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PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 11:10 pm 
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Most of the stuff I get my hands on doesn't pick up any of the 60/40 tin/lead solder that I use.

The copper braid on the left in this picture worked well, while the one in the middle and the one on the right couldn't pick up anything regardless of how much time I gave it with the solder iron on it.

Image


Is there a trick to this stuff, or is this solder just really that crap (in which case, how do companies even get away with selling it)? Funny thing is, the stuff in the middle, I think, I bought from a local electronics store that also sells 60/40 solder... which it seems the copper braid doesn't pick up. I figure they should be aware of that. Or, there's a trick to using copper braid.

I just watched a video showing that adding a bit of new solder to old solder that's to be removed can help it be sucked up into a copper wick. I haven't tried that. Though, that brand of solder on the left in the image I showed has never needed that trick to work.


When shopping, how do you tell whether copper braid is going to be good, before buying it?


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 7:18 am 
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I got some braid in an assorted box from someone ages ago. It's the only braid I've ever tried, and it was useless. (I usually assume user error, but it doesn't seem that complicated.) Curious to read the responses on this one.

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 7:22 am 
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The fact that the one on the left is a U.S. product and the other two are Chinese tells me all I need to know.

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 7:57 am 
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I use the #4 techspray regularly. I use the non no-clean version, I think the part number is 1804. I find it works quite well. I find the wick is well suited PCB's where the pumps work better at pots/switches/lugs etc.

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:22 am 
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sjaustin wrote:
I got some braid in an assorted box from someone ages ago. It's the only braid I've ever tried, and it was useless. (I usually assume user error, but it doesn't seem that complicated.) Curious to read the responses on this one.


I hope somebody else confirms this, but after reading on Techspray's website about their different types of desoldering wick, I wonder if it's because the braid you had and those two on the right in my photo are untreated and require being dipped in an additional flux:

https://www.techspray.com/desoldering-braid

No-Clean desoldering braid - coated with proprietary flux that only leaves a slight clear residue, which does not cause dendritic growth, corrosion, and other service issues. Cleaning after using Techspray No-Clean wick is optional.

Pro-Wick desoldering wick - coated with a fast activating rosin flux for lightning fast solder removal.

Unfluxed desoldering braid - ideal for customers that use an aqueous flux, or are required to maintain the same flux throughout board assembly and rework.



And it looks like the # 1 - 6 indicates the width of the braid:

Braid # Color Code Width (in) Width (mm)

#1 White 0.035 0.9
#2 Yellow 0.055 1.4
#3 Green 0.075 1.9
#4 Blue 0.098 2.5
#5 Brown 0.130 3.3
#6 Red 0.193 4.9


spin wrote:
I use the #4 techspray regularly. I use the non no-clean version, I think the part number is 1804. I find it works quite well. I find the wick is well suited PCB's where the pumps work better at pots/switches/lugs etc.


From reading Techspray's description, it sounds to me like the Pro-Wick version might absorb solder faster, but I might try the no-clean version too. I never cleaned with the Pro-Wick version I had as I didn't know that it was expected. It didn't look as though any reside was left over after using it.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 1:56 pm 
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I look up reviews for everything before it buy it. Frankly it drives me crazy. Desoldering braid works fantastic for me, it’s the most consistently helpful thing I’ve used.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 2:06 pm 
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I've had excellent results with Techspray. Not so much with the junk I bought from Radio Shack several years ago. Of course, they went Chapter 11 in 2015. Coincidence?? :wink:

Seriously, the point made by Delicieuxz is right on the money, I believe. Gotta have that flux for the braid to really suck up the solder, and most users aren't going to want to screw around with applying it to "dry" braid. Better to buy the stuff that's already infused with it.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 11:21 am 
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I for one hate braid and try to use any other method when I can. But when I have used it, I added solder to the joint I want to desolder in an effort get some flux on there to 'activate' it and upon doing so it sucks up a bit better.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2019 5:17 pm 
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+1 for "dry braid sucks"

it literally DOESN'T WORK at all without flux inside. and who wants to apply flux to their braid?

that said, a decent braid with flux is, IMO, one of the best options for solder removal, especially in the case of multi-pin parts like ICs. But if the material allows, a solid option is to just heat and whack - i.e. melt the solder, then quickly whack the PCB on your tabletop to fling the liquid solder off.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2019 7:23 pm 
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CaptainPeyote wrote:
+1 for "dry braid sucks"

Actually, dry braid DOESN'T suck...which is why it sucks. :mrgreen:

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 4:33 pm 
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Just bought this MG Chemicals desoldering braid and it works GREAT: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O ... _title_s00

Attachment:
MG_superwick.jpg
MG_superwick.jpg [ 45.71 KiB | Viewed 5913 times ]

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 26, 2019 5:13 pm 
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duhvoodooman wrote:
Just bought this MG Chemicals desoldering braid and it works GREAT: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O ... _title_s00


I use the desolder braid we supply. It hasn't let me down yet. I would love to give a more robust braid like the one you linked a try, but at that price, I would go broke haha. When I'm doing some heavy mod work or prototyping, I tend to burn through braid faster than a hot iron left on an enclosed jack too long. The vacuum sucker on my desk works amazing, unless I'm working on a single sided PCB, which tend to be quite susceptible to pad lift.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 9:20 am 
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can confirm the MG stuff works well. Their liquid tin is great too, if you're an etcher. Not the powdered stuff, though. Don't buy that.

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