Group Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: baldengineer
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Views 9712 views
  • Likes 14 likes
  • Comments 49 comments
Related
Recommended

Quick: what's your best desoldering braid/wick tip or trick?

baldengineer

image

Since last March 2020, I have been live-streaming three days a week. My streams are all electronics related but include retro computer repairs, soldering kits, Arduino coding, explaining measurements, and other electronics stuff. Several of the recent Workbench Wednesdays episodes have been a result of a live stream. Another outcome from these streams is that my soldering skill has increased significantly. Not just because I am practicing more, but because constantly being watched and critiqued creates motivational awareness!

 

The other day, someone commented that I am a "solder wick magician." Of the things I get called online, I consider that one a compliment. Though, unlike the other names, it may not be entirely deserved. At least, I don't think so. However, as the animated GIF above shows, I occasionally get an excellent wicking action when using desoldering braid.

 

There are only a few tips and tricks that I (think I) actually know. So, I thought I'd ask the community about yours. Getting started, here is something obvious to me now, but people usually get the ah-ha look on their faces when I show them. Unless the wick is brand new, I'll dab it with a flux pen before using it. I find flux on the joint I'm trying to remove, plus the extra flux that wicks into the braid, is very effective. (And a great way to use up old braid.)

 

What are some tips or tricks you have when using desoldering braid (or wick)?

 

  • in reply to Gough Lui

    Ah yes, so apply more heat and less heat. Good tip!

     

    j/k, great list Gough! Thanks!

  • I use plenty of wick in my time, partly because I don't like breadboards so much, so I tend to do everything on Veroboard which necessitates generous use of solder wick when things do go wrong or need modification.

     

    My tips would be -

    • Don't spread the wick out - keep it bunched together so the capillary action provides the maximum "sucking" power. Buy the right width if you can.
    • Don't be cheap with the wick - you're probably not getting much wicking action if you touch a partially used segment to the PCB, best to use fresh lengths and have fresh lengths on both sides of the joint to be desoldered to get even wicking action from both sides.
    • Add additional flux to the wick with flux pen if it doesn't seem to do a great job. This is a bit of a last resort, but as with most wicks, you can expect some burned flux residue to remain and need cleaning off.
    • Mix the solder with some fresh (possibly even leaded) solder to make it easier to wick at a lower temperature - sometimes you need to go back and forth.
    • Don't rely on wick alone to get holes cleaned - a solder sucker or a stainless steel pin may well do a better job for the smaller, deeper plated-through holes on multi-layer boards, especially if a stubborn bit of old solder remains.
    • Apply enough heat with a powerful iron to keep everything liquid - otherwise if the solder partially solidifies during movement of the braid, you could tear off a trace.
    • Don't apply too much heat, else you will probably melt the wick dispenser and lift traces from the board with the heat alone.

     

    - Gough

  • in reply to Jan Cumps

    Good idea : )

    Currently, I just hold it until the pain puts me off : ) It's like the boiling pot in Kung-Fu. Always wanted to try that when I was little : )

  • in reply to baldengineer

    I do the dragging with the solder wick too : ) i.e. use it like a skateboard for the iron, provided it's on pads and not the SMD pins of course : ) Cleans up pads nicely. provided it's not too aggressive to lift off pads.

    Generally I use the side of the wick, and end up chopping off several inches of it after it's loaded with solder. But sometimes I use the end of the wick too.

    On through-hole,  if I'm really getting nowhere with the manual plunger type of solder sucker, then I'll wrap the desoldering braid about 135 degrees around the component lead, heat and then try to drag it off while pressing on the wick until that portion of the wick has slid off the wire. A bit hard to explain, and tricky because the iron needs to move along with the braid otherwise it scrapes the iron tip. The end result is that it sometimes un-sticks the component lead from one side of the inner wall of the hole, since pulling on the braid moves the component lead a bit.

    This is very unscientific and results may vary : )

  • in reply to fmilburn

    I usually use solder suckers before trying solder wick, but of course it depends on the problem....