good solder suckers

[evilxsystems]

Limor sent me a center detent 50k pot that I was not expecting, so I need to switch it out for my 50k no detent pot that I already have at VR2 since I don't want a center detent pot for the accent knob. I tried using solder wick to get it out last night, but there is just too much damn solder in those big holes to get them out with the wick. Does anyone know of a good solder sucker or a better way of desoldering a pot? Also the rings for the big posts on the pot aren't connected to anything are they, they are just structural right? I may have jacked them trying to get the thing out last night.

-jason

[subatomic]

Limor sent me a center detent 50k pot that I was not expecting, so I need to switch it out for my 50k no detent pot that I already have at VR2 since I don't want a center detent pot for the accent knob. I tried using solder wick to get it out last night, but there is just too much damn solder in those big holes to get them out with the wick. Does anyone know of a good solder sucker or a better way of desoldering a pot? Also the rings for the big posts on the pot aren't connected to anything are they, they are just structural right? I may have jacked them trying to get the thing out last night.

When I had the wrong pot in for resonance, I think I used solder sucker for the pins, Just make sure the pins wiggle so you know the pot will tilt out when you heat each post... then I heated each large post and tilted the pot out, then cleaned out each hole...

[Guest]

You should be able to move your iron back and forth between the 2 big pins to get them both hot. Put a screwdriver under the pot to really help you leverage it out. You should
be able to pull 1/2 the pot up this way. Or heat one up, lift up the pot some, let it cool, move to the other, repeat.

[Guest]

I'd buy a couple of cheap solder suckers rather than one expensive model, because no matter how well you treat it it will break fairly quickly. And the trick if you want to suck out everything, is to heat the tin from the other side of the board, to get a clear shot at sucking it up. Heating it up, then removing the iron, getting the sucker in position and hitting the trigger successfully is fiddly (but fun when you get the hang of it )

[dj_statikfire]

I have extensive soldering experience, i've never needed a solder sucker. Braid is far better to use.

Most braid sold out there is BANNED, the VERY BEST is the Chemtronics 80-3-5, goes for about 3.25 a spool.

THX,
JD

[tsheets]

I agree.. the only solder suckers I like are the high-end ones with integrated vaccuum and iron.

The spring-loaded ones don't do it for me.

-troy

[etaoin]

Most braid sold out there is BANNED, the VERY BEST is the Chemtronics 80-3-5, goes for about 3.25 a spool.

Not sure if this is the same (as it doesn't say 80-3-5 anywhere), but this is what I use:
.

However, I do find that for removing solder from metalized through holes the solder sucker works far better. I usually remove the big lumps with the wik and open up the holes with the sucker.

By the way, about the above mentioned tip as to heating up the solder first and then bringing the sucker in. The tip of the sucker should be heat resistant (at least mine is), so I usually have the sucker right next to the tip of the soldering iron which means I can suck out the solder while it is still at maximum temperature and liquidity.

[evilxsystems]

well I got out the pot and the ba6110 using this thing...works pretty damn well...it looks ridiculous and the tip is a bit huge but it was ok for those parts of the board..

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... age=search

[Guest]

Thats nice. You can use it to bast your turkey too.

-troy