Arcade Game Repair 101 - IC Leg Repair

In this video we go over how to repair damanged/missing legs on those old IC's.
Enjoy!

[@harbselectronicslab3551]

I use a tiny grinding tool in the dremel to expose a bit more leg if they are broken level with the IC case.......works a treat.

[@vintagetechshack]

Hey, great video! I've been a lurker and watching your videos for a long time. I thought I'd chime in and offer some wisdom. When I was taught soldering many years ago, I was told to skip a pin, so do all the even ones, then go back and do the odd. this helps with dissipating the heat to the IC. This could help with keeping the plastic of the machined sockets from melting. But again love watching your repair videos! Keep up the good work!

[@Rommager1]

Another awesome video, Adam! I have struggled long and hard with how to deal with the brittle pins on the Namco customs and other custom chips, and now I think you have given me new hope! I now am going to need to get some of those machine pin sockets. :)

[@GadgetUK164]

Great stuff! I did a similar video using a dremel to access the broken off pins, but I've learnt something from your approach - using a 2nd socket to help ensure the pins are nice and straight after soldering. =D I think I actually prefer your approach. It's less destructive to the package body!

[@utubepunk]

Adam is the Bob Ross of PCBs. 😆🖒

[@lordmechanic]

I know right?!? "And we're just gonna put a happy little IC right there. Just load up your brush with some solder." lol. Watching Adam do his thing is awesome relaxation therapy. Keep 'em coming Adam you post the best repair videos on YT!

[@onecircuit]

+lordmechanic Thanks! :)

[@onecircuit]

+Kevin Case #30 I believe

[@bitrot42]

Nice technique! Amazing you can make a solid repair to a chip in such rough shape. For chips that have one or two broken pins but are otherwise solid, I usually just put it in the socket on the board, solder a cut-off lead from a resistor onto the chip, and trim the off the extra length. The "leg" will stay on even if you remove the chip, unless there was very little left of the original chip pin. Anyway, thanks for posting this!

[@dvv45]

Great repair! You make it all look so easy. Enjoyed as always. Thanks

[@neojeets]

Nice work, Adam. That soldering music was bangin' btw.

[@twistedsymphony]

Excellent as always. I'll be using this technique next time I need to repair pins for sure.

[@kissingfrogs]

Awesome How To, Adam. I use donor IC legs in a similar way but I think your wrap wire is better as it offers some strain relief where as donor IC legs are rigid.

[@bundylovess]

NICE REPAIR mate big thumbs up

[@markcummings150]

Nice method for repairing broken lC legs. I haven't seen that before and will definitely use this when I need to repair. I thought you were going to use a dremel to cut away the plastic above the broken leg to get access to the pin.

[@Viktory2k1]

Holy cow! That was amazing! I never thought of the 2nd socket to keep the legs straight, I was scared the the oil from your hands pushing that tiny wire would affect the solder! I use a much finer tip but that was perfect! Thanks for the great video. I have some work to do now on an English mark darts machine now!

[@game_whisperer1606]

Cool trick, thanks Adam I'll use going forward.

[@Riz2336]

Good instructional video man.

[@jeremymtc]

Great video Adam!

[@TortureBot]

Great work. Thanks for the tips!

[@oscarncandi2013]

great video!!! awesome work

[@TheMadmagik]

COOOOOL! where can I get a hold of the ROM cheat sheet btw? I got some 2532s I need to reattach the legs to I should get round to it tonight. Looking forward to your video logic 101 video!

[@lildrumchum]

hey Adam...whats your klov handle? love these vids!!!

[@onecircuit]

Thanks! Its ajcrm125

[@delsarcade]

Hey Adam, is it necessary to swap out the socket on the PCB to match up with the machined pin "donor" socket that you are using for the repair? Or can I use a machined donor socket and simply plug into the existing socket on the PCB?

[@onecircuit]

DeLuSioNaL's Arcade You can try, but typically the existing sockets are expecting to receive a thinner leg, so it may not fit. Or if it does you may be mashing the receiving blades of the socket without knowing it.

[@nutlock2857]

Hi Adam can I ask you ,have you ever used a ultrasonic cleaning bath to clean the legs before repair-or would it damage the ic's ?

[@onecircuit]

+Nut Lock No I haven't. In fact... Never even heard of that. Do you have to immerse the ic?

[@LFOSyncToo]

Yes you have to immerse it... You could try (as an alternative) metal polish as well. An then remove the residue with isoprop...

[@kissingfrogs]

I have with limited results. I experimented with a chip to see if the bath would damage internals. Chip remained functional but did not help with the soldering. I then experimented with various chemicals and found that after repeated applications of heat, acid (spirits of salt) and flux repeatedly the solder takes. I do like Adam's gentle file action. I was worried I would damage the chip more so looked for a less physical approach.

[@Scott.Farkus]

Is it possible to replace the legs on a hard drive PCB's BIOS chip using that method?

[@neonnight34609]

great video

[@doubleadanger]

how much would you charge to fix a Galaga board with this problem? I dont have steady enough hands to do this

[@outsider799]

Hello! Do you do repair services? I know this video is old and I tried the repair, but it didn’t seem to work. My soldering abilities aren’t very good so it’s possible that is my issue. Was wondering if I could send the board to you for repair? It was working until I pulled this cpu chip and noticed it had a couple legs broken. When I put it back in the game no longer boots it just goes to a blank screen.

[@tchip-bc1gp]

amazing !

[@JDOGGMkGOD]

Hi Adam Will you be making another arcade game repair 101 video again?

[@onecircuit]

Oh yeah someday. Once the pole position clone project is wrapped up ;)

[@scotshabalam2432]

That sanding step doesn't seem like it needs to be as involved as you did it if you just fluxed and then tinned the pins before socketing them? If you have a hot air station and some tiny gauge solder you could do it with very little kinetic impact and the solder would both strengthen and insulate from corrosion.

[@onecircuit]

The solder only adheres to clean bare metal so if I left the crud on, even after applying flux, the results would be sketchy.

[@scotshabalam2432]

Okay, thank you. I am still learning.

[@fitter108]

Would or can you repair a pinball sound board . It just hums now