Steve wrote:


I've often found that in a pinch, you can wick the solder out, re-fill
the holes with new solder, re wick the holes. Sometimes the
re-filling process can reflow the whole joint instead of wicking out
the top half and the bottom never gets hot enough. Of course, not
perfect, and should be done on a scrap board.

That`s true. One of the things novices do wrong is to wick off most of
the solder, but leave a little behind deep in the hole, that wont be
drawn up into the solder braid. Then they get impatient and try to rip
the component out damaging the board in the process.

There needs to be enough solder to easily wick up into the braid, and
the iron need to be hot enough to melt all the solder in the joint
through the braid or there`s a chance that pulling the braid away takes
some of the pad with it.

There`s as much an art to desoldering as there is to soldering. (IMO)

Ron(UK)