In Practice

摘要

Desoldering braid is often better than a solder pump for cleaning-up tracks and holes before inserting new components. In particular, it has the almost magical property of clearing out plated-through holes by capillary attraction, leaving aclean, tinned pad ready to re-solder (never try to clear out a plated-through hole with a drill!).The August 1997'ln Practice' showed how to use desoldering braid, which is impregnated with flux so that the surplus solder easily tins the braid and is sucked away. However, desoldering braid is quite expensive and the flux tends to 'go off' if it's kept for some time. Here's a cheaper and betteralternative: use plain copper braid, salvaged from scraps of coax, and add your own flux when you're ready to use it. Just give the braid a swipe with an Electrolube flux pen, or use one of the much cheapersources of liquid flux that were mentioned in the October 1999 'In Practice'.