4 ms·

I've been pretty happy with just a couple of sizes of Chemtronic Solder Wick (I use the lead free). Apply some extra flux (Chip Quik SMD291NL) on the joint, use

by kayson 3y ago

I've been pretty happy with just a couple of sizes of Chemtronic Solder Wick (I use the lead free). Apply some extra flux (Chip Quik SMD291NL) on the joint, use a medium chisel tip, and its been able to handle anything I've thrown at it. I've also used it on a somewhat fine-pitch SMT M.2 connector by wrapping a smaller size around a small needle tip. I can imagine if you did this a lot it might be worth investing in the tweezers or suction to save time, but as a hobbyist I'm not convinced the math works out.

jtriangle 3y ago
Spring loaded sucker for DIP, wick and flux for anything smaller. Use good liquid flux, and alot of it, and it's short work. I can't imagine how much desoldering I'd have to do in order to even consider a gun, seems to be a very tenuous proposition.
- kayson 3y ago
  I've never had much luck with the suckers. Which one do you use?
  - buescher 3y ago
    The soldapullt worked fine for me. That said: when mine went missing over 15 years ago, I never got around to replacing it.
  - YZF 3y ago
    You need to get them right onto the solder joint as you're heating it up. If that plastic tip of the sucker is melting that's usually an indication you're using it the right way ;) e.g. with a DIP part you basically get the sucker over the pin/pad and push it hard against the molten solder so that it's sucking through the through-hole. Like many things with soldering it's an acquired skill. Also having a good temperature controlled soldering iron with an appropriate tip is important.
  - jtriangle 2y ago
    It was some offbrand I bought from radioshack back in the day. Teflon tip, aluminum tube with a spring in it and an o-ring. Super simple, cheap. The big thing is to get the tip more or less touching the solder you're looking to suck, and if you're on a PCB, make sure you allow it to cool between sucking sessions so you don't lift a pad.

by kayson 3y ago

jtriangle 3y ago

Spring loaded sucker for DIP, wick and flux for anything smaller. Use good liquid flux, and alot of it, and it's short work. I can't imagine how much desoldering I'd have to do in order to even consider a gun, seems to be a very tenuous proposition.

kayson 3y ago
I've never had much luck with the suckers. Which one do you use?
- buescher 3y ago
  The soldapullt worked fine for me. That said: when mine went missing over 15 years ago, I never got around to replacing it.
- YZF 3y ago
  You need to get them right onto the solder joint as you're heating it up. If that plastic tip of the sucker is melting that's usually an indication you're using it the right way ;) e.g. with a DIP part you basically get the sucker over the pin/pad and push it hard against the molten solder so that it's sucking through the through-hole. Like many things with soldering it's an acquired skill. Also having a good temperature controlled soldering iron with an appropriate tip is important.
- jtriangle 2y ago
  It was some offbrand I bought from radioshack back in the day. Teflon tip, aluminum tube with a spring in it and an o-ring. Super simple, cheap. The big thing is to get the tip more or less touching the solder you're looking to suck, and if you're on a PCB, make sure you allow it to cool between sucking sessions so you don't lift a pad.