Best way to desolder pots?

[Paradox916]

Look mom, no damage to the pads.

 

[Locrian99]

This is probably not the recommended way but I struggled so much trying to remove one pot and I had a board where I accidentally put all 3 pots in the wrong spots.

I spent a good hour I think trying solder wick, desoldering pumps etc and just failed miserably. In the end I just cut the legs of the pots off called it a 2$ loss for the 3 pots and easily removed each leg in a matter of seconds. Put 3 new pots in and went on with my day, funny thing was I didn’t realize I had the pots wrong for like a week after I had the board finished. It was an ocd and it sounded terrible. I hadn’t actually played with actual one before and I couldn’t figure out what the hype was about. Sat on the bench for awhile then one day I was messing with it and noticed the pot thing. It was also probably my 3rd or 4th build. But the couple other times I’ve had to remove pots I have just done it that way, call it a 65cent loss and saved the headache (of course if you don’t have another pot on hand….)

 

[Passinwind]

I've had decent results with a long enough chisel tip to catch all three pins in one shot...just heat 'em up and pull out the pot. No good for dualies though, and getting that sort of access is far from being a given. IME just sacrificing the part is often the best call really.

 

[derevaun]

I once attended a workshop where the presenter demonstrated his preferred desoldering method: move the iron around the relevant pads for a few seconds, then whack the board on the corner of a table to launch the part away.

 

[Ale_jellybelly]

I don't know what kind of iron you are using but I'm using my hakko with a smaller chisel tip. I like the chesil because the wider surface area means less cool down and better transfer of heat to both the component and pad. I have the temp at 850 usually for removal because it heats the solder fast and that means less time on the board and components. I keep the boards I don't bond with or box to cannibalize parts. This is an old robot board. I don't like to add any extra flux because it gets the plunger, pin and spring of the solder sucker all gummy. It's this simple. Look mom, no damage to the pads.

Damn, so easy with that solder sucker

 

[KR Sound]

I don't know what kind of iron you are using but I'm using my hakko with a smaller chisel tip. I like the chesil because the wider surface area means less cool down and better transfer of heat to both the component and pad. I have the temp at 850 usually for removal because it heats the solder fast and that means less time on the board and components. I keep the boards I don't bond with or box to cannibalize parts. This is an old robot board. I don't like to add any extra flux because it gets the plunger, pin and spring of the solder sucker all gummy. It's this simple. Look mom, no damage to the pads.

This is the way

He’s a-good a-solder soaker.

 

[jhaneyzz]

I actually do this a similar, but opposite way, i put the vice grips on the pot(protector) and then I put a good amount of solder on the legs and then rest my iron across all 3 legs and then lift and the pot stays with the vice grips (and falls over unless secured) and the board comes with me.

You had me at “vise grips…”

 

[Gordo]

I've had seriously good results with the a fore mentioned solder sucker. The day I got it I took it out of the box and to test it I removed every pot on every board (including duals) in my "Bin of Shame". Easily a couple dozen and every switch as well. No damage to the part and no damage to the boards. I'm very impressed with it.

 

[andare]

I don't know what kind of iron you are using but I'm using my hakko with a smaller chisel tip. I like the chesil because the wider surface area means less cool down and better transfer of heat to both the component and pad. I have the temp at 850 usually for removal because it heats the solder fast and that means less time on the board and components. I keep the boards I don't bond with or box to cannibalize parts. This is an old robot board. I don't like to add any extra flux because it gets the plunger, pin and spring of the solder sucker all gummy. It's this simple. Look mom, no damage to the pads.

This has given me the confidence to remove the speed pot in my Moonshot tremolo so I can replace it with a rev log. Thanks. The Engineer sucks so good.

 

[BuddytheReow]

Ok. Took the time yesterday and attempted to remove 3 pots from a bad board. I wasn’t concerned about damaging other components since it’s not worth my time desoldering and transferring to my new board. OP, I only have an iron and a good solder sucker.

Honestly, it was a painless process. I was nervous because I know firsthand how hard it is to desolder switches and figured it was just as troublesome. Not so at all.

All I did was suck up as much solder as possible on each pin. That was the most time consuming process. Then, I laid my iron so all 3 pins made contact and pulled by hand. I was expecting the pot to just fall out, but wasn’t the case. Helping hands were my friend here.

Anyways, lesson learned through trial and error and the advice from you guys. Many thanks!!

BuddytheReow

 

[Erik S]

Now I have sucker envy. Old blue has never let me down, but I want one of those cool looking ones!

 

[andare]

Now I have sucker envy. Old blue has never let me down, but I want one of those cool looking ones!

There's a sucker born every minute. Get you one of 'em vampire engineers, son!

 

[BuddytheReow]

I got this as a christmas present. Best solder sucker I've ever used!

https://www.amazon.com/Engineer-SS-02-Solder-Sucker/dp/B002MJMXD4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=12DEB37D1307U&keywords=solder%2Bsucker&qid=1681305122&sprefix=solder%2Bsucker%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-5&th=1

 

[jimilee]

Ok. Took the time yesterday and attempted to remove 3 pots from a bad board. I wasn’t concerned about damaging other components since it’s not worth my time desoldering and transferring to my new board. OP, I only have an iron and a good solder sucker.

Honestly, it was a painless process. I was nervous because I know firsthand how hard it is to desolder switches and figured it was just as troublesome. Not so at all.

All I did was suck up as much solder as possible on each pin. That was the most time consuming process. Then, I laid my iron so all 3 pins made contact and pulled by hand. I was expecting the pot to just fall out, but wasn’t the case. Helping hands were my friend here.

Anyways, lesson learned through trial and error and the advice from you guys. Many thanks!!

BuddytheReow

On my switches, I started not filling the PCB holes, I use just enough on one side of the solder lug to get a good connection.