Heat gun trick saved me from binning a board today

Had this old power supply board I was working on last week, and the solder on a big capacitor just wouldn't budge. Tried my regular iron, even cranked it up to 450C and it still felt like cold glue. Then I grabbed my heat gun on a whim, hit the whole area for maybe 15 seconds, and that cap practically fell out when I touched the pads. Has anyone else had luck preheating stubborn joints with a heat gun instead of just the iron?

3 comments

3 Comments

dakota_patel9825d ago

A heat gun on stubborn joints is honestly a cheat code I wish I learned sooner. I had a motherboard once where the solder wouldn't melt no matter what, and I was about to trash it. Used a heat gun on low setting for about 30 seconds and suddenly everything was liquid. The trick is to not overdo it, keep the heat moving so you don't cook the board or pop nearby plastic bits. I actually clamp my board down with a clip so I can hold the heat gun in one hand and a pick in the other. Works way better than cranking up the iron and hoping for a miracle.

umar5928d ago

82 year old me with shaky hands and a heat gun sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but honestly I'm glad it worked for you. I've definitely been that desperate before, waving hot air at stuff like a caveman with fire.

ryan36928d ago

The trick with a heat gun and shaky hands is to wedge it into something stable. I used to tape mine to a workbench vice so it stayed aimed at the sticker while I used both hands to peel. You can also just set it on a brick or a heavy book if you aim it right. The key is not moving the heat source, just move the piece you're working on. I've done that with old laptop stickers and car badges and it saves you from burning yourself or melting something you didn't mean to. lol