De Soldering and Solder Sucker Question

[Timko]

I've had the same cheap blue plastic solder sucker since I started building a couple of years ago.  Over the past couple of builds, I've noticed that if I make a mistake (and I have made a number lately), the trace comes off when I use the sucker.  I don't remember this being as much of a problem when I got this tool.  Is this something that needs replaced from time to time?  Should I invest in a better quality one?  Is it my technique? 

The good news is that I've become very adept at using trace wire to connect components when I do burn out a pad or two .

[thesmokingman]

I would never say your technique is wrong but I will share my methods:
first thing I will say is that if we're talking resistors, caps, etc that are easily replaced ... I clip them the hell out before I desolder so I'm only having to work with the leads.
if I'm dealing with single side pcbs, I prefer to use solder wick only. everything else, I use the spring loaded solder sucker. I use the bulb one for blowing air into a through-hole and only if I have some trouble getting the solder to move out of the hole (almost always overly thick amplifier pcbs). I haven't got one of those nice rework guns yet but I've been eyeballing the cheaper chinese hakko clones on ebay.
so let's talk solder ... if the solder is vintage or RoHS, I add liquid flux and new lead solder. this gets things moving and transfers heat better. if you start having trouble keeping things moving, reapply small amounts of new solder and flux.
pacing ... its better to get a little at a time and to let things cool off in-between. throw things in the freezer if you're impatient.
once you've got the majority of it with the solder sucker, its easier to clean the pads with the wick. do not get forceful with leads, they should move freely on their own and not require any pressure or manipulation from you. if you're leaving your parts intact, use gravity as your friend if you can. I tend to work from a vise or helping hands so that's not an issue for me, but if you're using blu-tac or laying the pcb on the table you won't get the free work from gravity.
also, the iron's tip is going to get dirty quickly doing rework so I can't stress enough that you have to keep it clean and freshly tinned.(this also gives things a chance to cool)

[Timko]

Interesting.  I think I was doing well with the solder sucker, but I didn't use a wick to take off the last little bit and open the hole up the entire way.  Instead, I was using the sucker and I think pulled the pads off the board.  It sounds like some wick may be a good investment then!

[bsoncini]

My technique is to grab the component with needle nose pliers. Heat up the other side with soldering iron. It should come out very easily.

Then use a solder wick to clean out the rest. I always tin my iron to help the wick do it's thing.

For the stubborn ones I have a sharp thin pokey thing I bought at a local electronics store. . Heat up one side push that thing on the other side to open up the hole. And one more pass with the wick.

[peAk]

After you pull out the lead from the hole, a toothpick is your best friend.

No need to suck the solder out since you will be applying more there to the new components. Just heat up the pad, push the toothpick through to create an opening, and since the toothpick is wood it will pull right out. Then just slide the new component in and use the existing solder that's pushed out to resolder

[jimilee]

After I remove the component and wicked til it just won't, I heat up the eye and just blow real hard, usually opens it right up.


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[Timko]

Ok, I've been doing this wrong then.  Wick and toothpicks will be bought soon.  Thanks!  This place is the best community.

[wgc]

I do pretty much everything with wick only. I love those fancy guns but much cheaper not to make a mistake. 😁😜. Would that I could.

Smokingman's response is pretty much dead nuts and quite elegantly stated.

One thing you might want to watch for is that your tip isn't too hot.  That is probably the biggest factor in my experience.  Once you get much beyond 750f it gets a lot easier to lift a pad or trace. It doesn't do great things for the solder in the joint either. A lot depends on the quality of the pcb too.

I like the toothpick idea, haven't tried that.

[alanp]

After you pull out the lead from the hole, a toothpick is your best friend.

No need to suck the solder out since you will be applying more there to the new components. Just heat up the pad, push the toothpick through to create an opening, and since the toothpick is wood it will pull right out. Then just slide the new component in and use the existing solder that's pushed out to resolder

You can also do this with a stainless steel dental pick -- Smallbear carry these in their Tools section.

IIRC, circuit boards are only rated for so much heat for so long before they start to lift traces.

[WormBoy]

I always try to avoid making mistakes  . I always use the DMM to check all resistors and caps, and double check with BOM/schematic. This makes a soldering a slow process, but it is the part of building I enjoy most, so it's a win-win.

If I need to change a part, I follow a similar strategy as @bsoncini : remove part first, and clean out with solder wick (I usually use the solder wick first, quickly, to remove some excess solder). Allow the board to cool down in between heating. I vaguely remember lifting a pad once, but generally, this works well for me.

[culturejam]

I'm a wimp. I use a vacuum-powered desoldering gun. 

[EBRAddict]

I use a vacuum desoldering gun too, but often it's just faster to grab the cheap spring loaded pump.

I'll have to try the stainless pick idea, sometimes even with a vacuum, wick, pump, fresh solder there are pads which just won't cooperate.

[Timko]

I always try to avoid making mistakes  . I always use the DMM to check all resistors and caps, and double check with BOM/schematic. This makes a soldering a slow process, but it is the part of building I enjoy most, so it's a win-win.

If I need to change a part, I follow a similar strategy as @bsoncini : remove part first, and clean out with solder wick (I usually use the solder wick first, quickly, to remove some excess solder). Allow the board to cool down in between heating. I vaguely remember lifting a pad once, but generally, this works well for me.

I am pretty meticulous at checking parts/bom, but sometimes mistakes happen.  They also normally happen in bunches, and I appear to be in one of those bunches.

[Timko]

I'm a wimp. I use a vacuum-powered desoldering gun. 

I've been looking at those, because I am also a wimp.  Do you have an expensive one?  I know there's a Hakko that costs around $300, but that's a little out of my reasonable price range at the moment. 

[drezdn]

After a run of having bad luck desoldering... If it's a resistor, I'll cut the part off on top, and then solder the new resistor using the old solder joints. It looks ugly, but saves time.