[Elecraft] Day 1: Fried something already?

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

That's exactly why I avoid "power tools" to destroy a part that needs to
come off except as a last resort. Tiny bits of metallic trash can cause
endless trouble now and in the future as an overlooked bit wiggles into just
the wrong position. Whenever I must do that I work with the board upside
down so things fall away, not to the side on down directly to the board.
Clumsy, but keeps the trash off the board and surrounding components. 

One danger with something like a relay and the plated through holes is that
a fillet of solder forms under the relay if too much solder was applied in
the first place. Indeed, that's often been the issue with people shorting
the signal path to a crystal can in the K2. It can be very difficult to get
all of that solder off from underneath and chopping the part to bits is the
only answer. 

I have found that working each pin separately - removing solder then
wiggling it until it's free - gets the job done >90% of the time. 

Ron AC7AC


-----Original Message-----

Glad you got it working.  In the future, destroying the part *carefully* is
the way to go -- hack away at it with pliers, dremel, whatever.  But do it
carefully:

- too much stress and prying can rip the vias and pads off the board,
leaving you with (possibly) a bigger problem than before

- if you're cutting or dremel'ing it away, you're probably showwering the
rest of board with tiny metal shavings

..
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