From Brian Willoughby Sent Sun, Mar 11th 2018, 01:32
From Brian Willoughby Sent Sun, Mar 11th 2018, 01:32
I recently changed my mind about desoldering tools on a few projects = repairing a CR-78 and a couple of TR-808 units. I started out decades ago with a mechanical vacuum pump paired with a = standard iron. I then found a vacuum pump with a heated tip, which = seemed to make the whole process easier because the soldering iron tip = and desoldering pump were no longer competing for access to the pins = being worked. I used this tool for decades, but it wasn=E2=80=99t a = well-known brand. However, after some time, the seals in this heated pump wore down and no = longer worked as well. This made the whole process take longer than = necessary. I still have the trusty old Weller desoldering pump, and I = found that it worked really great for removing switches like the TR-808. Note that the desoldering iron lifted a TR-808 trace (which wasn=E2=80=99t= fatal since each switch has redundant pins), but the non-heated pump = and standard iron allowed me to apply less heat in a more controlled = manner. My point is this: Don=E2=80=99t forget the cheap and simple option of using your regular = soldering iron with a mechanical pump like the Weller. I imagine the = o-rings are fairly easily replaced if they get old enough to wear and = not provide full vacuum. It=E2=80=99s entirely possible that a Hakko is = better than either of the above options, but I found such a drastic = improvement going back to the basic setup that I=E2=80=99m not really = inclined to buy an elaborate setup. Meanwhile, my soldering tweezers are irreplaceable. They work great for = removing SMD resistors and capacitors, as well as SOIC chips up to 14 = pins (with the appropriate attachment). Brian On Mar 9, 2018, at 5:42 PM, David Bivins <xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: > I'm about to undertake removing all the switches from a CR-8000 and = think I need to take my relationship with tech gear to the next step and = get a desoldering station. I don't need to do bulky jobs very often = (this is the first very large project I've encountered), so I think the = entry-level Hakko FR-300 is adequate despite the poor reviews (seems = like heavy users are pushing it beyond its limits). But I wanted to = check here first in case someone has recently upgraded and has something = that I could purchase/inherit.=20 >=20 > Also any advice is welcome. Again, I don't think I would use it that = often; usually I use a hand pump or copper solder wick for one-offs.