On Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:46:36 -0600, Jim Yanik
wrote:
I use a small fan to blow gently across my work,directing unhealthy vapors
away from me.
Duz that really work with small components? I tried a recycled CPU
fan with an alligator clip for mounting and found that even the
slightest breeze causes difficulties soldering or desoldering. My
home workshop does have a heater so I use a small electric heater and
fan. When soldering, I have to turn it off.
Also, I wasn't joking about the toxic smog from soldering super-glue.
The stuff really reeks and seems highly irritating. Fortunately, I
don't use much when soldering. Gently blowing it around the shop
seems like an invitation to accidentally stick my head into one of the
floating clouds of burnt super-glue. Without a fan, at least I know
where not to put my head.
I bought a small fan from Wal-Mart for less than $10.You can
get clip-on or one with a base. Or,like I used to do,wire a power cord and
switch to a 120VAC "whisper fan" from an old instrument.(cooling fan,very
quiet)I even use one for chopping onions in the kitchen; No tears!
Methinks tears from cutting onions is a basic ingredient of much of my
cooking. Crying is part of the recipe.
I've used the Pace vacuum desoldering system,too,while at TEK.
I found an old Pace something desoldering station for peanuts at a
thrift shop. They didn't know what it was. Works really nice.
However, it's not a hot air desoldering system and is therefore fairly
useless for SMT parts.
Not inexpensive,though.
No kidding. I replaced a few parts and had sticker shock. I now use
vinyl hoses, fuel filters, and brazing tip cleaners, instead of the
official Pace equivalents.
And I still preferred my Antex 15w iron with a filed-down non-clad tip for
soldering the small SMD stuff. The smaller SMD Pace tips (iron-clad)rotted
out too quickly.
I once tried to re-plate my collection of burned out tips. I also
made some from scratch. The core metal is copper. On top of that is
a layer of iron, then nickel, and finally solder plate. First, filing
and an acid cleaning bath. I then slowly electroplated some iron, in
a ferrous chloride plus calcium chloride bath, onto what was left of
the tip. Electroless nickel dip followed. I also tried some
electroless silver. I then masked off the tip, and hard black chromed
the rest of the tip. It worked but wasn't worth the cost and effort.
A new tip was considerably cheaper. The tip life appeared to be
dependent on the thickness of the nickel or silver layer. Electroless
plating just doesn't apply a thick enough layer. Silver seemed to
last a bit longer. I was thinking of trying again, this time plating
the nickel or silver layer.
I'm not sure if the Pace tips are copper-nickel-iron, or the more
common copper-iron-nickel. They may even be solid iron with no
plating, which would certainly oxidize and pit rapidly. That might
explain the short observed lifetime. I would check my Pace, but I
only have the thru-hole desoldering tip.
--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060
http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558