You have likely developed techniques others have not had the experience to. I think each approach has it's niche: I too keep two sizes of wick around, there are times nothing else works. I also have several Hakko 20G hand solder-suckers in addition to the 808 vacuum...and I admit there are time I too use the inertial solder removal system (heat and drop or bang!). I tried compressed air removal once and will never do it again.
As an experienced user of wick, can I get your opinion:
1) Do you find one brand of wick works better than others?
2) Other than the exposed oxidized length, do you find the wick becomes less effective after a period of storage?
Maybe my variable results are due to one or both of these factors?
Cheers!
Howie
As a long term wick user too, I'd say, to your questions:
1 - Nope, used a few different sources, all worked equally well.
2 - No, my current reel in use is from a 10+ year old stock and is still fine.
I do find it useful to have a few different sizes, I have 6mm for big stuff down to a 1mm braid for some really fine stuff.
.. the other must have tool though is my binocular microscope for working on fine stuff!
1 - Nope, used a few different sources, all worked equally well.
2 - No, my current reel in use is from a 10+ year old stock and is still fine.
I do find it useful to have a few different sizes, I have 6mm for big stuff down to a 1mm braid for some really fine stuff.
.. the other must have tool though is my binocular microscope for working on fine stuff!
Last edited:
I find Techspray Prowick to work noticeably better than other braids. It's impregnated with rosin powder; maybe their rosin is better at wickin' solder than other mfrs.
What REALLY works well, is to provide vastly oversized drill holes in thru-hole boards, so component leads are not snug at all. This helps both vacuum removal and braid wicking. Hurts layout density though.
What REALLY works well, is to provide vastly oversized drill holes in thru-hole boards, so component leads are not snug at all. This helps both vacuum removal and braid wicking. Hurts layout density though.
Howie
I always use the rosin impregnated stuff if I can get it. I've used lots of different brands over the years.
I have had problems with some wicks oxidizing, but not too often.
I only use the solder sucker if I absolutely have to - even with good quality boards, if you happen to be doing a bit of dev work, two or three cycles and you are heading to track lift - I never get that with solder wick. YMMV
I'm a dab hand at lifting SMD 16+ pin IC's as well. Just load one side up with solder so all the legs are covered, then gently lever that up with a small jewellers screw driver. Repeat on the other side, but just use tweezers to lift the device off the board. Apply solder wick, clean with PCB cleaner and you're good to go.
Having said that, I think Syn08 is the SMD king around here - best placement and builds I've seen.
I always use the rosin impregnated stuff if I can get it. I've used lots of different brands over the years.
I have had problems with some wicks oxidizing, but not too often.
I only use the solder sucker if I absolutely have to - even with good quality boards, if you happen to be doing a bit of dev work, two or three cycles and you are heading to track lift - I never get that with solder wick. YMMV
I'm a dab hand at lifting SMD 16+ pin IC's as well. Just load one side up with solder so all the legs are covered, then gently lever that up with a small jewellers screw driver. Repeat on the other side, but just use tweezers to lift the device off the board. Apply solder wick, clean with PCB cleaner and you're good to go.
Having said that, I think Syn08 is the SMD king around here - best placement and builds I've seen.
Last edited:
Hear hear!!! It is these situations where with the board upside down, vacuuming the leads for 5-6 seconds will cause the part to just fall right out of it's own weight. Talk about minimizing damage to the PCB! Bring on the low-density, through-hole PCBs! (what's that about a time-machine?...)
On the other extreme, if you use a decent sized soldering iron tip with a blob of solder on it, you can remove most small SMDs in 2 seconds, as it gets sucked into the solder blob. never to be seen again...
Cheers,
Howie
You are going to love the VFET amp, coming to the diyAudio Store in the next 90 days. The VAS/option boards I designed for it, are luxurious THT with great big drill holes. Can't say much till after launch, except that I have reworked those boards numerous times, and desoldering parts is noticeably easier.
I find that using smd flux generously lathered across the board before wicking or solder sucking helps to keep the solder bright and comes up easier.
The toughest desoldering was a 0.5mm pitch 168? or thereabouts fpga QFP that had to be replaced three times in the end because of programming errors, a steady hand, not too much coffee, stereo microscope and a scalpel blade that had its thickness trimmed down so it could fit in the gaps between the pins. Only had two tracks lift on that one.
The toughest desoldering was a 0.5mm pitch 168? or thereabouts fpga QFP that had to be replaced three times in the end because of programming errors, a steady hand, not too much coffee, stereo microscope and a scalpel blade that had its thickness trimmed down so it could fit in the gaps between the pins. Only had two tracks lift on that one.
Do you use SMD soldering tweezers? I tried a cheap set and sent it back, too much play in the joint so the tips never lined up...POS, really...
Thanks for sharing your expertise!
Howie
I do; I have a full set of Metcal soldering tools (ultra fine pencil, regular pencil, tweezers). Quite expensive, but after transitioning from my old Weller magnastat iron I don't know how I lived without these, for so long. Before, I was unable to properly work/rework anything under 0803, now I can precisely solder (under the microscope, of course) even the barely visible 0201. I'll post some pictures once I'll finish soldering my current project (instrumentation ADC based on ADS127L01 converters).
One thing that I dislike about the Metcal tools, the wetting properties of the standard temperature Metcal cartridges are net worse than the #7 Weller tips. They require quite often cleaning and scrubbing.
P.S. Tweezers to properly hold the parts are, in my experience, as important as the soldering tool. I would recommend the Aven tools titanium tweezers as the best and not very expensive. Any stainless steel tweezers I ever used had a lifespan only so long until the first drop on the concrete floor (straight on the tip, of course). They bent and can not be restored to the original precision.
One thing that I dislike about the Metcal tools, the wetting properties of the standard temperature Metcal cartridges are net worse than the #7 Weller tips. They require quite often cleaning and scrubbing.
P.S. Tweezers to properly hold the parts are, in my experience, as important as the soldering tool. I would recommend the Aven tools titanium tweezers as the best and not very expensive. Any stainless steel tweezers I ever used had a lifespan only so long until the first drop on the concrete floor (straight on the tip, of course). They bent and can not be restored to the original precision.
Last edited:
Once you get the hang of SMD, it’s quite easy. I don’t go below 0805 and just use a good pair of glasses to do all my work - no microscope. I’m putting down 28 pin uncontrolled with 0.8 and 0.5 mm pin spacing. I use a USB microscope for inspection.
For my level work, good tweezers, ultra fine soldering iron top (I’m using Weller) and 0.5mm solder are a must. Well worth taking time out to develop these skills IMV.
For my level work, good tweezers, ultra fine soldering iron top (I’m using Weller) and 0.5mm solder are a must. Well worth taking time out to develop these skills IMV.
Indeed. I built several music synthesizer module kits with SMD parts to level up my skills during the shutdown this year, using simple tools as you describe. Not only did I greatly improve the quality of my work, but I actually enjoy working with that tiny stuff now - never thought I'd say that! My motto was, if those kids on YouTube can do it, so can I! 
Dont you program in circuit? Even production nowadays is ISP for almost all devices AFAIK.
Cannot imagine having to replace a controller like that!
Once, years ago, I had to stuff an RF section of a PCB with 0402, a standard Weller screwdriver tip and no microscope. THAT was something else. It worked out though.
Last edited:
It was for someone else at work, the chosen device was not reprogrammable, and it was quite a few years ago. The entire device had to drive 128 channels with 500V pulses and under 2nS risetime too.
I just got in my second roll of .4mm(.015") rosin core solder. The first roll was a 1/2 lb one. I got it in 2005. This one is a full pound! Apparently at that rate I will need to reorder some time around my 100th birthday!
The more normal diameter stuff is twice the diameter and I seem to go through 3-4 lb.s of those each year, along with a bar or two for my solder pot.
I use the thinner stuff of course for thingies like surface mounted small parts.
For desoldering I keep on my bench Chemwick in the 100' spools. I do have two desoldering guns, one an old Ungar and the other a no-name. As I usually am soldering new things I find keeping the wick around quite handy rather than heating up another tool. Using my finest soldering iron tip I find I can clean solder out of holes by pressing the wick into the hole a bit. But most of the wick use is cleaning up surface mount pads that got a bit of solder on them from a nearby pad.
The more normal diameter stuff is twice the diameter and I seem to go through 3-4 lb.s of those each year, along with a bar or two for my solder pot.
I use the thinner stuff of course for thingies like surface mounted small parts.
For desoldering I keep on my bench Chemwick in the 100' spools. I do have two desoldering guns, one an old Ungar and the other a no-name. As I usually am soldering new things I find keeping the wick around quite handy rather than heating up another tool. Using my finest soldering iron tip I find I can clean solder out of holes by pressing the wick into the hole a bit. But most of the wick use is cleaning up surface mount pads that got a bit of solder on them from a nearby pad.
SimonSays: "I just got in my second roll of .4mm(.015") rosin core solder. The first roll was a 1/2 lb one. I got it in 2005. This one is a full pound! Apparently at that rate I will need to reorder some time around my 100th birthday!"
Here's to you seeing your 100th birthday, Ed! I just ordered the Metcal tweezers, so I'm looking forward to easier SMD component changing, which I seem to do an annoying amount of on my prototypes...
Cheers!
Howie
Here's to you seeing your 100th birthday, Ed! I just ordered the Metcal tweezers, so I'm looking forward to easier SMD component changing, which I seem to do an annoying amount of on my prototypes...
Cheers!
Howie