That $40 desoldering station from a flea market actually works

I picked up a used desoldering station for $40 at a flea market in Austin last Saturday, mostly as a joke since my old solder sucker was doing fine. First time I used it on a multi-layer board that had rotted through, it cleared all 12 holes in under a minute without lifting a pad. Anyone else had cheap used gear surprise them, or should I still keep my backup pump within reach?

1 comments

1 Comment

the_john10d ago

Multi-layer boards aren't really "rotted through," they delaminate from heat and moisture, but I get what you're saying. A decent vacuum desoldering station will beat any manual pump on through-hole stuff, especially when the solder is old and crusty. The real test is when you hit a ground plane, that's where cheap units usually choke and lose suction. Still, for $40, if it clears a stubborn joint without pulling a trace, you're way ahead of the game. Keep the backup pump around, but mainly for those tiny surface mount pads where a vacuum tip is just too clunky.