Reclaiming parts from old circuit boards

[THX-1138]

I have a bunch of old circuit boards I've collected over the years, and the sheer mass has grown to the point that I need to do something about them.

 

I saved them either because I could use them elsewhere (e.g., power supplies) or because I wanted to reclaim some of the parts (connectors, gang resistors, etc.). Almost all of the parts in which I'm interested are heat-tolerant.

 

Unfortunately, getting the little buggers loose is turning out to be more of a chore than I anticipated -- I think primarily because the pins are soldered through the boards and not just to the pads.

 

I've had limited success in using a solder-sucker to clean it up. I used to have some solder-wick around somewhere, but I'm not sure it would do the job, either. Any solvent able to work on the substrate or the solder itself would doubtless cheerfully consume the interesting bits as well.

 

The boards themselves are expendable, so slicing them up to get the parts on their own little bits of PCB is tolerable.

 

Anyone have any suggestions for getting these things loose from their tenacious boards and solder?

[Fuzzwood]

If they are heat-resistant, put them upside down in an oven on 250 degrees C or so.

[THX-1138]

Are you serious? I'm not sure how my Significantly Better Half would react to the aroma..

[Rocket Man]

it all depends on how heat tolerant they are. if you want a CMOS IC, you'd probably be better off whiping out the dremel and grinding at the solder.

 

if you get your pliers around the part and melt the solder, you can generally wrestle them out fairly easily.

[YT2095]

an IC extractor tool (prolly cost about 1.50) and a small blow torch is all I used, the other way if you`re not too fussy if to turn the board upside down over a box, blow torch the board and keep tapping it with a screwdriver, most the bits will fall out into the box.

but the ones you really want to keep, use the IC extractor tool.

[Externet]

Been there, done that, and it is not always convenient.

The oven solution does work, a butane torch on the solder side works, slammi ng the board at the right melting moment; removal by hand works...

The best way for me, is to keep the parts as they are on the old boards, and remove the ones as needed. Will not need bins, saves a ton of work done to zillion parts that you will end using perhaps 2%, 90% of parts removed by 'brute heat' will have solder splashes everywhere on them, requiering more cleanup work.

And, complete boards provide a bonus, you can saw-off complete operational sections or stages instead of building them.

Miguel

[YT2095]

Ext, I have 10`s of Kilos of these IC here, and I`ve never come across one that doesn`t work!

 

so yes, my Method Does work Perfectly well, and I can provide Pics if you don`t believe me!

the Oven is Stupid!

that heats the whole device, the idea is to keep the heat short and to a min and ONLY where needed!

 

I`ve been doing this nearly 30 years now, it Works!

[Bettina]

Ext, I have 10`s of Kilos of these IC here, and I`ve never come across one that doesn`t work!

 

so yes, my Method Does work Perfectly well, and I can provide Pics if you don`t believe me!

the Oven is Stupid!

that heats the whole device, the idea is to keep the heat short and to a min and ONLY where needed!

 

I`ve been doing this nearly 30 years now, it Works!

 

I've helped my boyfriend do just that. He uses a small pencil type butane torch and heats the bottom of the board until the parts fall out. I also learned that some connectors (what he really wanted most) have retention type pins and have to be pulled out even when unsoldered.

 

Boring, but I helped him.

 

Bee

[YT2095]

yeah, those pins you have squeeze back in with long nose pliers, a solder sucker is best for those types.

 

tricky little fu(kers I know!

[THX-1138]

Propane torch it was. Most everything came loose, but the fumes from the PCB sent me fleeing a few times.

[YT2095]

oh yeah, I knew there was something I forgot to mention