Fixing broken IC legs

[microx]

What is the best way to resurrect an IC that has had a couple of legs
broken off, but is otherwise working? I am talking about a regular DIP
IC here, an old computer custom chip which is rare to find now. 2 legs
have been broken off at the root, so you can barely see some metal
peeking out. Is there some easy way to get access to the connection or
break off a piece of the casing to connect a wire to it?

 

[Art]

If there is enough of the metal leg available you can try soldering a very
thin wire to each of the tabs and using the wire as the missing leg. Use
only as much heat as necessary trying not to overheat the whole device. BTW
may not work if the device is istalled into a socket.

 

[Sam Goldwasser]

If there is enough of the metal leg available you can try soldering a very
thin wire to each of the tabs and using the wire as the missing leg. Use
only as much heat as necessary trying not to overheat the whole device. BTW
may not work if the device is istalled into a socket.

If it's a plastic IC, you can scrape away a bit of the case to provide more
access for solder. I've done this successfully.

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I use my Dremel tool with a small diamond tip cutter to remove enough
of the plastic around the pin to solder a small wire to it. I have
never had any trouble with the ICs repaired this way.

Van Gardner

 

[we]

Ha, you also have to have very good eyes and steady hands.
use fast heat, don't cook it.

 

[David Gersic]

What is the best way to resurrect an IC that has had a couple of legs
broken off, but is otherwise working?

Replace it with a new one if you can. If you can't, then you can try
mounting it in a socket (use a machine pin socket) for stability, then
soldering on bits of wire to replace the broken legs. You stuff the wire
in to the socket, then solder it to whats left of the leg. Never remove
the chip from the socket again, just stuff the whole thing in to the
socket on the board.

I am talking about a regular DIP
IC here, an old computer custom chip which is rare to find now. 2 legs
have been broken off at the root, so you can barely see some metal
peeking out. Is there some easy way to get access to the connection or
break off a piece of the casing to connect a wire to it?

You might try a Dremel with a small cutting bit to remove a bit of the
case to get at more metal if necessary.

 

[Jim Adney]

What is the best way to resurrect an IC that has had a couple of legs
broken off, but is otherwise working? I am talking about a regular DIP
IC here, an old computer custom chip which is rare to find now. 2 legs
have been broken off at the root, so you can barely see some metal
peeking out. Is there some easy way to get access to the connection or
break off a piece of the casing to connect a wire to it?

I have replaced broken legs by simply replacing the leg with one from
a dead or cheap IC. Just gently tin the exposed "stump," and then
install the IC either soldering it in, or plug it into it's socket.

Then install the replacement leg, either soldering it into the board
or into the socket, and bend it against the case. A touch of a small
soldering iron will then fuse the two together. This joint will not be
physically strong, but it will be electrically adequate.

-

 

[lasermemory]

if there is not enough connection to get anything soldered to, then get try
a pcb drill, with a sanding attachment, or burrer, or
anything small enough to wear away the casing slightly to expose more metal.

Nothing to lose, as its f*cked anyway.