cleaning solder from lugs

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cleaning solder from lugs

David A. Belsley
Well, here is an interesting one.  I had a group of plugs and jacks  
that I had retrieved from various projects each still with ends of  
cut wires soldered to the lugs.  I heated up the soldering iron,  
getting ready to clean them out for reuse.  On the first lug, I  
heated the solder and removed the wire -- and the lug, of course, was  
still filled with solder, despite my shaking the jack vigorously  
while the solder was still hot.  I went to the next lug, did the  
same, but this time, when shaking vigorously I accidentally dropped  
the jack, with some force, onto the work table.  When I picked it up,  
I noted pleasantly that, not only was the wire gone, but the hole was  
clean as a whistle (and we all know how clean that is).  So I tried  
the same thing on the next lug -- and, lo, just as nice.  I went  
through three more jacks and a couple of plugs doing the same thing,  
and it worked beautifully each time.  Indeed, I finally went back the  
the very first lug, still filled with solder, and reheated it and  
popped it down on the bench, and, yep, clean as a whistle.

Needless to say, this is not a procedure recommended for pcbs or for  
delicate or breakable items, but for things like jacks, plugs,  
switches, and whatever, it seems to be a nice way to go without  
heating up the Hakko.  Just do it to some nice music that will  
benefit from an augmented rhythm section.

best wishes,

dave belsley, w1euy
-------------------------------------
david a. belsley
professor of economics

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Re: cleaning solder from lugs

Bill Coleman-2

On Jun 7, 2006, at 9:13 PM, David A. Belsley wrote:

> Needless to say, this is not a procedure recommended for pcbs or  
> for delicate or breakable items, but for things like jacks, plugs,  
> switches, and whatever, it seems to be a nice way to go without  
> heating up the Hakko.

I've been doing this for years! Beware that you have eye protection,  
and be careful if you are wearing shorts, as the little globs of hot  
solder can leap a considerable distance.


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: [hidden email]
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901

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