Build A Pot Removal Tool

[Robert]

I mean that's one way to add a clean blend....

 

[chris.knudson]

Well yeah, why do you think he needed a removal tool? We've all made that mistake at least once.

I've messed up so many times that I have gotten very good at removing components. Another trick that also works is to solder a piece of copper wire across all 3 leads of the pot. It works a bit like the tool that @music6000 made. The copper wire transfers the heat across all the pot leads, and you can just pull the pot out. Of course you'll still need to solder wick the pads to get them clean. This trick can also work for ICs, but it's a bit more fiddly.

For 3pdt switches, I can only recommend a hot air rework tool. I've tried without one, but I ended up destroying the switch and the pcb.

 

[HamishR]

Where I live pot removal is called an intervention.