TS-9 PCB, Lifted eyelet solder pad repair. (Edit; added photos w/diagrams)

[GorgeousTones]

Hi guys! I started a thread awhile back about repairs to printed circuit boards damaged from soldering components. I decided to start a new thread focused on just the 2016 Ibanez TS-9 tubescreamer, and hopefully with some photos of the areas needing fixing you guys can help me get this thing running again!
Here are some photos of the lifted solder pads.
-In the one with red and yellow outlines, I was just trying to point out that the area damaged is identical to the area inside the yellow (sort of an island with solder connecting 2 through-hole eyelets bridged with solder)
-The others just have red to indicate areas I think should be pointed out.
Can anyone help me fix this kind of thing? You can see in a couple photos, the circuit pathways and where I filed down to remove copper trace. I was thinking maybe that I could use some stripped wire, or maybe a the clipped leg of cap/resistor to connect the two points..?? I don’t know

 

[GorgeousTones]

Hey I just thought I’d ask if you can, please describe the process in steps and include an tools (i.e. flux, epoxy, cleaners..) or possibly an online source with this information. I’ve already looked everywhere and have only found 700$ repair kits or vids about computer motherboard repairs unrelated to what I need... Thanks in advance for any help or info!!

 

[Lars F]

Can't tell 100% from the pictures, but it sure looks like you could just bend the component leg and solder it to the nearest component.

This is quite normal and should be an easy fix.

Regards,

Lars

 

[DougM]

just solder a small piece of wire from the lead going to the lifted pad to the solder pad at the other end of that trace. You could even just eliminate the wire and create a solder bridge from one end of the trace to the other. Or either of your ideas would work fine. Easily done.

 

[NotAnotherHobby]

There are several ways to repair this type of condition.

The "pro" way is to buy a self-adhesive copper donut (you used to be able to get them, not sure any more), and some copper trace tape. You GENTLY scrape away the solder mask with an Xacto knife to reveal some bare copper trace. Also, cut and remove any lifted portion of the original copper trace that may exist. Put down a pad at the component hole, use the copper tape to connect the donut to the exposed trace, then flow solder across the joints at the newly exposed trace, and the donut hole. Then put in the component leg and re-solder. Afterwards, some people use a type of paint to cover over the repair.

However, most "pros" usually did field repairs by scraping away the solder mask on the trace, and cutting away the lifted portions. Then they'd use a piece of wire and/or the leg of the component, and solder this to the exposed trace (then solder that to the component leg, if you are using a separate piece of wire).

Now comes the most important part: after repairing the trace, a lot of techs would use hot glue to cover-over the repair area to guarantee that any stress on the wire / component leg does not continue to lift the existing, undamaged copper trace. Plus...it acts like a very crude solder mask.

After soldering, usually you used a little flux remover (if I recall, either alcohol or nail polish remover worked just as effectively) to get rid of any remaining rosin / flux debris before the hot glue or nail polish went down. Put some on end of a Q-tip and gently swab the area until clean.

The first method was usually done in something like a repair warehouse where the fix had to look pretty and innocuous. The latter was used to get stuff running in the field. I even think some people used fingernail polish instead of hot glue. Anything to stabilize the trace, and protect it from oxidation.

Another alternative is to use a piece of wire to bypass the defective trace entirely. It depends on what's lifted, where something is located, and what's the easiest solution. I've seen more than my fair share of board corrections (a lot of circuit boards were made with an error or two in layout, and they are fixed after-the-fact) where they just cut a trace with an Xacto, and then run a thin wire from one point on the board to the other.

In any case, you want to use something like hot glue to prevent stuff from moving, and breaking your fix. How much and where depends on the type of fix.

(And I put "pro" in quotes because different professional techs had different techniques or had to work by different guidelines to achieve the very same thing. Some of these did not look so "professional", but worked all the same.)

 

[GorgeousTones]

Can't tell 100% from the pictures, but it sure looks like you could just bend the component leg and solder it to the nearest component.

This is quite normal and should be an easy fix.

Regards,

Lars

Yeah, I believe you’re right.
Particularly because of the way the components are placed on the board. Like I tried to describe in my op, the best word is “islands” of two component legs..

-when you say “bend the leg and solder it to the next component..” I definitely get what you mean. But I’m 100% sure how to connect the bent lead to the other?? I’ve heard guys suggest hooking the lead around the next leg.. But I feel like I need to remind everyone how little space there is to do anything remotely intricate. Suggestions???

 

[Lars F]

Just make sure there is contact when you solder and it will be fine..

Regards,

Lars

 

[NotAnotherHobby]

Yeah, I believe you’re right.
Particularly because of the way the components are placed on the board. Like I tried to describe in my op, the best word is “islands” of two component legs..

-when you say “bend the leg and solder it to the next component..” I definitely get what you mean. But I’m 100% sure how to connect the bent lead to the other?? I’ve heard guys suggest hooking the lead around the next leg.. But I feel like I need to remind everyone how little space there is to do anything remotely intricate. Suggestions???

Tin the tip of the soldering iron and have a little excess on the tip. Push down the bent lead with a needle-nose pliers, and then solder it to the next pad. The keep it pushed down until the solder visibly cools (and maybe 10 seconds after). It doesn't take long to make the joint once the solder starts flowing.

Then hit it the excess of the leg with a little hot glue to keep it secured. So long as there is not actual stress on the new solder joint it won't break.

Just make sure you're using a fairly narrow tip and don't have the iron to the temp where it can melt steel (yes, I'm being hyperbolic).

 

[Lars F]

Tin the tip of the soldering iron and have a little excess on the tip. Push down the bent lead with a needle-nose pliers, and then solder it to the next pad. The keep it pushed down until the solder visibly cools (and maybe 10 seconds after). It doesn't take long to make the joint once the solder starts flowing.

Then hit it the excess of the leg with a little hot glue to keep it secured. So long as there is not actual stress on the new solder joint it won't break.

Just make sure you're using a fairly narrow tip and don't have the iron to the temp where it can melt steel (yes, I'm being hyperbolic).

Don't you think you are complicating things a bit much?

Regards,

Lars

 

[NotAnotherHobby]

Don't you think you are complicating things a bit much?

Regards,

Lars

What part of what I wrote made things "complicated?"

 

[Lars F]

What part of what I wrote made things "complicated?"

I don't know, but hot glue and special tips imo shouldn't be necessary to get a working fix.

Regards,

Lars

 

[NotAnotherHobby]

I don't know, but hot glue and special tips imo shouldn't be necessary to get a working fix.

Regards,

Lars

If you are not using a fine / pencil tip to solder something of that size, then you should expect problems. Soldering irons have lots of different tips. Some work at different temps. it is the heat of the tip, and the amount of pressure you put on that tip that often causes the trace to lift in the first place.

So no, I'm not overcomplicating things at all.

And if you don't put SOMETHING down to keep the component and wire from moving, you're asking for the remainder of the trace to lift. at some point.

I spent about a decade in the electronics field, some of that doing bench and field repairs. A "working" fix is one thing. A "lasting" fix is another.

 

[GorgeousTones]

I don't know, but hot glue and special tips imo shouldn't be necessary to get a working fix.

Regards,

Lars

I actually thought that his reply was on the simplistic side (if anything).. If you haven't done a generic "pcb solder pad repair" Google search. Then trust me when I tell you, that you need to watch a 89 minute presentation detailing the various epoxy composition mix ratios, custom drill bits, cleaners & preparations for fitting newly fashioned eylet, or maybe my favorite heaters, flux & epoxy drying methods!! All of which are explained in grueling, painfully slow steps. Omg, kill me!

-I would like to ask you something in all seriousness though. If you don't use hot glue, how would you go about sealing the new connections, preventing interference from outside contact? And also holding it down securely in place where it can't move around or get shaken loose.. breaking the closed circuit/pedal dying during a gig??

I only ask because I don't have a hot glue gun.. I've considered tapes but that wouldn't hold and be a messy eyesore. I know it may come in useful somewhere down the line, but I'd rather not have to go buy one just for this.
**Although.. It just occurred to me that I could buy one from a big chain hardware store locally and then just return it once I was done

 

[luckett]

All of the elaborate suggestions for something so simple read like a comedic parody.

 

[NotAnotherHobby]

I actually thought that his reply was on the simplistic side (if anything).. If you haven't done a generic "pcb solder pad repair" Google search. Then trust me when I tell you, that you need to watch a 89 minute presentation detailing the various epoxy composition mix ratios, custom drill bits, cleaners & preparations for fitting newly fashioned eylet, or maybe my favorite heaters, flux & epoxy drying methods!! All of which are explained in grueling, painfully slow steps. Omg, kill me!

-I would like to ask you something in all seriousness though. If you don't use hot glue, how would you go about sealing the new connections, preventing interference from outside contact? And also holding it down securely in place where it can't move around or get shaken loose.. breaking the closed circuit/pedal dying during a gig??

I only ask because I don't have a hot glue gun.. I've considered tapes but that wouldn't hold and be a messy eyesore. I know it may come in useful somewhere down the line, but I'd rather not have to go buy one just for this.
**Although.. It just occurred to me that I could buy one from a big chain hardware store locally and then just return it once I was done

Maybe nail polish? I know they use it to set trimmers so they don't move off their settings. I'd stay away from the metallic stuff, though.

I've also heard of some people using gel CA glue, but I've personally never done that.

 

[matmosphere]

The solder should hold the connection together. Otherwise you didn't actually fix it. It doesn't have to be covered unless it's going to touch some other metal, like the enclosure back. If you have to cover it for some reason, then just use a little piece of electrical tape.

And I will stress, in a non-condisending way, if you're not comfortable trying to fix this yourself then find somebody to help you out or do it for you. If you live near Washington DC pm me and I'll help you out.

 

[Lars F]

These will be my last words on this subject.

The solder joint have to support a very small film capacitor and there is no way it is going to come loose even if you toss it against a wall repeatedly.

Regards,

Lars

 

[GorgeousTones]

All of the elaborate suggestions for something so simple read like a comedic parody.

Jeez.. A lot of people seem annoyed or even angry. This surprises me, because what’s even more of a comedic parody is people who use their free time to both read and respond to postings in voluntary group forums.. And act like they couldn’t choose to do anything else!

I appreciated the help from those who took the time to explain this. I’m a very good musician who likes to tinker. Not the other way around

 

[GorgeousTones]

The solder should hold the connection together. Otherwise you didn't actually fix it. It doesn't have to be covered unless it's going to touch some other metal, like the enclosure back. If you have to cover it for some reason, then just use a little piece of electrical tape.

And I will stress, in a non-condisending way, if you're not comfortable trying to fix this yourself then find somebody to help you out or do it for you. If you live near Washington DC pm me and I'll help you out.

Thanks for the offer my friend, I’m actually in the greater Boston area. Fortunately, I fixed it yesterday.. I didn’t like the idea of using tape so I used epoxy (even if it wasn’t necessary, I was happy with the results)

 

[matmosphere]

I'm a terrible musician that is also bad at tinkering.