What's your component removal system?

[Nick]

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned using Chem-Wik from Chemtronics.

Quite simply the best solder wick in the business - completely cleans solder from joints.

Lots of places sell it, e.g https://www.amazon.com/Chemtronics-Desol...B0019V5MAC

Makes all other brands pale into insignificance...

[Nowhere-Man]

I opted to simply remove from the top and am left with a pretty decent chunk of capacitor wire at the + side and not a great deal on the neg side. The cap was indeed knackered. It's a 0.047 160 volt cap C68.
I did manage to break R34 at 180 ohms but easily replaced. To be honest I doubt I'd have been able to desolder without risk of board damage and figure I can get a decent solder joint from the top. I notice the constructors painted top board wires in green paint above the perforation.
At any rate it's a trip this week to Maplin to buy a decent cap and the resistor. It may already have been broken or half broken.

[Crackle]

Beware, when you solder to the wire end on top of the board, the solder may melt underneath and drop down or leave an unreliable joint, best to remove the remaining lead after cutting the component out and then solder in the new component properly and as it was intended to be.

Mike

[Terry]

To be honest I doubt I'd have been able to desolder without risk of board damage 

Why not try my Veroboard idea and practice until you can?

Your above-board approach sounds like a recipe for dry joints to me which are likely to come back and bite you in the posterior at some unspecified time in the future.

I believe you mentioned the possibility of selling some of your restorations somewhere on this forum? Unless and until you are prepared to carry out the work involved in a responsible and professional manner, I would strongly recommend that you banish all such thoughts from your mind.

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
I have to agree with Terry on this. There are many reasons why I say this. Selling restorations whether for gain or not requires the item to be fully safety tested, restored to a high standard and guaranteed amongst other criteria. The lack of photographic evidence of any of your work is worrying. Also your lack in grasping simple tasks makes me wonder how well you would cope with customers. I'd not consider doing anything for third parties till a qualified person at least gave you help and advice.

[Nowhere-Man]

the solder may melt underneath and drop down or leave an unreliable joint

I often use a screen in such cases. If you have a big over-hang you can loop the ends of the wire and clean with surgical spirit. Screen the point below where you solder and meld it up. I also screen leads with insulation to minimise short circuit. After I wll tug the joint and test the ohms is Zero. For screens I use copper disks.

[Nowhere-Man]

Selling restorations whether for gain or not requires the item to be fully safety tested, restored to a high standard and guaranteed amongst other criteria.

Where I get lost here is there is nothing I stated about doing restorations for money. Yes, I do have a website but the purpose of that is component sales, especially valve related. I also do advertising, especially in Russia and Kaliningrad. As I said on another occasion there isn't enough money in restoration to justify the work involved.
The Saalburg is a special feature project I hope to put on my site to create interest but it won't be sold. I hope to create more photos so I can label parts and maybe translate the German
I should add it's hard work with no material benefit. I am having to identify parts against the schematic because, in the end, I'd like something a bit unusual on the site.
For money advertising is much less work. Thus the restoration for profit concept is a bit of a stretch of the imagination.

[Nowhere-Man]

Screening and soldering:
Using sharp snippers I cut the dodgy capacitor body out. First it's a good idea to be sure you know the polarity and hopefully the value. I use a lamp and try and leave a long lead behind. Naturally you must not stress the soldered joint or it defeats the object. Clean the leads with surgical spirit. Put copper disk between the lead and board. Tin the lead. Take new capacitor and loop the leg to meke tight fit. Tin it. I then solder the joint. It should bite. I test the joint with the odd pull and finally between leg and board. It should be resistance free. It reduces risk to the board especially in this case where the leads had a slight hook. I've never had such a joint come off before on sets I did months ago.

[Nowhere-Man]

Looks like I'm removing from the board and just refitting from scratch as Crackle preferred. I found my wire remnants were wobbly so a poor connection regardless. I may have more worn solder joints to check. The desoldering was very easy and I see no real risk of damage to the tracks. Today is the first time I had chance to get my soldering gear out as have been busy. I need to check for more loose joints on the board.

[Cardigan]

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned using Chem-Wik from Chemtronics.

Quite simply the best solder wick in the business - completely cleans solder from joints.

Lots of places sell it, e.g https://www.amazon.com/Chemtronics-Desol...B0019V5MAC

Makes all other brands pale into insignificance...

I'd heartily agree there - have used it both personally and professionally for years. I've rarely hit upon anything it can't shift - usually, multi-layer boards...