removing parts from PCBs

[Gordon JC Pearce]

Jules Richardson wrote:
> Witchy wrote:
> 
>> On Sat, November 12, 2005 3:19 am, Allison said:
>>
>>> Myself I torch the bottom and use a spring loaded chip extractor.
>>> That and a pliers or tiny screwdriver to straighten any bent
>>> pins keeping it in the board.
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm right in assuming this technique requires a bit of practice? :)
> 
> 
> Not for ICs, no. I've found with things like IDC connectors it's a bit 
> trickier as it's hard to keep the heat even across the whole socket and 
> not damage it (plus such sockets tend to be at the edges of boards and 
> so the heat 'spills over' to the top-side and damages the socket)

I use a hot air paint stripper to heat up the solder side, component 
side down, and then tap it against either my wooden workbench or 
stainless steel kitchen sink to get all the chips out.  I got about a 
meg of 41256s out of scrap boards like that once, and doubled the memory 
in my second ever PC.

Gordon.