Excellent reply. Thank you!
Ballendo
--- In oldsynths@yahoogroups.com, The Old Crow <oldcrow@o...> wrote:
>
> I like the 1.5mm (that is the hole size) tip for general
desoldering. I
> use the 'thin' 1mm tip for SMD rework, along with the hot air
blowgun kit.
>
> If you treat the tips well (keep them clean and unclogged!)
they'll last
> a long time. I'm still using the original 1mm standard tip on my
older
> desoldering gun.
>
> My tips for using this tool: do not make the temperature any
hotter
> than absolutely necessary. I keep mine under 500C, usually around
450C.
> Also, do not use paste flux to clean the tip or suction tube; the
liquid
> flux will be pulled into the filter wadding, gumming it up. Try
not to
> leave the gun on for long periods of time; this will wear out the
tip/tube
> faster..I clogged up a tip when I left the thing on over a
weekend. Keep
> the tip clean constantly, and tinned. The effectiveness of the
tool
> declines reapidly if the tip face is not wet with solder. When
using it,
> try to hold the tool level or with the tip pointed slightly upward--
try to
> avoid pointing the tip downward as this will increase the chance of
> evacuated solder flecks falling back into the suction tube and
clogging
> it. There is a cleaning rod in the handle of the tool, use it
whenever
> the airflow sounds impaired--just make sure to cool the cleaning
rod with
> a damp paper towel or sponge before storing it in the handle
again. For
> more severe clogs, use the set of larger gauge cleaning rods that
came
> with the gun.
>
> Next, some joints or pads may require ∗adding∗ a bit of solder to
the
> jucntion before the desoldering tool will effectively remove all
the
> solder. The idea is to get as much heat transfer through the joint
so
> that all the solder melts, then trigger the suction. Run it for
about 2
> seconds at a time, and pull the tip away from the board while the
trigger
> is still down to let air push the solder out of the tube and into
the
> collection cartridge. I sort of do 3 seconds to heat junction, 2
seconds
> of suction and about 1/2 second of suction sustained after the tip
is
> pulled away from the board.
>
> Oh, and 1-sided boards such as in the CS-50/60/80 are easy.
> Plated-though boards are less easy to desolder, but with a clean
tool tip
> and the above notes, it is not difficult.
>
> Clean the cartridge out after every session (not every single
junction,
> just at the end of a desoldering session. Make sure the small air
slots
> at the bottom of the cartridge aren't plugged with solder--you may
have to
> pull out the filter wadding to chisel out such solder.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Crow
> /∗∗/
>
> On Sat, 9 Oct 2004, ballendo wrote:
>
> > Crow,
> >
> > I bought one of these years ago at a flea market in silicon
valley.
> > The man had two, one with a tip, and the other without. Thinking
the
> > tips would be an easy lathe project, I chose the one which kept
more
> > money in my pocket...
> >
> > And have regretted it ever since<G>
> >
> > What size tip(s) would you recommend for "normal" through hole
work?
> >
> > Ballendo
> >
> > P.S. Any tips gained through use you'd like to share? Do you use
> > yours for SMD work too?