> > For larger ICs, flood and lift will work, if done carefully.
> > I've done 100 pin ICs that way, though it would have been easier
> > to cut the
> > leads (with a knife, cutters will rip up the pads)
>
>         A real easy way to get SMT stuff off a board is a heat gun. The only
> problem is when you use it you have to make sure you don't bump the board
> causes things you DON'T want removed to shift. I've gotten almost anything I
> wanted (both through hole and SMT) with my heat gun. TTYL


I thought you might like to hear about this,
i've been playing with a new method of removing
SMT parts or through-hole PICs from double sided
boards, I removed about 50 PICs the other night
from double sided PTH type boards in less than
5 seconds each, worked like a dream! :o)

I have a small solder "cauldron" which is a little
metal pot about 2" across and 1.5" deep, with an
integral element and handle. They are sold as tools
for dong wire tinning during manufacture, you dip
the wires in the molten solder in the pot. I got it
as part of a junk lot, I don't know how much they
cost.

I noticed that if you over-fill it, the molten solder
sticks up about 3mm!! The solder surface tension is
huge and makes a convex meniscus, almost like a bubble
of liquid solder sticking out of the pot. Having seen
"wave" soldering done, I instantly thought of the
possibilities of this...

Anyway it worked perfect to remove 50 PIC chips in a
few minutes, I just layed the boards on top of the
solder bubble for 2 seconds, and pulled the chips
straight out.

Now I just need to try some SMT stuff and maybe wave
soldering with it...
;o)
-Roman

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