How to repair broken / missing pads?

[requim]

I have some iPod Touch devices that have been abused by their former owners.  A number of them are missing a pad or two used to solder the battery onto.  Can this be repaired?  If so, how?

[IanB]

It probably depends how ingenious you are and how good you are at fine detail work.

I would attempt to replace the pad by cutting some foil of the right size and gluing it into place and then resoldering the electrical connection. This video will give you an idea of the technique, though I do have to say they have chosen "easy" examples for their demonstration with lots of free space and room to work:

[Rerouter]

although less pretty, i usually bend up one end to use as a handle,

for down to about 15mil traces one can compfortably use a strand of copper out of 2.5mm earth wiring, if they have some about,

this stuff http://www.bitsen.com/images/medium/earth_cable_2.5mm_MED.jpg

also, being how commonly i have to replace tracks, i will say this, the tape method isn't useful if your break is less than 1.5cm long, generally if you tin the piece of copper, you can get it to act like an SMD part and self center,

[DrGeoff]

Kynar wire. Used to make mods and repair traces.