removing parts from PCBs

[Chuck Guzis]

On 11/15/2005 at 10:06 AM Joe R. wrote:

>   Speaking of gold/white ceramic ICs. I found a stash of NOS RCA 1801
CPUs
>last week. Some of them were stored in that nasty black antistatic foam
>that disintegrates with age and the ICs are now fused with the foam. I've
>tried to pull a couple of them out and some of the legs broke off of them.
>Does anyone know a way to dissolve the foam or anothe rway to get the ICs
>out without damaging them?  Luckily many of the CPUs are still in their
>original RCA packages so they're PRISTINE!

I'd first try soaking the mess in acetone (available at any hardware
store); if that didn't work, try some methylene chloride, which will
dissolve most anything that's dissolvable.  You can get it (or at least
liquid paint strippers that contain it) at most good paint stores.

Follow precautions printed on the container.  Fumes from either of these
are nasty.  Methylene chloride is murder on your skin and eyes and is a
class 3 carcinogen.

Cheers,
Chuck