Thread: The flashlight sticky

Originally Posted by logesearle

My method is put the LED (on a copper or aluminium base) in the frying pan and heat it up until the solder attaching the LED to the base melts. Then take the LED and the base out of the frying pan, sit it on the bench, wait for the solder to set again, then (while it is still hot) flick the dome off carefully with something skinny like a small flat head screwdriver. I always make sure I flick it off starting from the side opposite the tiny bonding wires on the LED, the wires are very thin and break easily if you move them too much.

Others use petrol or something to dissolve the dome.

I do it similar to this. I might have to set up the new camera and do a quick video of the process. I use a hot air attachment on a gas soldering iron (for heat shrink tubing) from underneath and press down on the dome with a screwdriver till I feel it soften and the edges lift. Then I just peel it off as above.