How to salvage old electronic parts.

In this Instructable, I will show you how you can get some awesome parts out of old electronics. In this case, I used a speaker from my old computer.

Step 1 Warning!

Don't expect to do this without getting a few burns, unless you are a master of the soldering iron. I got burned 4 times that are visible on this project, but I had actually never used a soldering iron before.

Comments

[makincoolstuff]

why are you telling us how to desolder if you can't even remove a simple amp

[DSMP]

If you didn't see my previous comments already, i had no solder sucker or a working solder braid, and if you have ever soldered, you will know that solder dries quickly and it is hard to melt 8 points on a board with a cheap soldering iron and nothing to remove the solder with.

[HarveyH44]

I use a 5 gallon bucket, and a propane torch. Most parts just fall out into the bucket, some times a little 'pop' on the circuit board will release stubborn ones. Others need to be pried off. If I'm looking for specific parts, or something is delicate, I'll use the soldering iron.

[MikB]

Ah, many misspent hours doing this :)

A propane torch is nice for starting fires and burning boards to a crisp to get a good lungful of toxic smoke, along with your free parts. Mmm, nice. I prefer an electric heat gun (usually used for paint stripping, 1-2kW). This gives you lots of heat and no flame.

Grip parts on the component side with IC pullers, tweezers, pliers, or gently lever with a screwdriver. Don't force it. Firm grip and gently pull.

Watch out for exploding pods of solder in vias/through holes, they splash a LONG way and will do your eyes no good. Keep out of the way of components flying left, and solder flying right.

If you are trying to remove connectors (like pin strips/molex/DIN41612 etc) then you get best results by plugging a spare socket/plug into them before heating to minimise any movement of the pins in the plastic. If a connector gets melted, don't junk it, pull the pins out of it or hack it down smaller. Same with any DIP/DIL IC sockets.

Don't bother with ordinary resistors, tiny bypass capacitors etc. They are dirt cheap, and the legs will be short, and they are not worth the propane/electricity.

Clamp the board upright in a vice, and lock the vice to the bench. Seriously.

No desoldering braid or solder sucker if this is to strip a board to keep parts., but solder sucker if board needs to stay in one piece (as in a repair).

Happy scavenging!

[noltus]

You need a desoldering pump,it vil make it a lot easyer

[DSMP]

I had a braid that I used a little bit for removing large clumps of solder, I didn't use it enough to show it in the instructable though. I got the parts off just fine without anything though.

[zack247]

i agree, but ive never used one and gotten parts off fine. i will admit that i have lost some parts because i didnt use one though.

desoldering braid is also perhaps a bit nicer than a desoldering pump though.

[RedSnertz]

They both have their places. Pumps are excellent for large scale removal; braid for cleanup. You only have to pay for the pump once. You can save a lot of inches of braid if you use the pump first.