"Ross Herbert" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 01:20:59 GMT, "Arfa Daily"
wrote:

:
:"Ross Herbert" wrote in message
.. .
: On Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:34:29 -0600, Ignoramus19508
: wrote:
:
: :On 2008-01-30, Ross Herbert wrote:
: :
: : Your desoldering tool (like most) is probably fitted with a small
: diameter
: tip
: : (approx 0.8mm - 1.00mm inside diameter)
: :
: :Yes.
: :
: : designed for sucking solder from around small gauge component leads
: : and IC pins where the tip make full peripheral contact with the
: : board. When the solder melts around a pin all the air passes solely
: : around the lead and maximum effect is achieved inside the through
: : hole.
: :
: :Well, it does this pretty well with a real vacuum pump attached
: :instead of the "desoldering station pump".
:
: Yes, of course it will. But the desoldering station pump is NOT a
: specialised
: 1/3HP vacuum pump. It is designed as being adequate to suck solder from
: around
: component pins ONLY when the nozzle completely surrounds the lead AND
make
: 100%
: peripheral contact with the pcb solder pad.
:
:
:Well Ross, I gotta tell you that I use my Weller desoldering station just
:about every day, I keep the same sized tip on it with a 1mm hole at all
:times. It is used both for pin sizes where the hole will fit over the
pin,
:as you describe, and also for any other joint that I need to get the
solder
ff as well. I have never had a problem with it developing enough suck to
:remove solder from a joint that requires the tip to be applied in a way
less
:than your stated 'ideal', unless it has reached the point where it needs
:servicing. I think that in common with most soldering / desoldering
tools,
:it depends on how often you use it, and hence how much skill in its use,
:that you have developed.
:
:Arfa
:

Yes Arfa, I agree with what you say. I also can use my Hakko to remove
solder
from around larger pins quite quickly, but due to the large amount of
solder
which often must be removed from large terminals, several attempts may be
required and sometimes the tip requires a clean out to complete the job on
a
single switch. I can't say if there is anything wrong with the OP's
desoldering
station, although this may be the case. I find that for small number of
large
terminals the old Soldapult takes less time and requires less cleaning.

For many years, I used a desoldering pump with great success. Then I took on
a contract that required me to have the desoldering station running just
about all of the time. It became easier to just pick up that iron 'ready to
go' than to start hunting around for the hand sucker, so that's what
happened ! Using it all of the time like this, you develop techniques for
'making it work' on just about any sort of joint, but I do agree that it
does sometimes take a couple of attempts to get enough solder off the joint,
and it has to be kept well maintained. I do still use a good quality solder
wick - expensive, but worth every penny - to 'clean down' in preparation for
placing a s.m. IC for instance, and occasionally, for clearing out a
stubborn thru' hole that just won't suck clear, no matter how well your iron
or sucker is working, and how much new solder, you get into it. Bet you've
been there ... !!

Arfa