[TV MAN]

I found this on Ebay. Has anyone used this or something similar? I went to replace a solder sucker that shot across the room in about 3 different directions and found this. It looks it would work nice on our electronic repairs and restorations. Any thoughts either way? 
https://www.ebay.com/p/US-Local-Ship-S-9...0005.m1851
   
Also found this smaller desoldering tool: https://www.ebay.com/itm/30W-Electric-Va...0005.m1851

[morzh]

Tim

I don't know what the heck that first dohickey is, but the second is a perfect way to ruin a PCB pad.

[TV MAN]

I could see it doing that. Normally I use solder wick on a PC board unless there is some big blob. The 1st is a pistol grip version, like a soldering gun vs a pencil iron. I was thinking it may be nice for those wads of solder we get into on some of these hand wired chassis.

[Eliot Ness]

Tim, I would be leery of the pistol grip unit on eBay.  The trusted name in affordable desoldering stations is Hakko, but it will be 2-3x as much as the one in your link.  They are geared more for PCB work and I read where they tend to clog when doing big clumps like you mention.

For years I used solder wick and various small aluminum bodied solder suckers that worked OK.  Then a few years ago I splurged and bought a U.S. made Edsyn Soldapullt DS017:

http://www.edsyn.com/product/DS017.html

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Edsyn-desolderi...SwbF1aEku2

The DS017 works great and has readily available replacement tips and O rings.  I still use braid also, but the Edysn was one of the best $21 I've spent.

[TV MAN]

Yes, I remember those. I used to have one years ago, but forgot what it was called (the name). I think I bought one from a parts distributer that used to service us. Remember the days when the wholesaler parts distributers used to come by the shop a couple times per week to fill orders? Wow! Anyway, I do remember those being good tools. I take it, those heated tools are not very good?

[morzh]

They serve their purpose... but not for everything.

[Nathan Slingerland]

The DS017 works great and has readily available replacement tips and O rings.  I still use braid also, but the Edysn was one of the best $21 I've spent.

Thanks for the tip John! I've ordered one.

[jcassity]

those spring loaded solder suckers are not the best idea.
thier diameter profile reduce your visual view and the tip lenght reduces your reach.

I to use solder wick but i am rarely impressed by it because of the long period of time you spend putting heat on the object/area/solder run. it does have its application though but on touchy areas i am forced to be very careful with it

the long nose hot air variety with a foot pedal are best. they wont be 20$ though but they are the best.
Best meaning they do the correct desolder job for the application. you melt and suck out the solder in one motion with the absolute least amount of time and heat on a pieces part.

for onezie twozie desolder tasks i would be all over a manual desolder sucker cheapy spring loaded one if the sucker nozzel was longer and better than what they make now.

perhaps you could modify your manual spring loaded one with a hollow metal tube tip that would give you a skinny 3'' reach ???

still the disadvantage is you have to come into the work area with two things,, the solder gun to heat and the sucker to suck.

[Eliot Ness]

....... I to use solder wick but i am rarely impressed by it because of the long period of time you spend putting heat on the object/area/solder run....... 

I've found over the years that some soldering braid works much better than others.  A little extra liquid flux tends to also help.

.......the long nose hot air variety with a foot pedal are best.  they wont be 20$ though but they are the best.

Unfortunately many of us can't justify the cost of that type of desoldering station for hobby use.   When I worked in the field repairing medical equipment we were also limited to what was available to us.  We became very adapt at using a quality Weller or Ungar pencil along with solder  wick and solder suckers.  

There were a few times when I tossed my Weller soldering station in the van, but desoldering was always wick and solder suckers, and my favorite became the DS017, although for many years the generic smaller aluminum bodied ones worked OK.

My late brother built one out of an old shark vacuum cleaner his wife had around.  Although I never actually tried it, I did see it when I was clearing out his shop for my sister-in-law.  That was one of the few items from his shop that I left behind...... mainly because his wife exclaimed, "that's what happened to my little vacuum cleaner"  

[Eliot Ness]

This might be a bit late for the OP, but in the following video Mr. Carlson explains and demonstrates the differences between the common desoldering tools:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZLQzBOOQbw

It's a tad long winded, but might be useful to some who aren't used to the different tools available.

[TV MAN]

I decided to try a couple of different desoldering tools. I use the Soldapullit most, and the other one occasionally. I used to use an older version the the blue one when I had my shop years ago. Biggest drawback is like trying to unsolder with a telephone pole! It wants to hit stuff when I am working in tight quarters. I have an assortment of different size tips for the electric one. It seems to work ok, but I often have to apply a little fresh solder in order to get heat transfer sufficient to clean the joint. But sometimes I have to do the same with the others. The Soldapullit has a lot more force and works pretty well, but takes 2 hands where the electric one can be done with one hand. I may try something else when the desire hits me again. I have used solder wick, but to me, it works better on PC boards than hand wired connections. I think mine is old and doesn't seem to pick up very well.