[Elecraft] Good deals on vacuum desoldering equipment?

[Scott T Emery]

	Desoldering is a fact of life for me. I am happy to say that when
I initially built the kit I had maybe a dozen desoldering jobs in the process,
either to correct errors or just following instructions. As I add things to
my K2, especially when I upgrade it from A to B (budget constraints and 
priorities have delayed that inevitability), I will do a considerable amount
of desoldering.

	Soldering is a dangerous activity. Health aside, one is applying
heat to a valuable PC board and valuable chips and introducing the possibility
of damage from Electrostatic Discharge.  Desoldering brings up all of the
same issues, and may add some mechanical stress at these elevated temperatures.

	I have a vacuum desoldering station which is basically a little
glass tube with a teflon tip attached to a vacuum pump which was given
to me.  It is the neatest thing since sliced bread, even if it does require
frequent cleaning.  Since I have had the chance to use one of these things
in addition to some of the other desoldering systems out there, I always
recommend it highly.   But I imagine that it is a relatively expensive
piece of gear (relative to a good soldering iron, solder, nips, etc.).

	I have seen earlier discussions of "all in one" desoldering stations,
where the soldering iron and the vaccum pump are an integrated unit. The
trade-off between convenience and complication seems to favor complication.

	There are some excellent resources for the K2 builder on the
elecraft web site. Questions about soldering stations, solder, tools and
specific useful techniques are answered there. I don't see a discussion
of desoldering at various price points.


1) What is the current thought on the best desoldering practice. (i.e. am I
	way off in my vacuum desoldering craze)

2) What is the best value in a vacuum style desoldering station if one
	insists on getting one (mine will break down eventually).

Scott Emery
AD6RY