Couldn't afford the vacuum kit I wanted, so I built a low end wantabe tool for my desoldering tasks.
I have combined a Radio Shack 45-Watt Desoldering Iron https://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062731 and one of Radio Shack's (popper styled) Vacuum Desoldering Tool https://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062745 I removed the, IMO, useless rubber bulb on the Desoldering Iron and attached a short piece of tubing between where the bulb was removed and the tip of the 'popper' desoldering tool. this way I can apply heat to the location then hit the popper's release hopefully sucking up (most of) the solder residue sometimes I even using the popper as a blower to clear some of the offending solder.... hold the iron tip in place and push the popper down as though you were going to cock it, but don't complete the stroke to where it catches it's hold position just be sure you don't blow the solder onto another part of a board where you have to remove the mess you just made, don't ask how I know this... Sometimes I have also use the stainless needles as a last resort but be sure the needle is small enough to pass all the way through the hole again with the how do I know this bit..... I used a needle a little to fat for the hole and ended up pushing the through hole, through the pcb hole, duh. ymmv GB & 73 K5OAI Sam Morgan ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
