Everyone says you need a $50 desoldering pump for old game cartridges, but a $3 syringe from the pharmacy and a heat gun worked on my Sega Genesis.

I heated the board for about 30 seconds, pushed the syringe's tip over the old solder joint, and the suction pulled it right out cleanly on the first try, so has anyone else found a cheap tool that saved a repair?

2 comments

2 Comments

james66115d ago

Yeah, a cheap metal dental pick is my go-to. Perfect for scraping off old thermal paste or prying up tiny connectors without scratching the board.

danieltaylor16d ago

Man, that's the kind of hack I live for. I've used a safety pin to clear a clogged nozzle on a glue gun more times than I can count. There's something really satisfying about making a repair work with whatever junk you have lying around instead of buying some overpriced specialty tool.