Solder in tube socket

[bgood]

I have a little solder in one of the socket holes. The tube goes in but doesn't seat all the way. It's in tight enough to stay but I'd like to get it out of there.

Any tips on getting it out? I was thinking of heating up a jewlers screwdriver or something small enough to get in there and hopefully getting the solder to move a little.

Thanks

[loudthud]

Three things to try. The socket pin may be able to be removed and swapped for one that isn't being used. Is it an octal socket? While it is out of the housing the solder can be removed with solder wick. If that's not possible, you may be able to push some solder wick in from the top side of the socket and heat it up with the tip of a small soldering iron or some other piece if metal that you can heat up. Third try heating the pin from the solder side of the socket and slamming the socket face down on your work bench or sucking it out with a solder sucker.

[olddawg]

Is it just a solder splash on the base casing, a ball or blob stuck in the pin connector, or is the the pin connector actually tinned with solder? If it's just a splash, leave it alone unless it's a ceramic socket. If it's a ball, a dental pick, sewing needle, or guitar spring might do it. If it is tinned, you could try heat and solder wick, then wash out any flux. But if you have to remove the socket anyway. I would replace it unless it is a restoration piece.

[tubeswell]

Apart from what's already been said, I'd just replace the damn thing. I've had this happen to me in the past and trying to evacuate the solder is more trouble than its worth. Make sure you don't put too much solder on the pin(s) next time around (and it also helps to tin the socket pins while the sockets aren't laying down flat, so as to lessen the chance of hot solder running into the pin)

[Chuck H]

This just happened to me for the first time. I didn't even know it could since I've build countless mods and amps having never seen this. I was lucky because there wasn't enough solder to fully clog the pin slot. Just made it pretty tight. I can understand wanting to remove the solder. Trying to resolder used filament wiring is a PITA. I did try to heat and suck it from the terminal side without luck. I considered trying from the pin side but thought that might make things worse. In the end I considered that if I hung the amp upside down, heated and sucked the pin from the terminal side (probably while laying on my back wearing safety goggles) that might work.

Chuck

[hasserl]

Trying to resolder used filament wiring is a PITA.

Aint that the truth! And after you take the time to get it right the first time, making it look good, when you have to remove it and reinstall it it never looks as good the second time. Wiring up the filaments is the least enjoyable part of a build for me.