[Elecraft] Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)

[Larry Phipps]

Good points and nice tricks Wayne and Don. In my case I don't even try 
to save the part. Parts are cheap, relatively speaking. It is much 
easier to remove most parts one pin at a time.

Larry N8LP



Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Wayne and all,
>
> As you well know, de-soldering lead-free solder jobs is a chore.  My Hakko
> 808 is often unsuccessful.
> My technique is to first suck out as much of the solder that I can, then
> re-solder with leaded solder and suck it out again.
>
> If I am not successful after 3 attempt at this, I give up and destroy the
> component so it can be removed by heating one lead at a time and use the
> stainless steel needle 'trick' to open the holes.  When destroying some
> components such as relays, I take great care not to place stress on the
> board - keep a clear head about where the pressure points are and use
> whatever tools are available - a shortened hacksaw blade, large pliers,
> small pliers, diagonal cutters and other similar devices may be used in
> combination to get the bits of the device destroyed without damage to the
> board.
>
> I look for the straight stainless steel picks at hamfests and try to have at
> least 2 of them handy at my workbench at all times, since they tend to get
> lost under other items easily.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>   
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of wayne burdick
>> Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 12:46 AM
>> To: Ron D'Eau Claire
>> Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: [Elecraft] Re: lead-free solder (plus bonus desoldering primer :)
>>
>>
>> Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> I wrote, "Lead-free solder melts at a higher temperature than leaded
>>> solder. Higher temperatures mean it's easier
>>> to lift a trace or damage a solder pad if you change a part."
>>>       
>> This is certainly true. But it's worse than that. What I should have
>> said is that it's much harder to get parts off the board *at all* if
>> they were secured using unleaded solder. It's hard to get even one wire
>> out of a hole!
>>
>> In 1999 I wrote about the joys of component removal:
>>
>>     http://www.kkn.net/archives/html/QRP-L/1999-01/msg00445.html
>>
>> Everything I said in this piece goes double for lead-free solder  :)
>>
>> However, I must modify my original Technique #8. Rather than use a
>> component lead to clean out a solder-filled hole, I use a very thin
>> stainless-steel "pick" or a toothpick. The solder won't stick to such
>> tools -- a huge improvement over my original method.
>>
>> 73,
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>>     
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