Best desoldering wicks according to redditors
We found 34 Reddit comments discussing the best desoldering wicks. We ranked the 5 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 34 Reddit comments discussing the best desoldering wicks. We ranked the 5 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
> Knowing next to nothing about assembling something like this, could a complete newbie make one?
Providing you can follow instructions it would be like constructing a more advanced Lego set.
If /u/progidek shares his EAGLE design you can print it onto some double sided copper PCB using a DIY etchant kit and an inkjet printer or finding something similar.
Parts should just be a matter of searching part numbers into Jaycar, Amazon, Sparkfun, Element13 or other similar sites.
Assembly can be done by following pictures, just make sure polarity is correct. Usually one side is different to show the polarity; silver ribbon on 1 side, longer leg, deformed side. This will be the most time consuming step, but mistakes can be undone using solder wick.
Soldering is easy to do, but not so easy to keep as clean as /u/progidek did, it's really quite gorgeous. There are a few youtube tutorials on how to's and improving technique.
You may want to start on a pre-packaged kit to build up some skill
It looks like you have a decent soldering station, that is really the main thing. You'll need a small tip, but probably not as small as you think. I like the Weller ETL, but a ~2mm screwdriver style tip works well for SMD in my experience. If you go too small it can actually cause trouble for heat transfer and thermal recovery.
If you've mostly been doing through-hole stuff, you'll want smaller solder. Having small diameter solder makes it easier to feed just the right amount. I like Kester 0.020, some people go even smaller. Of course there are lead-free versions of that, too, if you prefer.
For through-hole, the flux that is inside the solder is usually enough, but for surface mount, you'll need extra flux. You'll probably be fine with a flux pen. You'll probably want some solder wick because mistakes happen, and a solder sucker thingie doesn't work as well with surface mount.
As u/t_Lancer says, you won't need a hot air station and solder paste unless you're planning on doing leadless packages. If you decide to get a hot air station, though, they're pretty cheap. You don't even strictly need solder paste, I've been making do by tinning the pads with regular solder first with my soldering iron before hitting it with the hot air.
For vision, it depends on how your eyesight is. I'm fine eyeballing down to 0603 but I can't read the markings without help. I've started doing all of my soldering under light magnification with the Optivisor DA-3 with a LED attachment which has really helped, but it isn't strictly necessary. You can get those visors with more magnification at the cost of a shorter working distance. Good room lighting and a magnifying glass work fine, too.
And most important thing you need is practice. Watch this video and grab one or two of those SMD practice kits and you'll be knocking out surface mount stuff in no time.
I use the cheapest solder wick I could find on Amazon (like $1.50). The trick is to soak it in flux (which I also got off Amazon).
Edit: The wick I use and the flux.
If you're taking your first steps into wiring, then you should get comfortable working with wires and tools. Here is a kit that will introduce you to wiring, soldering, etc.
Along with that, there are a few tools that might be useful to you:
And there are videos on YouTube that will teach you how to properly solder a wire to a soldering point. For that Elenco kit, the main goal is to get both the siren and the flashing lights to work, which it will if you wired everything correctly and used the correct resistors. It can be easy to make mistakes while learning to solder for the first time but most mistakes can be fixed, and it's very difficult to cause enough damage to render the board completely unusable.
Also, one note of caution: soldering irons are extremely hot, as the intent is to liquify the solder and attach it to the soldering points.
soldering is your only real fix for that. You can get solder and an iron for under $10 on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Aven-17542-Desoldering-2-5mm-Length/dp/B003E48ERU/ref=pd_sim_hi_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=188YPQ34V4XST3F9F6P4
http://www.amazon.com/Sinometer-Watts-Soldering-Iron-listed/dp/B0006NNRW4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1419554378&sr=8-5&keywords=soldering+iron
Might be worth getting a solder wick for when you inevitably screw up. Solder vacuum isn't a terrible idea either. I have both, I use them for different things. A third hand is also useful. I find myself using the glass more than the arms but it's all useful. If the iron you buy doesn't come with one a brass ball is great for keeping your tip clean without cooling it off like a sponge will. Micro-cutter is useful, not sure if angled or straight is better, up to you I guess. Last but not least a pair of angled tweezers. You can get those anywhere.
These are all the things I have within arm's reach when I'm doing a project. Have fun!
I'm still pretty new to this myself, but like you I have some electronics experience in the past. I just got this Weller 40w iron station with a desolder braid/sucker and a solder tip cleaner. Oh and a more precise tip for the solder iron
I'm really happy with it all so far, and couln't imagine needing more for a while. A heat gun would be nice for de-soldering and reflowing premade boards (like modding Boss pedals), but that can also be done with a regular solder iron as far as I know. You can get the above for about $60 total, so it's a nice way to get your feet wet without a huge investment. Then you gotta add on components/enclosures/pots/switches etc. Maybe get a helping hands and/or circuit holder if you need
Oh and get a good multimeter. I went a step up from the $20 ones and got this one which I'm also really happy with.
Get yourself some desoldering braid, like this, or drop big bucks on a desoldering station. The braid is alright but can require a lot of patience and it needs a big, hot soldering iron.
FWIW, you're conflating soldering and welding. Welding fuses the parent metals and the filler metal together, whereas soldering simply bonds the filler metal around the parent metals.
Unless you're going to do a lot of desoldering then just get a copper wick.
If you are a total noob, I suggest you just get any 60 W soldering iron. Really. This one suits you and cost less than $10. Because getting a FX-888D now is like killing mosquitoes with cannons.
You also may need a stand where to rest the iron when not using it. It comes with a sponge so you can clean the iron tip from time to time (just don't forget to wet it before use).
Finally, you will need some solder. Stay away from lead-free solder, this stuff isn't for amateurs. Get a good-old 63/37 solder with rosin flux core, this one have a 0.3 mm diameter, small enough to even solder SMD components (but don't start with them, they need more practice to be hand-soldered).
Soldering isn't a difficult skill but it requires practice. So you better start small and take easy steps. In no time you will be soldering SMD components. :)
PS: you also want to get some desoldering wick and a hand vacuum pump/solder sucker, those are more useful than you might think.
DISCLAIMER: all these items are just suggestions, buy whatever you think is more useful for you. Just wanted to give you a start point.
Yep you're correct.
When soldering there are a few basic things you have to consider. The main idea is that you want to heat up the wire and the contact point to the point that the solder will "wick" to the parts. You don't want to just melt the solder on the iron itself and have it drizzle on the parts.
Here are some other basic tips I wish I had been told when I was learning to soldering electronics in no logical order:
But most of soldering is just practice. It's a pretty easy skill to get proficient at. After a few projects it'll be almost second nature.
A small vise or helping hand can be invaluable, if using a helping hand I recommend wrapping the alligator clip hands in a couple layers of electrical tape as they can be quite sharp and scratch up connectors and such. Since there's virtually no risk in damaging components, most soldering irons between 60-120W should work well. Any 60/40 rosin core solder will work, if you're unable to get leaded solder due to local regulations, I've heard the 99% tin stuff is decent, again just make sure it has rosin core. A smaller tip might be beneficial if using smaller connectors such as 2.5mm. A solder sucker and wick is useful if any mistakes are made. Lastly, a DMM is helpful to make sure there are no shorts and that all connections have continuity and low resistance.
Kester 44 Rosin Core Solder 63/37 .020" 3/4oz Dispense-Pak http://www.amazon.com/Kester-Rosin-Core-Solder-Dispense-Pak/dp/B00AYJ0B7Y/ref=sr_1_7?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1395671772&sr=1-7&keywords=kester+44
Desoldering Wick - 2mm http://www.amazon.com/Aven-17541-Desoldering-Wick-Width/dp/B003E48ERK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1395672458&sr=8-3&keywords=desoldering+braid
No Clean Flux Paste http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Clean-Paste-Syringe/dp/B00425FUW2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395672365&sr=8-2&keywords=flux
Solder Tip Cleaner
http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-599B-02-Solder-Cleaning-Holder/dp/B00FZPGDLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395673163&sr=8-1&keywords=solder+tip+cleaner
Soldering iron: https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-FX-888D/dp/B00ANZRT4M
Edit: most people recommend getting a chisel tip for the soldering iron. Big tips for big jobs, small tips for small jobs. Just having the pencil tip and one chisel will get you by for a long time.
Desoldering braid: https://www.amazon.com/Aven-17542-Desoldering-2-5mm-Length/dp/B003E48ERU/
Desoldering pump: https://www.amazon.com/WEmake-WM-SP4-Solder-Sucker-desoldering/dp/B0002KRAAG
You want both the pump and the braid. Get thin solder for electronics. You should probably use lead-free, but I like good old 60/40.
There are a ton of suggestions on multimeters. The exact right one for you depends on what you eventually want to do. Dave Jone's EEVBlog has some good suggestions. As does Adafruit. Anything Adafruit recommends isn't too far off the mark. If you just want a suggestion: Extech EX330 for $45 https://www.amazon.com/Extech-EX330-Autoranging-Multimeter-Thermometer/dp/B000EX0AE4 Cheaper ones will do the job, but this is a better one. The next step up are True RMS meters for about $100.
Look up some tutorials on youtube. A good iron makes a world of difference. I struggled with properly tinning all the irons I've used previously which were just those cheap $8 dollar irons from like walmart. The weller that was in my dad's stuff wasn't much more expensive but they make quality stuff.
The tip tinned very well and everything was fairly smooth. If you don't have a decent stock of soldering supplies I would purchase them before you start.
Here's a quick rundown of what I would recommend:
Simple Weller Soldering Iron
Helping Hands
Desolder Wick
Kester .03" solder
Having the desolder wick saved me a few times when I had some bad flow from the parts not having adequate heat and the solder just clumping on the pin rather than flowing into the connection. You just lay the braid over the solder and press your iron on top and it will soak the solder into the braid and leave your parts clean. You'll probably want something to clean your solder iron tip with. You can buy a Hakko cleaning stand with wire brush for $10 on amazon or you can just wet a scotch brite pad you buy from walmart for a few dollars.
You can use solder you already have if it's a small enough diameter. You want small diameter so that when you touch it to the part (not to the iron) it melts quickly and you dont have to continue to apply heat to the parts. As far as actually handling the solder while you're trying to work I like to cut a small length of solder, maybe 6-8 inches and then wind it in a mini spool around my pinkie finger and leave a length of it sticking out so you have something to hold on to that will give you good control.
How-To Solder Instructable
Once you make the connections look at them, a good connection should typically be shiny and not cloudy. It's likely overkill for this project but those are good practices.
Could be a few things but mostly likely the wrong wick for the job. If you get wick from the hardware store it won't work well. That wick is designed usually for plumbing size jobs and higher temps.
For PCB size jobs and SMD components getting the right wick is important just like using the right solder. Something like this may do well for you:
MG Chemicals #3 No Clean Super Wick Desoldering Braid, 0.075" Width x 5' Length, Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00424S2C8/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_Fe5Dzb8XT56FK
I also use this wick and like it:
Aven 17542 Desoldering Wick, 2.5mm Width, 5' Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003E48ERU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_9g5Dzb43FFNZ3
As far as technique, clean then tin your tip, heat the solder you are removing, re-tin your tip quickly and heavily, apply the braid and your tip on top. Solder should flow into the braid very quickly now that the solder was pre heated on the bottom of the wick and the tinned iron tip on top heats and flows into the braid sucking up the solder from below the wick.
Prolly just some solder wick https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003E48ERU/
Other then that everything else isn't really necessary
It's nice to work under LED lights
1st, heat the component and feed the solder into it.
2nd, If you have a cheap low wattage solding iron, objects with alot of metal will be hard to solder as it wicks the heat away too fast and doesnt get hot enough.
3rd, strip the wire a bit shorter, too much exposure especially without heat shrink allows for shorts
4th for removing solder as per above, sometimes you can just heat up the solder and tap the object against the table and the hot blob will fall off, i recommend though to either have solder wick or a solder sucker.
5th, for solder, use 60/40 lead - tin flux core solder, thinner the easier it is to work with.
soldering can be done cheap and easy but nothing beats having the proper tools.
Practice, practice, practice.
Although i will say when i was younger i also had joints look like that too.
If you continue to do this alot, here are the tools i recommend
Solder Wick
Solder
Iron and Solder Sucker
although if you really do alot of solder, get a good temp controller one like this
Weller Soldering station
Maybe the tip of your iron is Oxidized. If you dont have a properly tinned tip it will have trouble transferring the heat.
Take a bit of solder and try to stick it to the end of your Iron, if it smokes and the solder falls off and you have a dirty tip that is not shiny all this means its oxidized.
You want to polish the tip and then fully retin it. I used a metal polish on a crappy iron to polish the tip and then wrapped the tip with coils of solder and turned it on. When it melts onto the tip you just roll the tip around to get it coated well and then you will have a tinned tip on the iron.
The correct way to remove solder from a pad is to use Solder Wick:
https://www.amazon.com/Aven-17542-Desoldering-2-5mm-Length/dp/B003E48ERU/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1510916192&sr=8-8&keywords=Solder+wick
DeOxit is popular among vintage home audio collectors, however I'd guess that a pot in a car audio amp is not quite vintage enough to have exposed wipers. I'd replace it, personally.
A desoldering pump/wick is highly recommended.
thanks! this work?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ESUKNXG
Is there another option where I can purchase it in less quantity? Something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Rectorseal-14000-1-7-Ounce-Nokorode-Regular/dp/B000G33PAI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1469048395&sr=8-4&keywords=paste+flux
Also, the solder wick I'm using says it has flux in it. Is it the same quality as the paste flux?
Well damn it. Thanks a ton for the help. Is this really all I need? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ESUKNXG?psc=1
those solder suckers are bulky and a bit akward to use. These (below) work just as well as the bigger ones and can be used with one hand easily enough (https://www.amazon.com/Vastar-Desoldering-solder-Length-Removal/dp/B01ESUKNXG/ref=pd_sim_328_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01ESUKNXG&pd_rd_r=1RRJG43KPE2SYH7RZJEX&pd_rd_w=CzypZ&pd_rd_wg=2nk8D&psc=1&refRID=1RRJG43KPE2SYH7RZJEX)
Get flux or a wick with flux. Keep your tip clean - don't let old solder hang on.
Check out this video on different types of solder and flux:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1aONINVkSE
These are the things I have in my relatively newish lab I set up:
RA (Rosin Activated) Solder Flux
Flux Applicator
The bottle is just an example. You can buy refillable pens or brushes which many people prefer.
0.075" RMA(Rosin Mildly Activated) Solder Wick
0.032" RA Cored Solder
And finally to clean off your boards afterwards:
Flux Cleaner
You could also use no-clean variations if you like. I recommend doing some research on the different types of solder (look here). The accessories you choose depend on the type of solder you are using. I would try to use RA or RMA wicks and fluxes with RA or RMA solder. Mixing say no-clean fluxes with RA solder will probably just make things messier.
I forgot you mentioned you are using lead-free, in that case you could buy lead-free wick (MG chemicals sells it on amazon). Not sure if there are lead-free fluxes available. However I would recommend you switch from lead-free to leaded solder, your life will be much easier.
MG Chemicals is a good brand. I use it mostly because it is easy to get where I am.
Soldering is a good skill to have, in general.
And if you're careful, there's not much you can screw up.
Watch a YT tutorial or two and you'll be good to go.
For tools you'll eventually want what is in this kit, but probably not that kit itself.
I bought a Weller WLC100 40 watt kit (definitely get a norrower ST2 or ST3 tip as well), a solder sucker tool (you can use desoldering wick, but the solder sucker is worth the money), a Helping Hands and 60/40 rosin-core solder.
In addition, I like using tip tinner, a wire tip cleaner like this because I found that using a wet sponge reduced the tip temperature too much.
Also, solder fumes are not great so only do this is in a well-ventilated area. I like to use a small fan to blow the fumes away from my face.
The only thing you'll need to do is desolder/clip the existing swtich and wire up the replacement. You don't have to mess with the pots or caps unless you want to.
Phostenix Tele diagram page.
edit: fixed solder type
^ This
Use flux liberally - get it in a pen, or a syringe dispenser.
Most solder suckers are junk. Spend a couple of extra dollars and get one of the Edsyn Soldapult models.
Personally, I've had good luck with desoldering wick. Try something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Series-Braid-Length/dp/B008O9VX6O?ie=UTF8&keywords=mg%20chemicals%20wick&qid=1459221499&ref_=sr_1_9&sr=8-9
40W should be fine for switches, unless there is something wrong with your iron/tip. Don't try to get/keep both leads hot simultaneously. The solder needs to be removed.
thanks. something like the Hakko CHP CSP-30-1 Wire Stripper, 30-20 Gauge Maximum Cutting Capacity should work right?
solder wick
fume extractor
All good?
I've never soldered before, but I was embarrassed by how ridiculously easy it is. I still practiced on a $10 kit first.
Soldering kit
Tip cleaner
Thin solder wire
Solder wick optional, but way easier than a vacuum for a beginner.
Practice kit optional but nice for initial confidence boosting
you can just use those guys here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E48ERU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
They are cheap and very effective. Just place a bit of the tape on top of the junction that you wish to desolder and heat it up with your soldering iron. The tape is made of copper so it will suck up all the old solder. Works for me!
I've been soldering for 20 years and I still can't quite get it down all the time.
Take an evening, beer up and go watch the PACE International soldering tutorial. Get a good soldering iron from a local electronics shop or Amazon; I like the little $30 Weller "student" irons because they're adjustable and have good tip variety for cheap. SMT soldering needs two basic kinds of tip: point and a flat. With some practice, you can easily drag-solder gull-wing packages like the Atmel here.
You also don't seem to have
A small amount of solder wick or just GENTLY dragging your iron across the pins will get the bridged pins cleaned up, just make sure to add some flux when you solder again, if your solder doesn't have flux baked in. Then, the big glob of solder should just
pop off the board -- it isn't wetted to anythingWick off the board.I will agree with whoever said you're using too much solder: you're dripping. That's too much. The PACE videos will get you oriented in the right direction as to when to stop.
Solder wick is cheap to the point Amazon demands you buy it with something else. Get some. It's like a towel for solder. Heat, soak, and repeat.
I think its pretty funny nobody knows for $2 on Amazon you can order some de-soldering braid used by electronics repair people and never have this problem again.
https://www.amazon.com/Aven-17542-Desoldering-2-5mm-Length/dp/B003E48ERU/
I got this iron: http://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Station-Features-Continuously-Variable/dp/B0029N70WM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1413223923&sr=8-7&keywords=soldering+iron but for throughhole work a pen is fine.
the elenco soldering kit I got was this: http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-FM-88K-FM-Radio-Kit/dp/B004YHZE0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413223964&sr=8-1&keywords=elenco+fm
you can get a flux pen, is that what you're asking? you probably won't need one for throughhole work but this one's good: http://www.amazon.com/SRA-Soldering-Flux-Low-Solids-No-Clean/dp/B008OC0E5M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413223992&sr=8-1&keywords=flux+pen
solder pump: http://www.amazon.com/Parts-Express-Solder-Sucker--desoldering/dp/B0002KRAAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413224011&sr=8-1&keywords=solder+pump
soldering wick: http://www.amazon.com/Aven-17542-Desoldering-2-5mm-Length/dp/B003E48ERU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413224038&sr=8-1&keywords=soldering+wick
and solder: http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-AT-31604-60-40-Solder-Ounces/dp/B00030AP48/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1413224060&sr=8-3&keywords=alpha+fry