Best Desoldering Tool for the Price

[danfrank]

Hi everyone,
Maybe this has been brought up before but my memory is shot.
Anyway, I have found this to be the best solder remover, not counting a professional desoldering station. And it's only $20 at DigiKey.

[rockola]

Hi everyone,
Maybe this has been brought up before but my memory is shot.
Anyway, I have found this to be the best solder remover, not counting a professional desoldering station. And it's only $20 at DigiKey.

Seconded. Used one in anger today.

[davent]

Hi everyone,
Maybe this has been brought up before but my memory is shot.
Anyway, I have found this to be the best solder remover, not counting a professional desoldering station. And it's only $20 at DigiKey.

They're even $20 cdn there, that's steal.
dave

[pickdropper]

Yeah, those are great.  I prefer them to the (usually) more expensive solda-pults.

[EBK]

I've added one of these to my Amazon shopping cart to be purchased later.  Thanks for the recommendation!

[lars]

Personally, I find regular solder suckers to be terrible. TERR-IH-BULL. To be of any use, the tip of the device needs to be actually melting the solder, period. I don't know how many times I've ruined a pcb trace trying to hold my solder iron in one hand and getting the pump over the heated solder fast enough for it to be able to suck it up when I push the button...it's a ridiculous balancing act that nobody needs to accept, but most of us have for years.
Behold! The cost-effective solution:   the Velleman VTDESOL3U:
https://www.amazon.com/Velleman-VTDESOL3U-Vacuum-Desoldering-Heater/dp/B00B88FRME/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=desoldering+pump&qid=1589685754&sr=8-3
$20 shipped. You're welcome.

[jimilee]

^^^^very cool.
I just heat the solder and then physically blow it out of the hole. Quick, easy and less frustrating. Seems primitive, but I've been doing it for years now.


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[CodeMonk]

I've been using solder suckers like this for years:
https://www.amazon.com/ECG-J-045-DS-Electric-Soldering-Temperature/dp/B00068IJSG/ref=sr_1_23?dchild=1&keywords=solder+sucker&qid=1590562054&sr=8-23
The one I have is from Radio Shack. So yeah, its a few years old. I still works, although I am due for a new one.

Back in the "old days" (80's So Cal. Defense industry stuff), we had solder suckers that worked really, really good.
Handle similar to what I linked to, but instead of a bulb, it used an actual vacuum pump that you activated via a foot pedal.
But those run around $300+ these days.

[flanagan0718]

I got one of these a few years ago and have loved it ever since. I even recommended it to Lawrence from Lovemyswitches and he was over the moon for it. I still use desolating braid for some, very few, things but that pump is aces!
-Mike-


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[jimilee]

I've worn out a couple of these. Can you still get the tips for them? After RadioShack went out of business, I haven't found any.


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[Govmnt_Lacky]

Personally, I find regular solder suckers to be terrible. TERR-IH-BULL. To be of any use, the tip of the device needs to be actually melting the solder, period. I don't know how many times I've ruined a pcb trace trying to hold my solder iron in one hand and getting the pump over the heated solder fast enough for it to be able to suck it up when I push the button...it's a ridiculous balancing act that nobody needs to accept, but most of us have for years.
Behold! The cost-effective solution:   the Velleman VTDESOL3U:
https://www.amazon.com/Velleman-VTDESOL3U-Vacuum-Desoldering-Heater/dp/B00B88FRME/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=desoldering+pump&qid=1589685754&sr=8-3
$20 shipped. You're welcome.

Hmmm.... I see $22 + $26 shippipng. 

[davent]

Personally, I find regular solder suckers to be terrible. TERR-IH-BULL. To be of any use, the tip of the device needs to be actually melting the solder, period. I don't know how many times I've ruined a pcb trace trying to hold my solder iron in one hand and getting the pump over the heated solder fast enough for it to be able to suck it up when I push the button...it's a ridiculous balancing act that nobody needs to accept, but most of us have for years.
Behold! The cost-effective solution:   the Velleman VTDESOL3U:
https://www.amazon.com/Velleman-VTDESOL3U-Vacuum-Desoldering-Heater/dp/B00B88FRME/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=desoldering+pump&qid=1589685754&sr=8-3
$20 shipped. You're welcome.

Hmmm.... I see $22 + $26 shippipng. 

I haven't explored the shipping as i'm in Canada anyways, but direct from Velleman less expensive to start. I think i saw maybe Jameco saying they were stocking Velleman products.

https://www.vellemanstore.com/en/velleman-vtdesol3u-desoldering-vacuum-pump-with-heated-tip
dave

[TGP39]

I've worn out a couple of these. Can you still get the tips for them? After RadioShack went out of business, I haven't found any.


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The tips are called SS-16.  They are sold on amazon.  It's just silicon tubing with a 2mm inner diameter I believe.  PTFE tubing may even be better. 
Steve. 

[davent]

I've worn out a couple of these. Can you still get the tips for them? After RadioShack went out of business, I haven't found any.


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The tips are called SS-16.  They are sold on amazon.  It's just silicon tubing with a 2mm inner diameter I believe.  PTFE tubing may even be better. 
Steve.

On Amazon.ca, two pieces of tubing 5cm long plus including shipping $32cdn...  https://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/B003K0B3HG/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

I don't think i paid that for the tool when i bought from Adafruit, Amazon.ca can be quite the joke.