Would help if we knew where you are located.

sorry!

UK.

Solder services in my area are very expensive (west coast). The best and cheapest are from a Pro Audio specialist who repairs/rebuilds Vintage Audio equipment, but is still not cheap.
iirc it cost about $60 to have a RTC removed and socket installed (shop minimum +1/4 hourly) but that was a few years ago.....
added: sorry do not know where in UK or what the cost would be

I can do this and wouldn’t mind doing it but shipping to and from the US would make it too expensive.

My recommendations would be - post an ad in local classifieds with such inquiry or invest in a simple desoldering pump with heater and do the deed yourself 😁

SSTV2 wrote on 2021-03-17, 01:43:

My recommendations would be - post an ad in local classifieds with such inquiry or invest in a simple desoldering pump with heater and do the deed yourself 😁

A real desoldering gun/pump is the bomb diggity. I bought an antique one a couple years ago and it is very useful almost every time I am doing any type of soldering work.... except and, but that is a given.

Those plunger type desoldering guns are junk... I grew up using them and the difference between them and a real desoldering gun / pump is infinitely amazing.

Can't agree more on the junk part, but for a small scale, one-time desoldering job it would be a perfect tool.

I honestly never had a problem with the plunger desoldering pumps, and mine was like a dollar, it works surprisingly well, maybe a good soldering iron that can actually properly melt the solder helps though ^^

Heh.. a good soldering iron does help. The plunger type al ways made me scared when I pressed the button that it was going to damage the pad on the motherboard from the sudden jerk it did.

They also take multiple plunges to remove solder from larger holes.

They are just a pain to use, especially when you are trying to hold the soldering iron in place and then quickly move it out of place and move the plunger into place and plung it before the solder solidifies.

Yeah... I hate the plunger type solder suckers.

The only good manual solder sucker is the Engineer SS-02. I've even used mine to desolder entire CPU sockets and it has been reliable on every application of suction.

wiretap wrote on 2021-03-17, 10:44:

The only good manual solder sucker is the Engineer SS-02. I've even used mine to desolder entire CPU sockets and it has been reliable on every application of suction.

Cheers for the tip. Just ordered one 😀 If you have more equipment suggestions I'm all open 😀

Being a bit lazy, I fixed several Dallas clocks with a CR2032 holder by cutting it and soldering the wires onto it... while still soldered onto the motherboard.
Just use enough (painting)tape to prevent dust from getting everywhere and make sure you don't had too much coffee to keep your hands steady while cutting and soldering 😜

Actually i never desoldered one but managed to Fix it.If your board PCB has many layers on it, it will be a pain to remove Dallas rtc.I just expose pins Via a dremel in slow speed and solder wires directly.After confirming it works you can seal it with epoxy and black toner mixture.
Here is my tested examples:

JJ-108 V02 Single Board Computer Jumper Identification and Troubleshooting

download/file.php?id=105134&mode=view

Of you want i can share detailed pictures where you must shave on Dallas rtc.

Hope it helps.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-03-17, 06:17:

Heh.. a good soldering iron does help. The plunger type al ways made me scared when I pressed the button that it was going to da […]
Show full quote

Heh.. a good soldering iron does help. The plunger type al ways made me scared when I pressed the button that it was going to damage the pad on the motherboard from the sudden jerk it did.

They also take multiple plunges to remove solder from larger holes.

They are just a pain to use, especially when you are trying to hold the soldering iron in place and then quickly move it out of place and move the plunger into place and plung it before the solder solidifies.

Yeah... I hate the plunger type solder suckers.

Plunger suckers suck... they really do. 😀
They are for clearing holes not for easy de-soldering unfortunately.

For de-soldering monstrous DIP-40's I use soldering heat gun (310-330°C, flow depends on heating area) on a bottom side.
After board cools down I clear holes with soldering iron and plunger sucker from opposite sides.
It's good to have PTFE sucker nozzle that doesn't melt until 350°C.

vetz wrote on 2021-03-17, 11:01:

wiretap wrote on 2021-03-17, 10:44:

The only good manual solder sucker is the Engineer SS-02. I've even used mine to desolder entire CPU sockets and it has been reliable on every application of suction.

Cheers for the tip. Just ordered one 😀 If you have more equipment suggestions I'm all open 😀

Here's my list for pretty much everything you need to do through-hole and most surface mount. (I probably missed some stuff) For sake of ease, 90% is from Amazon, but it can be ordered other places for cheaper sometimes. Not everything is necessary. I've used all or most of these products at one point or another.. some are cheap, but I never had any issues with them.

Engineer SS-02 Solder Sucker: https://www.amazon.com/Engineer-SS-02-Solder- … /dp/B002MJMXD4/
X-Tronic Model #3020-XTS Soldering Station: https://www.amazon.com/X-Tronic-3020-XTS-Digi … /dp/B01DGZFSNE/
Soldering Iron Tips: https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Tabiger-X-Tr … /dp/B077V1VND5/
Chipquick Flux Pen: https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Flux-No-Clean-1 … /dp/B07B53LNGX/
NTE No-clean Solder Wick: https://www.amazon.com/NTE-Electronics-SW02-1 … /dp/B0195UVWJ8/
Tip Cleaner w/ Extra Brass Pads: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08C4VN46N/
63/37 0.8mm Rosin Core Solder: https://www.amazon.com/MAIYUM-63-37-Solder-El … /dp/B076QF1Y85/
959D Hot Air Pencil: https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-959D-Digital-Eff … /dp/B08BK3M6YW/
Hot Air Nozzle Kit: https://www.amazon.com/OCR-Universal-Resistin … /dp/B07G352P13/
Solder Paste for Hot Air: https://www.amazon.com/SMD291AX-REWORK-SOLDER … /dp/B0186IM0P0/
Preheater Bed if you want to do larger BGA work: https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Preheating-Infra … /dp/B01MCT9FAY/

Tools:
Hakko Mini Side Cutters: https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-CHP-170-Micro-Cu … /dp/B00FZPDG1K/
Micro Tweezers, Suction Pickup Tool, PLCC/DIP Chip Pullers: https://www.amazon.com/Liyafy-Electric-Tweeze … /dp/B07TYKSYT2/
Microscope w/ LCD: https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-ANNLOV-Elec … /dp/B084HJ44J5/
--- or a wireless microscope --- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NGC8WDV/
Soldering Board Holder: https://www.amazon.com/Third-Soldering-Worksh … /dp/B079CHJQKH/
Silicone Soldering Mat: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073RFB6BX/
UV flashlight for solder mask curing: https://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-Portable-Ul … /dp/B00GU55270/

Repair Stuff:
30awg solid-core wire for trace repair: https://www.amazon.com/URBEST-Solder-Coated-W … /dp/B01LWI20M0/
Copper foil for trace repair: https://www.amazon.com/Zehhe-Copper-Foil-Doub … /dp/B01MR5DSCM/
Solder Mask: https://www.amazon.com/Curable-Solder-Repairi … /dp/B01MUB4PJL/
PCB Eyelets (through-hole replacement): https://www.ebay.com/itm/273600700433?chn=ps& … kevt=1&mkcid=28
PCB Eyelet Punch Tools: https://www.ebay.com/itm/PCB-Rivet-Eyelet-Pun … jQAAOSwN3NcDAwW

Parts:
SMD Assortment Kit: https://www.amazon.com/Component-Assortment-C … /dp/B08QGD9G7C/
Through-hole Assortment Kit: https://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Component-A … /dp/B073TKQNL3/
SMD Electrolytic Cap Kit: https://www.amazon.com/Wimas-Electrolytic-Cap … /dp/B07G31TS3G/
Through-hole Electrolytic Cap Kit: https://www.amazon.com/Twidec-Electrolytic-As … /dp/B083L3GTVR/

Wow! Thanks alot for that list. Really useful 😀

A desoldering gun with vacuum is worth it if you have a decent sized collection that needs worked on now or will need worked on later. Also non lead solder is a pain to work on.

I think the people with the skill and equipment to repair boards are probably buying up all the vintage gear they can and repairing them to sell for more money then just repairing others hobby stuff (when they have time after repairing military/pro test equipment etc). Those people are probably getting up in age as well so their eyesight isn't what it used to be.

Tech schools pretty much teach part swapping and not real repair.

To do real repair, you need IPC training. (commercially) I took their 7711B/7721B courses and it was excellent for pretty much everything you'll come across on vintage PC's. The PDF's for the course are in my first signature link. It shows all the proper methods and tools needed, step by step with pictures and diagrams.

Thanks everyone. Got to admit I'm just not handy with a soldering gun or a spring-loaded sucker thing. I always think that if you're good at something, do it well and get paid for it, then you can pay other people to do the other things that you're not good at. Hence wanting to pass these boards to somebody with experience and skill to do it properly. I would probably manage it, but it would be crude and shoddy, which would be a shame as these old boards are steadily getting harder and harder to come by.

I'll have a look about on the internet 😀