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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: HamsterDog on Sun, 25 January 2015, 22:55:30

Title: Desoldering Problems (Leopold FC600M)
Post by: HamsterDog on Sun, 25 January 2015, 22:55:30

Hey all,

I recently bought a Leopold FC600M from Massdrop to lug around to use with the Macbook. I immediately tried to take it apart to get to work on lubricating the red switches I chose with it. Only a couple months ago I completely desoldered a 104-key Rosewill, lubed the switches, soldered it all back together, and had zero problems doing so. No complications, everything and all 104 keys worked fine.

Fast forward to [attempting] to desolder the Leopold. Out of 8 or so switches I tried to desolder, I was only able to successfully do one. After failing horribly, I soldered everything back together before I got too aggressive or frustrated and burned something into disrepair. Mind you I am not an engineering student or anything of the sort...I taught myself via YouTube how to solder to the extent necessary to successfully do the Rosewill.

The majority of the leads I was trying to desolder seemed to get hot, liquefy, and then seemed to "sink" into the PCB, for lack of a better explanation. The solder was definitely liquefying, but I absolutely could not suck it up with either the 2-in-1 bulb pump desoldering iron, or the separate pump action desoldering pump I have.

Anyone have any experience / tips / suggestions that might help me out? Anything would be appreciated!

Title: Re: Desoldering Problems (Leopold FC600M)
Post by: Melvang on Sun, 25 January 2015, 23:00:51

While I don't have any experience with desoldering a Leo PCB, but it sounds like it is a dual layer board with plated through holes.  These are going to be much more difficult to desolder than the rosewill which I have worked on.  The reason it is tougher is there is a copper sleeve all the way through the PCB that the solder will stick to instead of just the pad at the top surface.  Try a touch more heat, or holding an extra second or two before sucking the solder out.  Also, if the solder pads are factory, they are lead free solder with is tougher to work with as well.  I would suggest going through every pad and add leaded solder before attempting to remove.

Title: Re: Desoldering Problems (Leopold FC600M)
Post by: p3lim on Mon, 26 January 2015, 07:17:15

Quote from: Melvang on Sun, 25 January 2015, 23:00:51

Also, if the solder pads are factory, they are lead free solder with is tougher to work with as well.  I would suggest going through every pad and add leaded solder before attempting to remove.

I ended up doing this when I desoldered a QuickFire TK last week, made everything smooth and easy.

Title: Re: Desoldering Problems (Leopold FC600M)
Post by: HamsterDog on Mon, 26 January 2015, 18:51:36

Hmm. Thanks for the tips!