Mac SE Restoration Project -- advice wanted!

[retr01]

Better to remove it properly than twisting or pulling it off, which causes more work and damage. With electronics, damages, degradation, and some problems are often overlooked unless you have the right equipment to look very closely, such as cracks in the PCB or faint physical discontinuity of a circuit line.

 

[pfuentes69]

I twist the caps and I never had any issue… I take the precaution to press down while twisting, never pulling up.

 

[moldy]

If we're listing our experience points... thousands of caps across hundreds of boards. I've gotten many requests to repair missing pads. They're not burned off, they're torn off. Pliers work until they don't.

Sure, I see your points and I agree. Didn't want to start any big belief discussion - it's important that everyone finds a method that is reliable and safe

 

[retr01]

I twist the caps and I never had any issue… I take the precaution to press down while twisting, never pulling up.

When pressing down the cap, how much force do you exert on the board? Physics stipulates that when the force is greater than the opposing force of an object, the object will move.

Another perspective is that you say never had any issue. There can be issues though not detected. It's like putting the tires on the wheel of an automobile but not enough torque for the nuts, and later the tire loses proper alignment and wobbles even slightly or falls off. Similarly, exerting too much force, though not knowing it because it felt right, can cause micro-fractures within a layer or two of the PCB or other minor problems that may lead to more significant issues.