ZD-8915 Desoldering Station

A tool for taking through-hole components out of a board without damaging either the part or the board. The gun has a hollow heated tip and a vacuum pump: the tip goes over the lead, the solder melts, a press of the button sucks it inside and the hole is left empty. With an iron and a spring solder sucker the same job takes ten times longer and often ends with a torn pad.

What it is for in practice: lifting a 40-pin connector or a DIP chip whole in a minute, replacing the bulging electrolytic capacitors in an old power supply, salvaging working parts from a scrapped board, clearing holes before fitting a new part.

How to use

1. Switch on, set 350–380 °C for lead-free solder. That is a little above soldering temperature: the tip heats the joint through its bore.
2. Put the tip over the lead, wait two or three seconds until the solder has melted completely, wiggle the lead slightly and press the button.
3. If the hole did not clear, add fresh solder to it and try again: old oxidised solder melts poorly.
4. When done, run the pump for a few seconds with the tip in the air to blow it through, then switch the station off.

We empty the solder chamber and clean the filter from time to time. If the chamber is full and you need to work, you can empty it yourself: it unscrews from the gun, the solder inside has set into chips.

Take care

• The tip and the solder chamber are hot. The gun goes into its holder only.
• Do not press the tip onto the pad. Melt first, then press the button.
• The pump exhaust carries flux fumes; open a window.

Access

The station is on the electronics bench in the hackspace room, so a plan with hackspace access is required. No induction is needed. The station stays in the room; it is not for rent.