De-soldering Guns

[SiriusHardware]

We have a Duratool one at work which I know is little used. I might borrow the gun with a view to assessing the modifications linked to in a previous post. I'm sure the problem with getting the chamber on and off is a major factor in why it is not used.

Another quirk which I've just remembered is that sometimes the solder cools down before it exits the narrow tube leading from the nozzle to the waste chamber so you get a cold bead of solder blocking the tube near to the waste chamber. When that happens you have little choice but to try to ram it out with one of the supplied cleaning rods.

Two other points which should be obvious and apply to any desoldering tool of this type-

-There is no point in pressing the trigger until the solder has fully melted. If it's a double sided board you are working on, allow the heat time to travel through the hole to the other side.

-You can't clean the nozzle when it is cold, it has to be done when the unit is at working temperature so that any solder in the nozzle is liquid and can move. This can be quite a hazardous business, trying to push a stiff metal rod through a blockage - if the block suddenly clears and the rod whizzes up into the nozzle as far as it can go you may very well find your fingertips in contact with the nozzle. I always hold the rod in a pair of long nosed pliers and push it in a few mm at a time.

[PaulR]

Yes that tube does block and the supplied cleaning rods sometimes have difficulty clearing it. I have resorted to using a fine drill bit to clear it.

[MotorBikeLes]

I have the Duratool dual version, currently out of action due to a blown heater control in the soldering section. I need to find some time to fix it.
If you get blockage of the de-solder unit, due to frozen solder, the solution is to hold it on, together with applying your soldering iron where you think the solder is stuck. After a while, it will soften and get sucked through. Follow through with the correct cleaning wire.
Les.

[Terry_VK5TM]

One of the reasons these things get blocked is because people use them horizontally.

If you use them vertically, heat will rise up the tube and help stop the solder solidifying before it has exited the tube.

And - change the filter often - blocked filters lead to lose of vacuum that leads to tube blocking problems.

The temperature also needs to be set a few degree's higher than for normal soldering.

I have an SC7000 (must be over 30 years old now) that I set to 380C for desoldering.

Also, as mentioned previously, desolder guns do need plenty of maintenance to keep the working properly, I just recently completely stripped the vacuum pump and washed and cleaned the component parts to remove old flux and other gunk that gets past the filter.

Couple of tips:

If yours has the type of filter that sort of looks like a cigarette tip - buy filters used for roll you own tobacco and cut to length to fit - much cheaper than originals.

For the filter material in the glass tube - aquarium fiberglass filter material works well.

[AmplifyAudio]

I bought a Weller DS900 late last year for a bit less than a new Duratool desolderer off of ebay.

Some NOS parts are still available and it shares tips and some other parts with other models including the DS100 and DS800 and the DS701 - solder and desolder station, all of which are temperature controlled. Mine isn't, but it does work really well with through-hole boards, and it's built like a tank!

I've had some good and bad experiences with Duratool stuff in the past. Saying that though, their £30 solder fume extractor/filter is great!

If you aren't in a desperate hurry, it might be worth setting a saved search for a Weller one.

[dominicbeesley]

I've got the Duratool one and I have to say I had a few problems with it at first - blocking and not quite clearing holes first time. I have come to rely on it quite heavily though. I tried the cheapo heated pump jobs but caused more damage than good with it the first time I used it so that's been in the junk box since.

With the duratool you just need to remember to give it a good clean/poke with the supplied twizzle stick before and after use - when it is hot and clean the filter regularly

I now tend to reflow all the joints on older boards before using now - more solder on the joints is better than too little and old solder seems to be less apt to flow.

The real knack to it though is to put the gun on the joint for about 1 second and give it a wiggle before engaging the suck pump. That ensures that the solder is melted all the way though.

I run mine quite hot 414C which seems to cause less melting of the flimsier IC holders than having it cooler but needing to hold it on the joint longer.

I replaced 5 off 28pin rom sockets on a BBC Micro yesterday - including the time taken to remember where I'd put the cleaning tool - not bad and no lifted tracks and I think I only had one hole that needed a second reflow and suck.

D

[Jez1234]

Another vote for the Duratool. Yes it's a sod to get the chamber off and on but not THAT difficult when you are used to it. £75 ish V maybe £500++ for other brands make it a no brainer.

All that very finely powdered lead at the (only too regular!) clean out times is always a health worry but just be very careful and wash hands, bench and handle of gun etc etc every time... ie about every half hour in continuous heavy use!

[SiriusHardware]

because people use them horizontally.

Yes, but they do that because it is obviously easier to draw a piece of molten heavy metal horizontally than it is to try to lift it vertically. I nearly always work with the PCB vertical, but then I don't usually use the Duratool type of tool (For me, Weller or Metcal).

The specific problem with the Duratool type is that the heated tip and the exit to the waste chamber are at either end of a fairly long tube, so sometimes the solder solidifies in the 'cold' end of the tube which never gets hot enough to re-melt the solder no matter which way up the tool is.

[No.1 Labrat]

Hello all. An up-date on my search for an effective de-soldering gun.
After an internet search, and seeking the advice of forum members, I chose to buy the S-993A de-soldering gun. Really there is not that much out there, less if you have a limited budget.

This appears to be the same model gun used by Video99.co.uk and appears to work O.K. for him.
I will give a report on how it goes, but for now, check out the glossy user manual.

Wayne.

[PaulR]

That looks good. I will be interested to know how it performs