Gary; About 8 Years ago I bought some Solder Wick from Rosgol in Montreal. Really good price...didn't work worth a Damn. These were 25' rolls. I bought 10 rolls...still have 9 left. As far as Dri-Wik...use what you know. I bought a 1000 foot roll of Coaxial Cable (RG59),,8 years ago...for $95, which had a good copper braid. Takes some time to separate the braid from the core. But consider...1000 feet of Dri- wick for $95...good deal...since Cathray wants $4.75 for 5'. May not be wise to do that these days, since I believe they use Aluminum shielding. -Ed- On Jul 24, 2005, at 3:22 PM, Gary McCartney wrote: > I had a 50' roll of wick that wouldn't pick up any solder. I fixed > it by > soaking the wick in liquid solder flux, then drying it in the sun. > Worked fine then. > > > > > > Gary McCartney > > McCartney Electronics > Guelph Ontario Canada > Est. 1984 > email: gary (at) number63.ca > > > > > > > > > gulftech@xxxxxxxx wrote: > >> My apologies to those of you who are getting tired of this thread. >> >> John reminded me of a point I want to make. >> >> First, all solder wick is not created equal. I have had some >> rolls that >> just wouldn't work. I have had the best luck with Techspray No- >> clean, >> but some rolls of the same brand are better than others. >> >> Second, wick has a limited life. Did you wonder why wick comes in a >> vacuum-sealed bag? That is done to lessen oxidation of the >> copper. Once >> oxidided, the wick is almost worthless. I once bought 50 5-ft >> rolls from >> a distributor at what I thought was a great price. It was so poor >> that I >> threw almost all of it into the garbage. >> >> Third, it may be better to get rolls of 25' than 50 or 100. It >> depends >> on how much you use. (Wayne could probably do with the smallest >> available!) Once the package is opened, the rate of oxidation >> increases, >> so you end up thinking mean, nasty things about the distributor you >> bought it from thinking they sold you garbage. For that reason, I >> only >> open one roll at a time, and roll out 10 feet at a time to other >> techs in >> the shop. Also, helps me keep track of wasteful usage. I can >> understand >> Perry's situation of working in the home, where desolding stations or >> desoldering irons are impractical, but I cringe when I see a tech >> waste >> five feet of wick on a flyback. Yes, I tend to micromanage! >> >> Now, if someone has ideas on the best brand of wick, I'd be >> interested... >> >> Regards, >> >> >> Ken Smith >> Gulf Technical Services >> 3034 Gulf Breeze Parkway >> Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 >> 850-934-8324 (Voice) 850-932-0819 (Fax) >> >> On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 13:54:46 -0400 "John @ Myers TV " >> <myers_tv_b@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes: >> >> >>> I met a fellw once who desoldered with freeze spray. He didn't care >>> that >>> he wound up with blobs of solder all over the board. >>> >>> As for me, I swear by solder-wik. I buy it in 50 ft rolls, but >>> splurged >>> last time for a 100ft roll. >>> >>> John Myers >>> Myers TV Service Co. >>> 376 E. State St. >>> Alliance, OH 44601 >>> >>> Voice / Fax: 330-821-6545 >>> Myers_tv_b@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >>> http://www.myerstv.net >>> >>> Work as if you were to live a hundred years, >>> Pray as if you were to die tomorrow. >>> Ben Franklin >>> >>> >>> >>> tjanphyl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: >>> >>> >>>> I have several of those blue spring loaded desolder tubes you cock >>>> >>> >>> on >>> >>> >>>> your knee and push the button. It sucks flyback pins good,and any >>>> massive globs and I use wik on the ICs. You know this is like >>>> anything. Bowling, skeets,baseball,fishing.You can find a dozen >>>> >>> >>> guys >>> >>> >>>> who swear BY one thing, and the other dozen swears AT it. Do what >>>> >>> >>> you >>> >>> >>>> are most efficient with and that's what will make you more money. >>>> Phil >>>> >>>> Phil Bader, Pres. >>>> Jan Phyl TV Inc >>>> Winter Haven, Fl >>>> (863) 299-8821 >>>> estab. 1976 >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: Electric Medic <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >>>> Date: Sunday, July 24, 2005 12:31 pm >>>> Subject: [TechAssist] Re: 1 pound roll solder, 50 feet of chem >>>> >>> >>> wick >>> >>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> Wayne: I tried those desolder stations one time, it was a Pace. It >>>>> >>> >>> >>>>> was blue >>>>> with a foot pedal and all. Had a long clear hose that ran up to >>>>> the tool. I >>>>> was not coordinated enough to use it. I tried and tried to work >>>>> >>> >>> that >>> >>> >>>>> contraption, I was running solder all over the board. I couldn't >>>>> suck and >>>>> heat at the same time. I would suck after the solder was cool or >>>>> vice versa. >>>>> I would melt the plastic tip so the hole was to big then it would >>>>> slurp up >>>>> chip components. I wouldn't even try it on those tiny areas where >>>>> those chip >>>>> >>> >>> mponents are everywhere. I remember using it on a tuner that I >>> >>> >>>>> replaced on >>>>> some brand and I sucked up a chip resistor and I almost never >>>>> figured out >>>>> what was wrong with that set. Plus, I couldn't use it on service >>>>> calls. I >>>>> know I waste a lot of wick especially on flybacks, I must have 6" >>>>> of the >>>>> stuff hanging with solder on it taking out a flyback, but I am >>>>> used to it. >>>>> >>>>> Perry Bower >>>>> Electric Medic >>>>> "It's Cheaper to Keep Her" >>>>> http://www.electricmedic.com >>>>> 3850 Washington Road Suite 4C >>>>> Martinez, Georgia 30907 >>>>> Phone: 706-8MEDIC4 (863-3424) >>>>> Phone: 706-863-3474 >>>>> Fax: 706-863-2316 >>>>> mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>> From: techassist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >>>>> [mailto:techassist-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Wayne Vanaman >>>>> Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2005 10:49 AM >>>>> To: techassist@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >>>>> Subject: [TechAssist] Re: 1 pound roll solder, 50 feet of chem >>>>> >>> >>> wick >>> >>> >>>>> >>>>> Hey Perry, buy a desolder station. >>>>> I put the date on a 50 foot roll of chem wick when I opened it: 26 >>>>> >>> >>> >>>>> june2001. I finished that roll off on 26 June 2005. Four years. >>>>> >>>>> Not only will you spend less on chem wik, desoldering is faster >>>>> with a >>>>> desolder station. I spend about a dollar a month on filters. Much >>>>> cheaper than chem wik. It takes about two seconds to desolder a >>>>> joint,and no damage to the board. >>>>> >>>>> If I used two rolls of solder wik a month, 2x$10=$20 $20x48 >>>>> >>> >>> months= >>> >>> >>>>> $960. I bought my solder station for about $1500 in 1993. That >>>>> >>>> >>>> would >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> be 144 months times $20 = $2880 minus the $1500= over $1300 >>>>> >>> >>> savings, >>> >>> >>>>> plus the time saved. My solder station was paid for long, long >>>>> >>> >>> ago. >>> >>> >>>>> Wayne Vanaman >>>>> Omega Electronics >>>>> 6904 W Fairfield Dr >>>>> Pensacola, Fl. 32506-3310 >>>>> >>>>> Wayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >>>>> WWW.PensacolaTVRepair.Com >>>>> >>>>> 850-456-5995 voice >>>>> 850-458-6369 fax >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Electric Medic wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> Is that correct? 18 Month's for one roll of solder? I never >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> thought about >>>>> it >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> and I am not sure how long it takes me to go through a roll. I >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> use off >>>>> rolls >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> everywhere, one in my toolbox, one in the truck, and one on each >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> bench. I >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> know my wife bought about 20 rolls of the stuff sitting up there >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> on the >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> shelf. I think the parts salesperson talks us into a roll every >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> time we >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> order parts. That will probably last me 30 years. Hey, I finally >>>>>> >>>> >>>> was >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>>> good-newsed, I won't have to by solder again. I can retire on >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> what I have. >>>>> I >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> wish the wick would last that long. I must go through those 50' >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> foot white >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> round ones in 2 weeks. >>>>>> >>>>>> Perry Bower >>>>>> Electric Medic >>>>>> "It's Cheaper to Keep Her" >>>>>> http://www.electricmedic.com >>>>>> 3850 Washington Road Suite 4C >>>>>> Martinez, Georgia 30907 >>>>>> Phone: 706-8MEDIC4 (863-3424) >>>>>> Phone: 706-863-3474 >>>>>> Fax: 706-863-2316 >>>>>> mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------ >>>>> - >>>>> --------- >>>>> - >>>>> This Email List is Public. 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