How to remove the metal around a pinless CPU socket?

Hello, just like the title says, how do you remove the metal around a pinless CPU socket? First of all let me explain what I'm talking about. The CPU socket has 3 pieces of metal that work together to hold the CPU on top of the socket. These we will call the "clasp", "lock arm", and "base". The clasp and lock arm are the "moving" pieces and are easy to separate from the board. Its the base that I have difficulty with. Prying, chiseling, bending, etc., results in me tearing up a portion of the socket itself and in some cases having pieces containing pins coming right off the board. I always say, you can't break broken, but in this case the board could end up being devalued.

Possible answers:
1: Cut the metal base in opposing corners with a cutoff wheel and slide the pieces out.
2: Leave the base on and live with the board being devalued, due to excess metal. I don't like this one, because I take the time to remove all the excess metal, plastic, and aluminum I can.

Thanks in advance. And yes I did a search but was unsuccessful, and until recently my buyer didn't care.

Brent

I'm not going to be much help because I've never tried to remove that part of a mother board before. If my buyer required me to remove the parts you're talking about I would find a new buyer.

Maybe have a talk with your buyer and ask them what the best way is to remove the metal ?

If it can't be done without tearing up the board they really have no right to complain when people do what they ask. ;)

I generally use a screw driver to pop them off. Never had a downgrade for damage to the socket.

You might try using what is called a sand bath, it is a method used to de-solder components on a motherboard.

Get a pan, fill it with play sand, lay the board on top and the pan on a heating source. Do this in a well ventilated area as the solder contains mercury, and mercury vapor is poisonous.

You can also try etching solutions like feric chloride, or copper chloride which will also dissolve the solder, but will also create a metal solution that is considered hazardous waste.

In both cases, the painless CPU will come free, if it is solder holding it to the motherboard, if it is glue, the sand bath will heat the glue so it will come free, or you can also use sodium hydroxide, or lye. Lye will eat the organic material, the glue, and the CPU will then come free. But be very carefully using this process as well, as lye is extremely caustic, and can physically harm you if it comes into direct contact with your skin.

As always, use all safety precautions when dealing with etching solutions or lye. Gloves, face guard, a well ventilated area, etc would be appropriate.

Scott

Thanks Scott, but you are talking about removing the socket itself, I was asking about the metal base that is under the edges of the socket. De-soldering is not something I am going to be doing.

Brent

I have never had anyone devalue a board for something attached to the socket (I send my boards to Ewasted, but I have sold elsewhere)...one might reconsider their buyer if they are being that anal retentive or trying to find anyway to devalue something...just sayin'

I mean of they are going to whine about that, what about the base metal around the port riser.

There is a piece of metal that typically looks like a large X on the back for the board...this allows you to attach the heatsink to the motherboard without cracking it (and gives it some stability)...those typically will come off (I remove those) with a chisel as it is attached typically with plastic grommets.

Otherwise, I would be finding another buyer...if they fuss about that, who know what else they will "downgrade".

Are you talking about these?
http://www.aetherwide.com/articles/obsdfw/fw10-s.jpg

If so, they're usually held on with adhesive tape. They pry right off with a decent screwdriver.