Desolder gun or pump?

[protos]

I was wondering if it is worthwhile to add a vacuum pump electric desoldering gun to my tools.I have of course been using the usual handheld pump but I was wondering how much more convenient would a gun be?
For example,is it going to desolder plated thru PCB/components that are very difficult to do?

[dangus]

I once "raced" another technician in replacing components on a bunch of identical circuit boards. He used a Pace desoldering station, I used my trusty manual Soldapullt model DS 017, and our time per board was just about identical. One problem with the desoldering guns is with the tips clogging; the other is that most systems don't pull the same peak vacuums that the manual tool can.

I'd only consider getting a really good gun. Like a Pace, and maybe one that runs off a pneumatic-powered vacuum source (uses compressed air to create a vacuum using the Bernouilli effect).

[dnsey]

I have one of these .
Cheap, very effective and a lot easier that seperate iron and pump!

[Conrad Hoffman]

Like dangus, I swear by the DS-017. The smaller pumps are all useless junk by comparison. At work I use the big Weller rework station, and that's really nice. IMO, it works slightly better, but the price is too much for home use.

[dangus]

And, to address the original question about desoldering plated-through boards:

I replaced dozens of 28 pin modules on plated-through, 4-layer boards, using the previously mentioned Soldapullt and a standard Weller soldering iron. There is skill and timing involved, to get the solder hot enough, then simultaneously pull the tip away and apply the solder-sucker. And it helps if the hole diameter is relatively large compared to the pin, and the pins are located in the center of the hole.

With pins that were connected to the inner power or ground planes, I usually had to leave those until last, and just heat 'em up and pry the component out. Then it was possible to get the hole clean by holding the soldering iron to one side of the board and sucking from the other.

On another board that I worked on that had heavy power and ground planes, I often had to just carefully drill the solder out.

Generally, I prefer to remove components destructively in order to preserve the circuit board at all costs. With ICs, that means clipping the pins along one side, then bending it back and forth to break of the others. Remove pins one at a time, then suck the solder out.

[AudioFreak]

Desoldering guns are all good and well but unless you get a very expensive desoldering station they can be more trouble than they are worth. If you are in a commercial environment doing this kind of stuff for hours on end, a few days each week, then you could probably justify the cost. As a DIYer I have to put in another vote for the trusty DS-017.

[speakerguy79]

Pace MBT350 station at work with desolder tool & built in vacuum. I have tried solder suckers in combination with a regular iron, and the Pace wins not by miles but by light-years. I have DS 017 at work and it sucks in comparison IMO (though it is still be best solder pump out there, period). I might try that iron + sucker combination that was linked earlier, maybe I will order one before I buy myself a nice rework station (I have been budgeting ~800USD for a rework station, Hakko, Pace or OkI are on the list).

I've desoldered 28 pin DIP's and they just fall out of the holes with the Pace. And our DIP decals at work have fairly small holes. Something I've been meaning to fix anyway.

[ecir38]

I always wondered how these worked also. Anyone have any experience?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=014

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=370-325

[dnsey]

I always wondered how these worked also. Anyone have any experience?

See my post above...

[protos]

This is not very expensive, but is it going to be better than a soldapult?
http://cgi.ebay.com/808-5-808-KIT-P-...QQcmdZViewItem