If you build it for yourself and one of the salvaged parts blows up, grab another one.

Could this be GREEN ??

 

Talking junk right?

 

I'm not even the hoarder in the family..................

 

I did the same as tcmtech for years. I'd salvage TVs, radios, VHS players, etc for the circuit boards, and remove the parts. I bought a desoldering bulb to make the removal of components much easier, though you can also use a desoldering pump or copper braid as well.

Collecting components takes time, so patience is key. So is an eye for useful electronics

 

I bet I still have a few polysomething capacitors from the deflection circuits in vacuum tube TVs from the 1960's, and I'll bet they are still good.

 

Oh give me a break.

Fine. You get a break, and I get stuff that works.

 

I've always thought of it as a balance between discovering how things work, and making things work. I'm pretty selective though, saving mostly mechanical components, and purchasing electronics.

 

I have boxes of stuff, but it's rare to find an exact match for some things.
I've found that Stereos share common components, TV's different components, MWO's different components, Heaters and fans, same same.

I've gone to Radio Shack a few times, and Ebay several times, to get the right item.
I'm not knowledgable enough to know what can be substitued for what yet.

I've learned a lot here.
I use a heat gun, and have used a mini oven, a suction solder iron, and gun with a seperate suction bulb.
The heat gun works best in my opinion.
I recently bought a toy microscope, and at 60x zoom, I can read the tiny print on some SMDs. Some don't have anything written on them (maybe at 200x they do).
I'm not too good at soldering tiny stuff
Anyway, it's a fun hobby, and it's all in the Garage, so my bitter-half doesn't say too much.

 

I find it fun to salvage parts off of boards. For boards with through hole components, I go outside, prop the board upside down on something that keeps it off the table surface.

I then take my mini butane torch and make a quick pass over a few components at a time, and when I see a solder puddle, I give it a quick blast of air with my air hose. Once the melted solder is blown away the components usually fall to the table surface below.

Just make sure there is nothing or anyone standing in the direction of the air hose that you don't want solder being splattered on. That's one reason I do it outside, as well as for fumes. Takes no time to get parts off boards that way.

 

I find it fun to salvage parts off of boards. For boards with through hole components, I go outside, prop the board upside down on something that keeps it off the table surface.

I then take my mini butane torch and make a quick pass over a few components at a time, and when I see a solder puddle, I give it a quick blast of air with my air hose. Once the melted solder is blown away the components usually fall to the table surface below.

Just make sure there is nothing or anyone standing in the direction of the air hose that you don't want solder being splattered on. That's one reason I do it outside, as well as for fumes. Takes no time to get parts off boards that way.

I attempted to do something like this with a heat gun. Ended up frying the board pretty bad (Probably my lack of patience). I will have to try this. Anyone else have good part salvaging techniques? Solder pump and wick is a painfully slow process for me. The pump keeps getting jammed too..