desoldering braid size types

[Admin]

I had a hard time finding this on google so I figured I'd post this for others to find.

Desoldering braid (or wick) comes in different sizes, #1,#2, #3, etc. The higher the number, the thicker the braid. Thicker braid absorbs more solder, but is much slower. The width of the braid should match the width of the pad or solder ball.

#1, 0.9mm
#2, 1.4mm
#3, 1.9mm
#4, 2.5mm
#5, 3.3mm
#6, 4.9mm

This pdf was useful too:
http://www.action-electronics.com/pdf/ts1800.pdf

[GearMotion]

One good trick to using desoldering braid is to add flux to the braid. I use a flux dispensing pen that has a felt tip (like a thick marker pen) and I wet the leading half inch of braid before I heat it on the solder joint.