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[linkeloetje]

Despite the video I saw on removing the black epoxy, i'm still unable to remove this black stuff.
I'm doing everything that is shown in the video but the epoxy doesn't come of. I've tried using a hot air gun at 100-120C but the epoxy stay's hardened. I've only managed to scape of some epoxy with a soldering iron, but thats it. I have a Hitachi 79FL (XBOX360 Elite from June 2007).

Can anyone tell me for how long you have to hold the air gun above the epoxy and at what distance?
How do you know that the epoxy is ready to be removed?
Are there maybe different "black" epoxy's around?

[riffman2525]

Well im not sure about the elites but it's probably the same stuff as when i did my samsung.

I'm not sure how long i left it there but the best way I've found to do it is to have someone else use the heat gun....and you have an exacto knife in your hand....for me this was a two man operation.........kind of get him to "waff" the heat on it....that is dont let it sit there directly....after about twenty seconds, while he is still putting the heat to it, try scraping or chipping away the epoxy, you will be able to tell when it's ready this way....then tell him to take the heat off when hot enough.....all you need to do is remove enough to get to the points you need to get at.  this is kind of a nerve wracking operation ........there really isnt an easier way to do it that you are missing.....good luck

[silentkiller120]

QUOTE(linkeloetje @ Nov 12 2007, 05:50 PM)

Despite the video I saw on removing the black epoxy, i'm still unable to remove this black stuff.
I'm doing everything that is shown in the video but the epoxy doesn't come of. I've tried using a hot air gun at 100-120C but the epoxy stay's hardened. I've only managed to scape of some epoxy with a soldering iron, but thats it. I have a Hitachi 79FL (XBOX360 Elite from June 2007).

Can anyone tell me for how long you have to hold the air gun above the epoxy and at what distance?
How do you know that the epoxy is ready to be removed?
Are there maybe different "black" epoxy's around?

Well I have the same drive and really the only way to tell when the epoxy is ready to come off is when it looks glossy.... I myself heated it up with a precise air gun...it had a nozel that would heat up a certain area. and when I thought it looked ready I pushed my fingerprint on it, making sure it was somewhat weakened. Then I took a flat head and pushed from the top to one side. It chiped off perfectly were I could get the buffer leads for the chip I am waiting on. then I cleaned up the traces and tined them so they wouldn't corrode. know I am just waiting on the chip!!! ......waiting, its on high demand, I guess, but if you need anymore help just let me know.

[xenobie]

Use commonly found paint remover and throw away the heat gun  
leave the paint remover there over night and in the morning use a brush and a blade to remove the opoxy

[rxpc]

Well, I'm just starting to mod my 79fl drive. I used a hot air gun I bought at the local
hardware store for $30.00.

Worked great! Just kept the gun going back and forth over the area for about 20 seconds.
I then used a fine scratch awl(looks like a dentist pick) to lift the epoxy off the leads I
need to solder.

I let the air gun warm up for about a minute first, on the lowest setting for my gun is
200 degrees.

Next is the soldering!