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[gazeddy]

To remove the ram from a dead board could i just use a hot air blower(gas soldering iron tip) or would i need some more specialised gear? And could i juust refit by tacking the corners on and heating the rest of the solder that would already be present?

[PimpleX]

Well I've done this twice now. I use an electric paint stripper gun 1600W (hot air) with it set about 2/3s heat. I found it was TOO hot any higher and would blister the green backing on the PCB while removing ICs etc, so get the heat right.

It takes me about 30 seconds to remove a RAM chip with it. I place a thin flat knife blade in the corner of the RAM chip and apply slight (I said SLIGHT dammit!) twist during heating the memory chips legs, you see the solder go shiny as it melts and the pins start to lift then just gently lift the corner of the chip and flip it over, (or at the least make sure it doesn't land back on the solder pads). You'll then need to clean up the legs carefully desoldering any bridges on the legs before reuse.

I use the one leg at a time method for installation, take your time on the alignment then tack down the corners, then do all the pins.

I doubt the heat gun would be any good for installation as it will just blow the chip around, it may work if you have a very small nozzle attachment for it.  Hot air rework / reflow stations use small accurate air flows which would be what was needed to do one side of the chip at a time so it didn't dislodge it or move it around.

My 2p

Cheers,

PimpleX

[gazeddy]

the idea was to tack them down then use the heat gun to refit as it has a small nozzle. bout the size of a bic biro

[JonTheChron]

I wouldn't use heatgun to retack them, i think it's excessive heat for nothing

[PimpleX]

Well I'd give that a go with the very small nozzle. But you'd want the heat turned right down as there'l be more heat comming out a small concentrated nozzle than out of a wide one.

Use no nozzle or a large one for removal (large area heating) otherwise you'll not free up enough of the chip to get it off.... use the small one on lower heat for doing a side at a time with the ends tacked down.

Worth a go, but try the nozzle  / heat settings out on scrap though first to see what it can / can't do.

Cheers,

PimpleX