While shopping for soldering bits , i found a product i didn ' t know about and found it interesting . So , i figured i ' d share ...  


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcbezX8TrOU&feature=related

I like to use the pump first then clean up the area with the braid. Neat stuff.

I used to use the braid...still may for those solders that JUST WONT REMOVE!  But after a while I find that soldering braid to be kinda inefficient and not easy to use, I'm heating up things a bit longer then, the solder and the braid, I dunno. I just stopped using the braid altogtether and goto the pump. What I really need is a great desoldering gun...thats the ticket baby!

yep.. both braid and the pump thigy work good.

With that thought so recently in mind...anyone know of a good but relatively inexpensive desoldering gun?

I use a sodapult to clean holes thru PCB's. The braid can be useful to clean traces and surface solder. The gun? How much board work are you doing??

for small repairs, the pump and braid is all u ever need.

oh, I have dozens and dozens of boards to get at eventually, Bally solenoid boards, old MPU-200s, and -35's, tons of Pac boards that need going over and other PCB's, not to mention all the other stuff that comes up.  So rule of thumb is ALWAYS...have the proper tools for the job.  

I prefer a desoldering station with a heated tip electric vacuum pump. Braid most of the time is a PIA but on the odd occaision has it's uses.

Best Desoldering pump out there for the money, been using it for years.

http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/2920-0019/Edsyn-DS017

Quoted from HP5P

Best Desoldering pump out there for the money, been using it for years.

http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/2920-0019/Edsyn-DS017

Fully Agree !

I have been using the same solder pump for years (albeit the low-static silver version),
and have repaired 100s of boards with it. No need of a desoldering station for me.

I had tried the braid many years ago and hated it - plus, it causes too much heat on
the boards and components, increasing the chance of breaking copper traces/pads.

Cheers,
- Sylvain.

dunno ... the 3$ pump from the local electronics store does the same thing.  Didn't fail me yet.

I'd like to get a desoldering station because those pumps DO let me down. I've gone through 3 of them by now. They're great when they're new. Then they start to get clogged, and then one day, right in the middle of heating up the board removing a chip or socket and bam, its stuck and wont budge. Screw that action jackson! I want the pro deal. Probably better off using the $3 hand pump thing versus the $20 one, that little pump ball wont fail.

I use the one from Princess Auto
http://www.princessauto.com/garage/welding/accy-s-components/3410022-vacuum-desoldering-tool
$7.99

I've used that braid a few times, most recently removing a coil.  It works ok, but it's a bit of a pain to get into odd places.  On a flat board it's fine, upside-down under a pf, not so much.

For a few extra bucks I keep a spare Teflon tip.. Usually they push out the old solder nicely. From watching the TOP videos I have learned how to use it properly.