DO NOT USE HOT AIR GUNS TO REMOVE CHIPS

[P-Man]

Just a friendly reminder to everyone, including some 'repair' outfits out there..

Do NOT use a hot-air gun to remove chips from pcbs that you are trying to fix. DO NOT DO IT.

why? you bubble the laminated layers of the fibreglass pcb, you break thru-plated holes from reaching tracks top and bottom, you break internal connections of thru-plated holes to ground and 5volt planes inside the pcb itself. You also warp the pcb from uneven heating. You also introduce heat to components that are in the area, breaking those in the process.

Use a heat gun to recover useful chips from pcb that you are SCRAPPING.

DO NOT use them to remove chips from pcbs you are trying to fix. It is AMATEURISH and it actually causes way more damage than you think.

If anyone on here is having their pcb fixed by another member (also on here) supplying repair services, then i suggest you ask them how he will be treating your pcb, because he wont tell you that he does this, and if you are new to collecting, you probably wont know unless you inspect each layer of the pcb, but he'll ruin your pcb in the long run. Because this member is unrepentant in this respect, he will continue to 'fix' your pcbs but utterly ruining them with a heat gun. Sure, he might get the game going again with patch wires, but it LOOKS LIKE A DOGS DINNER, and ultimately ruins the pcb.

IDIOTS use heat guns to remove chips from valuable pcbs while attempting to repair them, repairing busted tracks with kynar wire afterwards, and ultimately giving up telling you the pcb is unfixable

LEARN SOME SOLDERING SKILLS AND GET THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT.

Don't ruin original and rare pcbs by using a heat gun.. DO YOU HEAR ME EVERYONE?

P-Man2012-11-09 12:32:16

 

[guddler]

I can't believe anyone WOULD. But obviously from your post someone does!!!

I tried it on a scrap PCB once and decided even that wasn't worth the effort and potential damage to my health

 

[ZedEx48K]

Why does this feel like the OP wants to out someone for dodgy repairs....

 

[backflipper]

Poor form I wouldn't want any of my retro boards repaired in this manner.

Take it on the chin and improve your techniques who ever you are.

 

[DanP]

So what is it you're trying to say Andy?

Seriously why would anyone use this method on a board they wanted to use again? It obviously ruins them? I've only done it on a scrapper and like Gudd I didn't really enjoy the poisonous fumes so I wont be doing it in a hurry again. As you say, just get a decent desoldering station and learn how to use it.

Dan

 

[Macro]

I tried it on a scrap PCB once and decided even that wasn't worth the effort and potential damage to my health

That TCP a-like smell is lovely, can't see what you are worrying about

I admit to having done this in the distant past, but can only remember ever doing it to three PCB's I was actually trying to fix.

of these, I still have one and it works fine (was in kill or cure territory though, so wasn't too worried if it didn't survive - 144 pin through hole custom chip on a golden axe)

I now have a de-solder station, so the heat gun has long been assigned to the garage where it belongs. (although I do have a SMT rework station that gets used from time to time, which I suppose could cause the same problems ...)

 

[andyman]

If so, name and shame them (or at least a clue), Ive had loads of boards that look like someone has used a thermal lance to desolder stuff, it does my box in

I used a blowtorch to remove stuff from a few dead boards but as said above, health damage was more of a priority

 

[P-Man]

Andyman - Read between the lines on Backflippers post.

 

[andyman]

 

[forcefulfil]

I love getting the heat gun out and pulling chips for fun,on my Scrappers!
then running them through the abi4000 b4 i log and store them

i seem to do less damage thoe knowing its a scrapper

but if its a good pcb i usually cut the legs and pull them individually

i once sent a pcb for repair and the repairer didnt use sockets,he just soldered the new chip to the old legs,hmm wonder who that was now

forcefulfil2012-11-09 15:31:29

 

[Zabanitu]

i use this:
http://www.ersa.com/art-ir-500-346-5009.html

and it works pretty well.
i've removed 12 damaged (and soldered) eproms from a bubble bobble pcb without damage.
it has been expensive but it's unvaluable whenever i use it (also for 40 pins cpus)!

for dip chips i use a Ersa 16pin dil desoldering tip and a special ic extractor on the other side of the board.

i am satisfied!

regards,
Zab
Zabanitu2012-11-09 23:56:57

 

[MarbleMad]

for the record I got that cheep ass hot air rework station to ruin xboxes not arcade boards. Those I can ruin with simpler tools.

 

[RaveN]

I use a few swift swipes of an axe. It leaves no scorch marks.

I tried a hot-air gun many moons ago on an old bootleg board, after a good few people recommended it for removing old chips. After scorching the board, a finger and the chips, I vowed never to use it again.

 

[porchy]

i use this:
http://www.ersa.com/art-ir-500-346-5009.html

and it works pretty well.
i've removed 12 damaged (and soldered) eproms from a bubble bobble pcb without damage.
it has been expensive but it's unvaluable whenever i use it (also for 40 pins cpus)!

for dip chips i use a Ersa 16pin dil desoldering tip and a special ic extractor on the other side of the board.

i am satisfied!

regards,
Zab

Impressive thing there.
How much does one of them set you back?

 

[Zabanitu]

i've bought it second hand from a cell phone repair shop for 600€ (Ughhh !)
but anytime i need to desolder something big (or small smd) without damaging the pcb, there it comes.
hot air gun is used for smaller smd things.
i must take my time to post my setup in the "test kit" thread !

there is also a good bargain here
http://annunci.ebay.it/annunci/altre-attrezzature/bari-annunci-gravina-in-puglia/stazione-laser-ersa-ir-500-a/37082014

complete with 5 soldering irons !!!

regards,
Zab