Stephen:
I'm glad your operation worked. But even a small drill can do more
damage to the plate-through than is necessary because you're not sure
if it is going down the center of the hole, and encountering only
solder, or if it is to the side, encountering both solder and
plate-through. Using a stainless-steel pin or needle is a very safe
method. Solder does not stick to the stainless steel. If the hole is
partially open, you need only stick the tip of the needle in, use your
iron, either on the pad or directly on the pin, to heat the pin and,
with very gentle pressure let it slowly melt its way through. Works
beautifully. Some larger stainless pins have nice large non-metallic
heads, which allows one to hold it and apply pressure even when hot.
Most XYLs have stainless pins or needles floating about. It seems to
go with the breed.
best wishes,
dave belsley, w1euy
On Apr 16, 2005, at 4:11 AM, Stephen wrote:
Gentlefolks,
I did not explain myself very well in the previous post. What I did
was to
use a very small drill, with a diameter smaller that that of the hole,
and
twist it gently between my fingers. This was sufficient to remove
enough of
the solder to allow me to insert the component leads without damaging
the
through hole plating. I was lucky enough to find a small box of 50 or
so PCB
drills in different sizes, from very tiny through to about 2 mm at a
stall at
Dayton some years back for, I think, $10.
I only resorted to this approach because my Weller de soldering
station,
which i was given for free seems to have developed a fault and I had
nothing
else to hand. It is a Model DS 801, The symptom is that whilst the tip
heats
up, no matter what the temperature setting, it will not melt solder
;-(. The
green LED flashes at about 1 Hz which is possibly a fault indication.
if
anyone has a manual for one, or knows what the fault is i would be
greatful
for some assistance.
Of course the real answer is for me to pay more attention to the
manual in
the first place. ;-). It is a beautiful morning over here in Norfolk,
England...do I melt more solder...or garden...that is the question.....
--
Stephen Farthing
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