Desoldering PCB Components

[LordBucketHead]

I'll come right out with it, I'm not very good at this. Worse than that actually. Even with the braided copper stuff and all.
I keep detaching the thru hole circle thing from the board. I could spit when it happens.
I've watched an American lad desolder a Simpsons PCB on YouTube with astonishing ease using a 'Hakko 808'
This model of desoldering gun doesn't seem to be easily available. At least not this side of the pond.
Could anyone recommend one of these guns/stations/tools easily available in the UK please ?
I already have a pretty good soldering station (I know - pathetic - look at me - I've got a great soldering iron) so I don't want one of those complete packages.

 

[stoptap]

The best way (without using a good quality de-soldering station) is to cut the components off the board first then remove the remaining pins with a soldering Iron and tweezers. Then solder suck the remaining solder out of the holes.

 

[PBrookfield]

solder suck

This times a billion. Copper braid is for clean-up of pads and SMD parts, suckers are for actually getting rid of the vast bulk of material without destroying everything in the process.

The Hakko 808 is a time-honoured rework part but you don't want one of those for a long time.

Get one of these bastards: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-In...&qid=1510869400&sr=8-6&keywords=solder+sucker
Also, especially with braid, if you're not using flux even for desoldering work, you're making your life needlessly harder. This is the best you can get: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MG-Chemica...=1510869513&sr=1-1&keywords=solder+flux+tacky

 

[LordBucketHead]

The best way (without using a good quality de-soldering station) is to cut the components off the board first then remove the remaining pins with a soldering Iron and tweezers. Then solder suck the remaining solder out of the holes.

Thanks for that tip. Much appreciated. I'll give that a try on a practice board. It's a skill worth having.

 

[LordBucketHead]

This times a billion. Copper braid is for clean-up of pads and SMD parts, suckers are for actually getting rid of the vast bulk of material without destroying everything in the process.

The Hakko 808 is a time-honoured rework part but you don't want one of those for a long time.

Get one of these bastards: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-In...&qid=1510869400&sr=8-6&keywords=solder+sucker
Also, especially with braid, if you're not using flux even for desoldering work, you're making your life needlessly harder. This is the best you can get: https://www.amazon.co.uk/MG-Chemica...=1510869513&sr=1-1&keywords=solder+flux+tacky

Thank you for your reply & the links. I have those suckers (I've been building electronic kits for solder practice with baffling successfulness) although the flux thing looks very interesting

 

[BigIan]

Farnel do a cheaper version desolder station.
Duratool Zd-915

http://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d00672/desoldering-station-uk-eu-plug/dp/SD01384

Great piece of kit, makes desoldering a breeze.

 

[Moonbus]

I'll second this sucker...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-In...&qid=1510869400&sr=8-6&keywords=solder+sucker

The silicone tip on it makes working with it easy.

On pinballs the volume of solder can be an issue but as the sucker is easy to strip down its also easy to unblock. Main bit of advice would be to fully depress the plunger quickly after each suck and you should get a nice pellet of old solder.

I use only a 10mm length of silicone tube with the end cut about 45deg.

A pair of needle nose tweezers is also really handy for cleaning the silicone tube out.

After a few hours of work with the pump, strip the unit down, clean solder dust from inside with a tissue and lubricate piston with silicone grease.