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copper braid VS. solder sucker

copper braid or solder sucker?

  • copper braid

    Votes: 3 42.9%

  • solder sucker

    Votes: 4 57.1%
  • Total voters
    7
space cowboy

space cowboy

Quack Quack
Oct 16, 2012
1,368
452
93
Michigan
your choice?
I've used a solder sucker many years ago and don't remember if I liked it or not. I recently ran out of my supply of copper braid and am thinking maybe a sucker would work better.
 

That's what I use Pat. Solder-Wick. Although some people use it regular coax braid won't work as well at all because it needs flux. Speaking of solder suckers I found my old bulb tyoe the other day. The teflon tip was fine but the rubber bulb was cracked and rotted. It used to suck but now it just sucks. :)
 
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I use a solder sucker that can be used by just one hand. I steer clear of those sucker types that require two hands to recharge with. Just not efficient if you are trying to get a job done quickly. Never used a bulb type; but it looks like it qualifies for one hand operation.

Similar to what I use:

AX-808.jpg
 
I just recently learned to use the braid successfully. You need a very hot iron. In the past I would try to use a wimpy 15 watt iron and now use a big 80 watter with a pencil tip.

Have used the solder sucker pencils with mixed results for years, so I'm on the fence between the two. A vacuum gun is on my wish list though.

A super small set of drill bits is a big help to do the final clean up on the PC board holes.
I ordered a few of these sets that are good for carburetor cleaning as well:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5336136228&icep_item=230924701521
 
BBB said:
I just recently learned to use the braid successfully. You need a very hot iron. In the past I would try to use a wimpy 15 watt iron and now use a big 80 watter with a pencil tip.

Have used the solder sucker pencils with mixed results for years, so I'm on the fence between the two. A vacuum gun is on my wish list though.

A super small set of drill bits is a big help to do the final clean up on the PC board holes.
I ordered a few of these sets that are good for carburetor cleaning as well:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5336136228&icep_item=230924701521
Click to expand...
I used the bulb sucker type as I have had no luck with braid, but I don't use an overly hot iron.
 
I use both. I also have the commercial solder vacuum types. Sometimes you need the solder sucker, other times you need the braid. Just remember to use light pressure when using the braid because you can cause damage to the circuit board traces. Lifted pads and broken traces are common if not used correctly. Same with the solder sucker. The commercial solder vacs the use the hot pencil and motorized vacuum pump are the best. I got two of them for less than 70.00 each off of eBay. With those you have to maintain them on a regular basis or they don't work for long. The cotton filter in the glass tube needs to be changed often and the tube needs to be dumped as well. You have to match the iron to the job too. You don't want to use a 800 degree iron on the small traces of a SMT board.
A good set of solder tools helps a lot. Radio Shack is a good source for those.
 
Last edited:
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Years ago I learned to use a bulb type solder sucker because that was all that was available. I worked in a manufacturing environment, and getting defective parts changed out fast was imperative. Braid just didn't cut it in that respect. Using a bulb and a steel point pocket scribe, I can still pull a 16 pin DIP out in less than a minute without damaging any circuit traces.

- 399
 
I use both the wick and the solder sucker(s), and I use both the pen type, as Robb uses, and the squeeze bulb type. All three have their own purposes on my bench.

Also forgot, I also use my Weller De-soldering station as needed.


~Cheers~
 
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I did try the all-in-one combo iron and bulb type with pretty good results just recently.

Only down side is the large "size" of the combo tip so to speak. But the up side was since the tip is so large, it held it's heat longer than a regular 15 watt iron when applied (due to the shear amount of metal the thing is made of)
 
Captain Kilowatt said:
Those type were made back when you didn't need a magifyiny glass to see circuit traces. LOL
Click to expand...
If you are working with SMT boards you need at least a 20X microscope and soldering irons that are temperature regulated. Like the Metcal rework stations. We had tips that would heat up and melt the solder on all sides of the IC's and a suction would lift the chips off of the board.
 
I use both with a preference with the solder sucker. Recent Ebay offerings are very reasonable in price if you do not mind waiting several weeks. The Chinese seem to be almost self cleaning as my old Radio Shack vacuum solder pull jams after a few clean outs.
Wick works well for me only with certain larger components but any boards with SMD components are tough as the wick can pull them off.
I also have a hot air rework station and it has variable temperature and fan speed. This works well for SMD and ball solder ICs.
For builds and component removal I have used a hot plate like the kind you use for fondue or heating coffee, the smaller flat surface type. This works well for building SMD board kits or repairs. I use solder paste and the parts self align on the pads. I also have liquid solder flux for cleaning areas to be soldered and I use wick to remove excess solder on pads.
Lastly I use dental picks and long needles to clean out solder through holes and save your wire cut offs to make via (plated through holes) repairs.
Now you know most of my solder secrets!

mechanic
 
It seems to me, years ago the wick worked better, If I use wick I will usually melt the solder on all the joints I am going to de-solder first, it seems to work better.
I can never get a manual sucker in plce before the solder cools down!
I bought a used solder-sucker with a built in footswitch and vacuum pump off fleaBay for about $50 and I love it!
 

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