Soldapullt original vs III

[Jon Elson]

On 01/16/2017 06:40 AM, Corey Cohen wrote:
> So I think I need to upgrade to a real Soldapullt instead of the RadioShack special.
>
> Is the slimline III model as good as the original bulky one?  I don't mind the xtra pressure to push down the plunger on the original, I'm concerned with the effectiveness and ability to get in tight places my Hakko FR gun can't fit easily or when it's not worth changing tips for a single different component.
>
>
Well, these things work, but if you've ever used a real 
desoldering station with vacuum pump (or venturi pump) 
you'll realize how second-rate they are.  I routinely 
desolder things like 68-pin connectors with a Pace 
desoldering tool.  The long-acting suction with a pump makes 
it work 10X better.  The trick, as described in the Pace 
manuals, is you heat the connection for several seconds, 
then apply vacuum and orbit the tip so it moves the 
component pin in the plated through hole.  That orbiting 
gets ALL the solder out of the hole.
It is amazingly better than the piston-type solder pullers.

There are also units that combine the heated tip with the 
piston suction unit, and work better, as the joint is kept 
hot while the solder is pulled out.  This is kind of in 
between the two other types.

Jon