; I'm hoping that will make things easier. Am I deluding myself?

Jeff.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: Cold War Computing BBS (1:387/26)

Jeff Thiele wrote to Dave Drum <=-

Solder Wick is sold by several places - including Chemtronics & Newegg:

That's my preferred method, but results in removal of the pad far more often than I'd like. I'm almost certainly doing something wrong, and
cheap protoboards don't help the situation.

Hmmmmmm .... I've never had that problem unless I've overheated the
circuit board. I generally use as low a wattage soldering pencil that
will melt the solder.

To do the complete job I recommend their kit with braid and a solder sucker included:

I do have braid and a solder sucker, and have gotten better at using
the sucker. It helps to use a vise or something similar to hold the PCB upright so that both sides can be accessed simultaneously. However, I still find it somewhat frustrating; that might just be me.

I have a soldering/desoldering station on my wishlist; I'm hoping that will make things easier. Am I deluding myself?

If you have wick, sucker and heat source you have most of it. A station
will give you a "safe" rest for the soldering pencil, a holder for a
tip cleaning sponge/surface and probably some alligator clips on posts
for holding boards, components ... and maybe a magnifier.

Newegg has a range of ststions from U$30 to "how deep are your pockets?"

Bv)=

The U$30 (48W Temperature Adjustable Soldering Station with LCD Display
- ESD Safe) guy would work for me as I already have a "helping hand"
stand w/articulated clips and magnifying glass abd light source.

Hope this helps.

... "A cheapskate won't tip a waitress. I'm just careful with my money." -- UDD --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12)

That's my preferred method, but results in removal of the pad far mor often than I'd like. I'm almost certainly doing something wrong, and cheap protoboards don't help the situation.

Hmmmmmm .... I've never had that problem unless I've overheated the circuit board. I generally use as low a wattage soldering pencil that
will melt the solder.

I might have the soldering iron set too hot, then.

To do the complete job I recommend their kit with braid and a solder sucker included:

I do have braid and a solder sucker, and have gotten better at using the sucker. It helps to use a vise or something similar to hold the P upright so that both sides can be accessed simultaneously. However, I still find it somewhat frustrating; that might just be me.

I have a soldering/desoldering station on my wishlist; I'm hoping tha will make things easier. Am I deluding myself?

If you have wick, sucker and heat source you have most of it. A station will give you a "safe" rest for the soldering pencil, a holder for a
tip cleaning sponge/surface and probably some alligator clips on posts
for holding boards, components ... and maybe a magnifier.

The one I have my eye on for about $150 has a suction pump in it as well. The soldering and desoldering tools are separate, although connected to the same base unit.

https://amazon.com/YIHUA-Desoldering-Station-Soldering-Iron/dp/B07RTXCHGV

I do have a magnifying visor that is pretty much indispensable at this point.

Jeff.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: Cold War Computing BBS (1:387/26)

Jeff Thiele wrote to Dave Drum <=-

If you have wick, sucker and heat source you have most of it. A station will give you a "safe" rest for the soldering pencil, a holder for a
tip cleaning sponge/surface and probably some alligator clips on posts
for holding boards, components ... and maybe a magnifier.

The one I have my eye on for about $150 has a suction pump in it as
well. The soldering and desoldering tools are separate, although
connected to the same base unit.

https://amazon.com/YIHUA-Desoldering-Station-Soldering-Iron/dp/B07RTXCHG
V

I had a station with a vacuum pump - when I was doing a lot of VCR
(remember those?) repairs. I founf I seldom used it as the portable
solder sucker was much more handy - and I didn't have to listen to the
vacuum pump clattering away when I was trying to concentrate.

I do have a magnifying visor that is pretty much indispensable at
this point.

At any point, actually. Bv)=



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* Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200)

On 23 Feb 2022, Dave Drum said the following...

The one I have my eye on for about $150 has a suction pump in it as well. The soldering and desoldering tools are separate, although connected to the same base unit.

https://amazon.com/YIHUA-Desoldering-Station-Soldering-Iron/dp/B07RTX V

I had a station with a vacuum pump - when I was doing a lot of VCR (remember those?) repairs. I founf I seldom used it as the portable solder sucker was much more handy - and I didn't have to listen to the vacuum pump clattering away when I was trying to concentrate.

The soldering/desoldering station arrived yesterday and I used it a bit last night. I was previously using a soldering station with a dial to control the temperature, and this is superior in a few ways.

It heats up much faster than the old iron. Much faster. It also has more sensors and emits a tone when the iron or desoldering tool are heated to the desired temperature. It maintains different temperature settings for the two devices. The desoldering is very clean.

Due to the nature of the power switch, only one device can be heated at a
time. The vacuum pump does not operate all of the time, but only when the trigger of the desoldering tool is pressed. I suppose it would become bothersome to change back and forth a lot, but I tend to solder a lot more
than desolder. I only really desolder to fix mistakes. Once I get the hang of this desoldering tool, I think I could be ready to attempt some restorative component replacements.

Jeff.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: Cold War Computing BBS (1:387/26)

Jeff Thiele wrote to Dave Drum <=-

If you have wick, sucker and heat source you have most of it. A

station

Ah the good old days with VCR's I made alot of money off them at my
computer shop. My the soldering station got a hell of a work out.
Sorry to bud in! You brought a lot of memories back thanks for waking
my brain up!
Sam


Bye for now...
Sam

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Sam Penwright wrote to Dave Drum <=-

Ah the good old days with VCR's I made alot of money off them at my computer shop. My the soldering station got a hell of a work out.
Sorry to bud in! You brought a lot of memories back thanks for waking
my brain up!

You're not butting in, Sam. This is a public discussion where anyone can
chime in about anything being talked about. :D

-- Sean

... If at first you don't succeed, try something else.
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