Advice on Desoldering an IC

[Chuck Guzis]

For very-difficult de-soldering, I use a variation on the Chip-Quik
idea.   I take a hunk of Cerrobend 158 fusible alloy and a file and make
a small pile of powder from it.  I then pack the powder around the pins
of the IC to remove and heat the area using the light from a 75 watt
PAR-38 halogen reflector lamp.    (apply from the reverse side of the
PCB).  In very little time, the area of the board heats up enough to
melt the cerrobend and it fuses with the solder.   The part can then be
easily removed (SMT stuff just slides off).   Since the board never even
gets to 100C, everything else stays in place and you don't burn the
board or lift traces.   Clean up with a toothbrush.  Discard the fused
metal.   I suppose that instead of the lamp, you could use a hot-air
rework tool set low.

Anyway, that's what I do.

--Chuck