IC Chips

Hi, I have been accumulating IC Chips for a while now, and am wondering what to do with them. I have set aside the ones that appear gold plated. I have a 5 gallon bucket of plain ones left over. I see that most e-waste buyers pay around $5-6/lb.

My question is if there is a variance in values for the plain IC Chips like there is with CPUs( 6/lb-130/lb), and I should go through the bucket and research the labels and ser. numbers, or if they are mostly the same and I should just sell them.

Thanks in advance,

neat website. Saved it and will have to try it out.

I wish someone would do a video on how you take off IC Chips. I'm scared I'm going to break something, lol

the question hasen't been answered, are all non gold/window chips worth the same as scrap.

Here is an example of a collectible non-CPU motherboard IC chipset:

The original IC chipset for the Commodore Amiga computer (chips were named: Agnus, Denise, and Paula)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_Amiga_chipset

Here is an example of someone attempting to sell 3 untested/functionality-unkown Agnus chips for $10. (I don't know if they'll sell, but it's interesting to see the attempt).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-3-COMMOD...item20c2037b96

Here is the Denise Chip selling for $30.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Commodore-AM...item3a662c9fce

Here is the Paula Chip selling for $3/chip ($30 for lot of 10)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Paula-Chi...item256b042cd0

The NEAT chipset from early IBM PCs and clones is another relatively collectible set of IC chips.
If you type almost any of these chip names into Ebay, you'll get plenty of sales for much more than scrap value.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Enhanced_AT

I use a 4 1/2" angle grinder with a thin metal cut off blade and run it along were the legs aare soldered on the back of the board. Ware a dust mask if your going to try this and I only do this on low grade boards.

Desoldering a chip is very simple. You go to radio shack and get a desolder braid. Hold the braid on the pins with a soldering iron and it sucks up the solder. The chip can then just be lifted off the board. This is the ONLY was to remove a chip that you want to reuse. You can practice on capacitors once or twice till you get the hang of it. There are a bunch of vids on youtube that show the proper technique. If you are not going to reuse the chip/board I just use my torch to heat the back of the board and wiggle the chip.

Removing attached chips from boards downgrades the boards so it might be wise to research the value of the board first, before you go to cutting, heating and burning. Check with your board buyer to find out what is acceptable to them.

I am not a fan of removing chips but I understand why some do.
I think the easyest way is to use a heat gun. Just heat up board and part untill it pulls off.

I take my razor knife, and cut/scrape the solder from the backside. Then a flathead screwdriver easily wiggles out the chip. The fastest way, If only using them for scrap.