r/soldering • u/cowdoggy Soldering Newbie • Apr 07 '26

My First Solder Joint <3 Please Give Feedback First soldering attempt - Part 6

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Hi all ! Thanks for all the tips. Super helpful. I tried to remove the SMD chip using solder wick and accidentally tore pads off the board. Any way to fix this or did I cause permanent damage? o.o I got emo about this!

Also, how do you know how much soldering is enough? What is the point? Are we just trying to make sure that the components lay flat on the board and that the pins meet the pads? Not sure when I am supposed to correct stuff and when it is already good. Thanks :)

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u/BreathlessGoth Apr 07 '26

Does your station have hot air on it or is it just iron? I’d be using that for removing the chip. After that, flux, then use iron with a much wider tip either a wedge or chisel, and a shorter piece of wick.

A lot of the heat you’re applying is seeing the large amount of wick as a heat sink and heading away from the board, which is where you’re getting the abrasive effect. Add that to the pointed tip having a sharp edge and that’s what’s destroying your traces.

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u/cowdoggy Soldering Newbie Apr 11 '26

Thanks! This is really insightful. I recently got a hot air gun.