On Mon, 01 Aug 2005 05:21:08 GMT, "Michael A. Terrell"
wrote:

budgie wrote:

I presume you removed the original chip from the board one leg at a time? If
you don't, damage is fairly much inevitable.


Bull! I've replaced thousands of chips on Plated Through Hole PCBs
in the last 20 years and only had a couple damaged PTH. I used the
cheap Radio Shack desoldering iron on most of them, and sometimes a
little solder wick with Kester RMA liquid flux to clean leads that were
soldered to heavy traces on the top of the board. Its an acquired skill
that takes time and practice on junk boards. BTW, I may still have a
couple new VIC 20 boards in storage. I have a few of the ROM chips, and
probably the video chips. I repaired hundreds of Commodore computers in
the '80s and '90s including the VIC-20, followed by the C64s and C128s.
I repaired over 500 Commodore computers and only scrapped a half dozen
boards that weren't worth fixing. five were damaged by the owner trying
to repair or modify the computer, and the other board was delaminating.

That's fine for you, Michael - you and I have been soldering for decades and
have refined our technique and tool selection in that time. From the O/P's
question I gauge that he doesn't have anything like our experience.