Video of Board Sorting and Depopulating with Air Chisel

[Snowman18]

Self explanatory.

Dust from broken chips and surface mounts stays on the sheet metal, from where it can be brushed off into container.

Having one hand freed up I cup this over the cutting end of the chisel when cutting a row of pins free, I also sharpen the chisel with the same profile found on a wood chisel using the ground side towards to face of the board.

I use the pneumatic air hammer with a short stroke with the air pressure backed off to 40 psi.

[520]

Self explanatory.

Dust from broken chips and surface mounts stays on the sheet metal, from where it can be brushed off into container.

Having one hand freed up I cup this over the cutting end of the chisel when cutting a row of pins free, I also sharpen the chisel with the same profile found on a wood chisel using the ground side towards to face of the board.

I use the pneumatic air hammer with a short stroke with the air pressure backed off to 40 psi.

Sorry for not understanding... What do you cup over the Chisel as you cut? Thanks for the tip on chisel sharpening I was thinking about doing that myself but wasn't sure.

[Snowman18]

Sorry for not understanding... What do you cup over the Chisel as you cut? Thanks for the tip on chisel sharpening I was thinking about doing that myself but wasn't sure.

Using the jig leaves one hand free use it as cover when cutting those long rows of pins that the ram and peripheral cards and ribbon cable connectors fit onto.

If you choose to make a jig, shortly after you start using it you'll find ways to improve on the process.

[520]

Using the jig leaves one hand free use it as cover when cutting those long rows of pins that the ram and peripheral cards and ribbon cable connectors fit onto.

If you choose to make a jig, shortly after you start using it you'll find ways to improve on the process.

Ok got it. I was thinking about laying down a piece of carpet which would grip the pins on the bottom of the board but it would fill with dust which I don't want. Dust mask and fan only does so much.

[Snowman18]

Ok got it. I was thinking about laying down a piece of carpet which would grip the pins on the bottom of the board but it would fill with dust which I don't want. Dust mask and fan only does so much.

I work from the right hand side, after the board is tipped tap the edge of the board onto the hard metal plate then use the edge of the board to scape the bits and pieces over to the left hand side.

Every so often pick out the long pieces of plastic that previous covered ram pins etc. Sometimes a cut on a row of pins will leave them inside the protective plastic if they;re gold plated on the tips I'll take the time to pull them out with a pair of side cutters. Side cutters will grip better than pliers after using them a few time you'll learn just how much pressure to apply.

Those pins I believe are made from Kovar as are the pins on the older cpu's, kovar is also used for the pins on vacuum tubes if anyone is interested in know the reason this alloy existes google it.

Here's Wiki link for Kovar, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kovar

[520]

I work from the right hand side, after the board is tipped tap the edge of the board onto the hard metal plate then use the edge of the board to scape the bits and pieces over to the left hand side.

Every so often pick out the long pieces of plastic that previous covered ram pins etc. Sometimes a cut on a row of pins will leave them inside the protective plastic if they;re gold plated on the tips I'll take the time to pull them out with a pair of side cutters. Side cutters will grip better than pliers after using them a few time you'll learn just how much pressure to apply.

Those pins I believe are made from Kovar as are the pins on the older cpu's, kovar is also used for the pins on vacuum tubes if anyone is interested in know the reason this alloy existes google it.

Here's Wiki link for Kovar, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kovar

Hey thanks again for the advise! I built this temp jig to hold the boards and I am loving it. But I feel like I am breaking more boards now so I am thinking about putting a rubber edge on the 2x4's but it also could just be the current brown fiber boards I am depopulating have been sitting in the weather for probably a couple years.

I also dug this other chisel out of my tool box. With the curve in it I can reach over other components easier. The tip on putting an edge on it like a normal chisel and using it with the grind facing down is working great. I went from 20% of the IC's breaking in half to probably only 10%.


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