Out with the old! My desoldering gun is still not Quite Right so this was mostly done the old fashioned way: a manual pump, braided solder wick some flux and lots of patience. (If the chip is know to be totally gubbed it’s easier to just snip the legs but I wanted to save it).
@robert Good work! I don’t think I have the patience for that kind of work anymore. Is it possible to get sockets for this IC’s, so that you can swap them more easily?
@odd thank you! Yes it’s quite a meditative task. This computer belongs to an old friend so the sentimental value makes it worth taking the time over. (I’m considering what to to about fixing/replacing the gun though! I’ve already used it far more than I thought I would, but my skills with the “old” methods have also improved.)
Sockets - yes readily available. There’s enough room in this computer’s case (ZX Spectrum +) to have a socketed chip and still attach a heat sink if you want, but with the earlier models there’s not enough room. Often repairers will remove the socket.