How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

[Number Of The Priest]

RobRR's sticky topic does an excellent job of explaining soldering, but how about unsoldering? Let me see if I've got the following sequence correct:

Wet the sponge, heat the iron, (do I need to tin the tip here?), apply the tip to the pot, wipe tip on sponge and put on stand, apply solder sucker to melted solder on pot, lift wire away from pot.

Thanks for any info you can provide. [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[nor]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

Nope. Ya gotta lift the wire AS the heat is applied. Only takes a sec for the solder to reharden.

[img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[nor]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

Let the iron heat for awhile before using it - touch hot tip to solder joint/connection - hold until solder liquifies - pull wire free - remove hot tip from solder joint/connection - clean hot tip on sponge you pre-moistened.

[AlexL]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

Yes, tin the tip slightly, as you will get better heat transfer. Don't over tin, or else you'll make things more difficult by adding extra solder to what you are trying to un-solder.

- E.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

Thanks Ron. [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img] So I don't have to tin the iron tip before unsoldering? Excellent. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

I guess I apply solder sucker while the solder is liquified?

[VitaminG]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

and here I thought you grabbed the guitar in one hand, the wires in the other & PULL!! [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

Thanks everyone. I'll do the pickup swap tomorrow. [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[nor]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

Forget the solder sucker for now. I only use 'em if I have to. Just heat and pull, dammit!
[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

But what to do with all that melted solder... enter the solder sucker. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[VitaminG]

Re: How do you UNSOLDER pickups?

first remove the wire, as directed by Ron. Come back for the excess solder. It's not like the hostages are going to die if you have to come back for them. [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]