*Updated
This instructables will show you how to recycle, by desoldering, all your old pcb's (Printed Circuit Board) components. You can find PCB in almost every electronic devices (DVD, computer, camera , toys...).All you have to do is to disassemble them, and desolder the components you want. So here is how to do step by step!
*This Instructable has been feature on Hack-a-Day and in The Best of Instructables book !
Step 1: Find things to disasemble
First you have to find electronics devices like DVD,VHS,Camera,Computer,Clock... that you don't use anymore or that you found in the garbage or that doesn't work anymore.Then remove all the screws and get out the PCB's.(Green plate with components solder to it)
Step 2: Materials
My own ''Smoke Blower'' PCBsModeling Vice grip.. Any vice grip will doCase for the componentsPliersSoldering stand from Jaime9999's instructablesHere what you need to disolder the components from the PCBs
PCB s (Of course!)
Set of pliers (For different size of components)
Soldering iron
Vice grip or third hand
Case for the desoldered components
Desoldering pump (Optional)
Step 3: Hold PCB with the Vice Grip
Hold a PCB horizontally with your vice grip or your third hand. Solder side facing you. If you have a regular vice grip, put the solder side , on the side of the hand you use to hold you soldering iron.
If you don't have this kind of vice grip, you can use another type of vice , to hold your pcb up (Pic 2)
You can also use third hand or helping hand to hold your PCB
Step 4: Start removing the Components
Get your soldering iron hot and start to remove the components you want with your soldering iron.Put your soldering iron tip on the solder of the component you want, and with the other hand hold the component itself or one of it lead with a plier and get them out when the solder is melted hot. try not to take your time when the iron touch the lead because the component can become very hot very fast and there are risks to blow them up. If the leads are long enough, you can try putting an alligator clip between the component and the joint, the clip will take much of the heat generated by the iron. Check the video for more info.(Video coming soon)
Sometime , you will get to bigger components with bigger lead, to help, you can help you by using a desoldering tool like the one on the picture, its very not expensive, and can help you a lot getting bigger components out. To use it, heat up the lead, then when the solder is melting, put the pump close and hit the button to suck up the solder. Then when you will cock the mechanism back, the sucked solder will come out. Be careful because solder pump have a plastic tip so try to avoid contact with your soldering iron.
Step 5: Continue to remove the Components
Continue to remove the components with the same technique,and you will get a lot of them!
Step 6: Recycled components
Here are the components that I recycled within half an hour of desoldering...
Capacitors
Switches
Audio sockets
TV plugs
Resistors
LEDs
Transistors
Motor
Screws
...
Step 7: Recycling!
Don't forget to recycle the parts that you can! Like the metal cases and the plastic panel.But you can also keep them for further project like to make some case.. Recycling is important! Don't forget it !
Step 8: What to do with your Recycled Components? How to identify
Now that you'v desolder some components you have to do something with them, like build some robots or like nnygamer did, build some computer's bugs with few resistors and capacitors.You can also look at the robotgames contest, there are many things to build with your new recycled components. Like the Jerome's instructables, he builts a bug robot with only few parts, and its very simple to do.
A good way to regognize your components, is to look at the symbols under the components, then you can refer to shematic symbols on the internet to know what you'v just took out. Look at pics 3 and 4.
We got a yellow copper'd wired thingy that we dont know, just look at its symbol, and you've just realized it was an inductor!
Hope this instructables help you and now go make something awsome!
