How to Use a Solder Wick

Soldering two electronic components together is an art form in itself. There often comes a time, however, when a soldered joint must be taken apart. This requires the use of one of two tools--either a solder pump/syringe or a solder wick, which is a long spool of braided copper wire. Using these tools enables the hobbyist to desolder a connection without damaging the connected components.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soldering iron Solder wick (braided copper) Soldered joint

1. Plug in the soldering iron and wait until it reaches operating temperature.

2. Press the solder wick against the joint to be desoldered.

3. Press the soldering iron against the wick. As the wick heats, it will melt the solder in the joint and soak it up, leaving the joint clean and solder-free.

4. Clip off the solder-soaked end of the wick and throw it away, leaving the wick clean for the next job.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful! The tip of a soldering iron can easily exceed 400 degrees, and the tip of a cool soldering iron looks exactly like the tip of a hot one!

References

• Desoldering - how to remove a component