Customer Reviews for Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station

Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station

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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station

Customer Review: Great home or light work bench use iron
Summary: 5 Stars

If you do any DIY stuff at home, you will eventually need a soldering iron. Do not go out and buy the $20 big cork handle iron from your local store. Go ahead and buy a regulated iron. One that heats up quickly and is temperature adjustable. This one comes with all that you need (exept solder). The tip is changeable (but only 1 tip provided). It has a base stand, and it all boxes back up easily for putting back in your work cabinet. It would also be a good light use iron for a tech workbench.

Positives: Light weight unit. Heats up to temperature quickly. Maintains temp well while working. Good dial in to temperature. It does have a temp lockout if you need it, but don't loose the "key". Comfortable grip.

Neutral: Would love to see three tip sizes provided in unit. But, 1 pencil tip is good to get started.

Negatives: None

Customer Review: Great so far
Summary: 5 Stars

I have had this solder station for about 2 months... So far it has worked perfectly, and I use it multiple times a week for school projects/do it myself projects. Definitely worth the money.

Customer Review: Great unit without frills or expense.
Summary: 5 Stars

I don't know what WES51 the other reviewer used, but the current WES51 does not have a digital readout. It's an analog unit with rheostat. If you don't need bells and whistles this is the iron for you. Readily available tips and so forth and rugged design. We use dozens of these with no problems.

Customer Review: High Quality and Easy to Use
Summary: 5 Stars

I got the WES51 station for my first soldering experience, replacing bad/blown capacitors in my older G5 Imac, and it worked great. (25 capacitors replaced successfully!)

I purchased based on positive reviews and the price seemed good. Never having soldered before- and frankly never having worked on the guts of my computer before- the project was daunting; I didn't want to spend a lot of dough on a tool that I may never use again and for a project that I perceived had dim prospects for success. Having used it successfully, I now consider this to be an excellent tool and a tremendous value for the price.

When I first opened the box, I thought the unit looked antiquated- something you might unearth from underneath your grandfather's workbench. It has one LED to let you know the unit is on and heating, and a dial. The machine is solid, though, and has the look and feel of quality.

The iron itself is light and the soft foam rubber makes it very comfortable to hold over time. Also, the coating on the handle keeps your fingers cool- I used it comfortably for hours. The cable from the iron to the station is thoughtfully long and made of high quality silicone that is very flexible- these features made the iron very easy to use. I spent hours on my project, holding the iron constantly, and never felt I had to put it down due to fatigue or because it became too hot to hold.

The iron heated to its designated temperature very quickly- seemed to me a matter of seconds from a cold start. The stand that comes with it is durable and the coiled receiver protects the iron well (and me from the hot tip!) and is a good angle for constant use. All in all, I am impressed with the quality and ergonomics of this kit. The products I used with this that worked equally well are Super Solder Super Solder Wire 60% 1.0mm Diameter - 1lb Spool and Tech Spray Desoldering Wick Tech Spray Desolder Braid,Pro- Wick, #4, Anti-Static, Blue, 5'

The only thing that was challenging when using this product was desoldering on my Imac circuit board. I hear that they use a solder with a higher melting point (lead-free silver solder?) and the iron just barely melted it. Everything turned out OK, but I felt I was lingering a little too long with the iron on the board to desolder those leads. I'm certain this is not a flaw with the soldering station, but it may be relevant to those who might need a bit more oomph from their iron. It did flow the Super Solder very well and easily, however.

I am very happy with this product and recommend it highly!