idiot-stick

i've gone through like 30 feet of braid. I go the spring loaded thing. It makes a mess. I havent gotten the $12 bulb radio shack thing to work period. Guess I'll save up for an 808. What size tip works best on ECU's?

Seems the hardest part of chipping ECU's is finding a good source for 'em.

Dx 101

yeah ive been lookin into something cheap to get me started. ive used the spring ones but i tent to melt the tip so it never realy works right. whats the one at the shack called just a desoder station?

idiot-stick

The radio shack one with the bulb, i think is just called a desoldering iron. It should be called a piece of ---- but I don't think they'd sell any that way. Maybe 'Hot Enema Device' would sell tho.

Bone1

50-60 watt iron with a vacuum pump, touch and suck, that fast. the hotter and bigger tip you can deal with, the less heat transfered to surrounding board.

The Hakko is kinda bulky, but that depends on the number of ECU's you do.

Myself, I've always prefered Weller/Ungar products, esp. from my RC racing days. A GOOD 100 watt iron with a fat tip it needed when joining batterys so you don't ---- them up!

baldur

I'd say a desoldering station with a pump is the way to go, that and desoldering wicks.
I sometimes solder surface mount chips by hand, and I'd say there's really no way to do it without using the wick.

AgentMurdoc

a vegan won the one you were looking at on ebay.

LateApex

I have an old *** Pace desoldering statin (made in 1983!) and it works fairly well. I did probably 300 ECUs with it and bought spare tips on Ebay. I also enjoy the use of a Metcal station, whis is an amazing machine and well worth the money.

peluca

Check the last one listing in this page One-Shot #2008

http://www.mainelectronics.com/soldersuck.htm