How To Desolder Antique Radios

[@kwacz]

great video, thanks. been doing electrical repair for years but am new to the point to point radio stuff. I already knew this, but still enjoyed watching this. Everyone has a slightly different technique to do this and its nice to watch many people do the same thing. It actually helps learn new methods even if slightly different because each problem needs a different technique.

[@David..R]

Nice job showing the different tools for the job. I do repair work and enjoyed the video.

[@iainportalupi]

Thanks for watching!

[@andyfritchen6409]

Nicely done young man. I've restored many radios but can still pick up a little something here and there. Thanks for your efforts.

[@iainportalupi]

Andy Fritchen thanks for watching!

[@danielbarlow8565]

Great video. Any chance you could make a video on soldering technique for soldering to a radio chassis? I cant seem to solder anything to the chassis

[@iainportalupi]

That’s a good idea for a video. In the mean time what I’ve found works the best for me is a 100w soldering iron off Amazon, you can find them for about $35. That iron plus some 300 to 600 grit sandpaper to clean up the chassis seams to work pretty well. Also adding some extra rosin flux either paste or liquid helps too.

[@kisoia]

Is capacitor failure very common on these old radios? Thanks for the video, very interesting

[@iainportalupi]

kisoia yes, the electrolytic and wax/paper capacitors they put in these radios had about a 40-50 year life span so they are all dead/dying at this point and need to be replaced before they short out and burn up tubes.

[@pulesjet]

I Employ yet one more Tool of the trade. DUST OFF. Not for the Faint of Heart but does stuff none of those other tools ever could. You heat the Solder to molting. Blast it with a Shot of DUST OFF Canned Air. Spraying Molten Solder every place you could possibly ever not wanting the stuff. Even your eyes. LOL . Clean up is a major Endeavor. BUT IT WORKS ! You can unsolder some things there simply would never be any other way. *** DO NOT TRY THIS TECHNIQUE at home. You have been warned. ***

[@iainportalupi]

pulesjet now that’s a technique I’ve never heard of before. I can see where it would come in handy under the right circumstances.