SMD parts removal with removal alloy

[fazer]

Saw this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g8mvs482Ng

Talks about using surface mount removal alloy (chipquick).  I wonder what your thoughts are about this alloy. 
I'm trying to not buy a rework station since I don't know if I will have enough work to justify the price.

Seems like a useful process but you need to remove once used to keep from being brittle.  I have mostly done through hole repair but after some 30 plus years of SMD ,  I have a few things to try to fix. 

 

[JohnRoberts]

For years I removed SMD with a conventional iron. Now I do enough routine SMD rework that I can justify owning a (cheap) hot air station. I am on my second one now, so maybe the first one was too cheap to work.

JR

 

[pucho812]

I have used chip quick before, but I used it on thru hole parts like transformers soldered to the circuit board. made it easy to remove them without overheating pads or pulling them off or any other type of damage.

I would imagine it works equally as well on SMD, just have yet to use it on SMD.

 

[fazer]

Great idea for removing transformers. 

So what is a not to cheap rework station?

 

[JohnRoberts]

Great idea for removing transformers. 

So what is a not to cheap rework station?

Don't know I bought an even cheaper chinese wonder ($80?)  to replace my first chinese one that failed...

but I don't plan on living all that long.

JR

 

[Jarno]

I usually use a dremel to remove SMT IC's, to prevent overheating, and then do a careful and quick heating of each pad to remove the remainder of legs.

 

[fazer]

I have an avid Omni interface.  Both mic preamps died it’s a common problem with a defective design.  Avid won’t release schematics and Repair centers are instructed to replace mother boards not chips.  Supposedly due to extremely small packaging.  Anyway I’m going to take apart and look if I cans figure which chips are problems.

 

[pucho812]

If it is anything like other avid devices, I suspect a cap or two failed from heat. 

I have never used a dremel to remove a smt IC but I do cut then off and do on leg at a time. 

 

[fazer]

My old 192 had the cap problem on the input card .  Was repaired for $300.  Avid wants 1100 to fix the mic pres on an Omni to replace mother board.  I have my API so I have lots of pres that work through the line inputs on the Omni so it still works.  I just miss  the flavor of the Omni preamps on direct inputs. Guitar or bass.