Hi,

My de-soldering technique is lacking .... I can remove small components off a board easily ... but I am making a mess of larger components eg multi-section electrolytic caps, transformers. When using De-solder braid/wick etc, the solder comes off quickly and cleanly at first .... then the Braid will no longer suck up the solder, even though solder is liquid.

What do others use? Flux? What type? Are these Hand pumps any good?? I have an electric de-solder gun/pump, but it clogs very quickly.

Any advice appreciated.

Desoldering has always been a messy affair. Sucker syringes are available and have been around for a long time though I have had better luck with the braided solder wick. No method is designed to remove all of the solder, just most of it. I've had to resort to simply snipping a lead I want to desolder and then just resolder it over the original blob.

I never use lead-free solder on radios (or anything else for that matter). It is rubbish and it hardens far too quickly for my liking and this property probably makes desoldering it more difficult still.

If you watch some of David Tiptons videos on YouTube he has a great electric solder sucker. Probably as Brad said the solder wick is probably best.

I've resorted to using wider braid with my 60 year old scope iron, works every time. Soaking the braid in some "Baker's Soldering Fluid" helps to soak up the solder as well, let it dry first before using.

Thanks for your responses.

Rudolf ..... you must be psychic ... was sorting through some of my Dad's old stuff this afternoon ... and yes, there was a small bottle of Bakers Soldering Fluid amongst the junk .... tomorrow I will try your method ... I am using 3mm Wick.

I find with solder wick you have to keep trimming off the spent wick otherwise it simply wicks the solder from the spent portion back up the unused portion.
With solder lugs with many components and wrapped leads it can be a challenge but I always remove all solder then use very sharp small pointy nose pliers whilst briefly heating the lug and unwrapping the lead in question then pull it through the eye of the lug.
After the new part has been installed and its lead threaded through the lug I wrap it slightly to give it mechanical strength then solder it with leaded solder as this is what was used when it was build (I hate lead free solder. It sets like putty).
After this I use some isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud to clean off the excess flux.
I used to just snip off the lead and solder the new part to the lug but hated the look of it.
I like it to look at least as good as it did before when I'm finished with it.
A bit OCD? Probably.

Ian you can make solder wick out of copper braid of any size using the same method, better still if you can get hold of some block resin, desolve it in metho soak it for a short while then hang it out to dry before using. 3mm is a bit small for soaking up from transformers and the like.

I use a hand held solder sucker for small jobs and a Hakko de-soldering gun for the big ones.

You can improve the performance of hand held suckers by putting heatproof (silicone) tubing on the end of the syringe, so that it extends the syringe tip by about half an inch. This lets you press down onto the blob of solder and create a good airtight seal.

I use coffee machine tubing, like this:

https://coffeemachineparts.com.au/index.php/product/saeco-cappuccinatore-replacement-milk-tube?gclid=CjwKC...

I get some old CRT monitors and remove the earthing braid, then cut it up and use some bakers soldering flux when applying to the melted solder to be removed, then cut off the soaked braid 1/2 inch from the end, and discard, repeat the process. the braid may be cleaned of oxidisation by scarping with a scewdriver on a firm surface (to reveal copper)

If you have one of those lazy joints where smarty just cut the component off & left the rest, or there is the massive blob of solder as in the Philco I am sorting out.

If you have a relatively clean tip; Molten solder will fall onto the tip if you can get the chassis / into a position above the soldering iron & your fingers out of it. That's because the bigger blobs will run off the tip if there is a lot of solder. Then one can move to wick. I have one of those spring loaded solder suckers: Hopeless.

There's a trap 47-40P Philco is like some Midwest's with Hammerlund IF's. There are parts inside. This set has had parts replaced (Caps & some faulty resistors (not all)) prior to me getting it. The fly lead in the IF can on the top had to be replaced. Brilliant design the one inside the pan has to removed to get it out, so with hard rubber wire: It also has to be rewired. Resistors in it as well: more duds.

Sometimes like today you are the statue: Occasionally the Pidgeon.

Several different techniques here to try ... also saw somewhere ... 'draw' the Wick passed the soldered joint rather than 'push' it ... yep, that keeps the hot solder off the Board and nearby components .....getting much better results now. Thanks.

Also never dismiss the haemostat. This little bit of medical clobber, of various sizes, can be a heatsink, clasp bits of wick, hold a part to be inserted (with two: twisted & bent), or removed from tight places using same. Without, literally, getting ones fingers burnt.

Not unusual in some cases to use two, to actually manoeuvre a part into a tight spot.

Finished restoring my Crown radio this afternoon and absolutely gobsmacked at some of the attrocious soldering work done in this radio. Caps, resistors cut, new ones soldered on the old tail, and when this has happened a few times in its life , it's almost like a birds nest. It's pure laziness , what is so difficult about removing all the old bits from the valve socket, clean it up and start afresh ? I also found a quick and easy way to repack the electrolytic can, look much better and more professional .
I'll post a photo of the chassis as well as steps to repack the can to Brad.

absolutely gobsmacked at some of the atrocious soldering work done in this radio

One of the radios I bought years ago had been repaired by a fairly well known guy who was retired from the trade. Clearly his motto was "Too much solder is barely enough".

Caps, resistors cut, new ones soldered on the old tail,

aka J-hooking. Used to be common among some TV servicemen who did on-the-fly repairs in the field (i.e. the customer's home)

Never had much luck with braid, so I use a giant solder sucker. The little ones are useless. It's a case of "the more it sucks the better it is".