Weller WD1002 review?

[teeDee]

Although I am going to buy the weller wd1002 I would still like to get anyones opinion on the use of this? Any reviews before I pull the trigger? Where to buy? I heard all-spec has a good sale on this station but I don't know their reputation and service.

Please advise,

TeeDee

[willawake]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

looks great, i have no personal experience though. get a few different tips (definitely a fine conical and a 2mm chisel) and 1 or 2 sponges.

[starfury1]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

As to the unit you are going to buy, I have no idea...looks good thought

I Have had my standard version of thier station since about 1978
It doesn't get used every day which may well account for it lasting so long.

My boss at about 82/83 had one that was failry old and still going great (older model then mine...guessing at 10 plus years then)

So if the build quality is anything to go by and they still have the same attention to it then guess it will be money well spent.

But at that time 83/84, we had a bout 25 30 of the same type of units that the students did manage to destroy a few irons...mainly the switching mech for temp control and iron power connectors

you could buy parts at the time but much like cars...$$$

very much a basic unit compared to what you are looking at buying

BTW swich has been replaced due to leaky roof and water getting into it...and I have lost tip tray in a move

[teeDee]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

Thank you,

I really appreciate the feedback. It looks like the quality is there? Does anyone know of a good site that would have side by side comparisons of lets say the weller Wd1002 & the wd1001?

I just would like to know I am buying the right station. I mean perhaps all I need is the weller wes51 soldering station. I will not be doing heavy soldering, just border line hobbyist stuff.

[Metaluna]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

This reply probably comes too late to be useful to teeDee, but I just bought a wd1001 and so far it's been great. It seems well built and comes up to temp quickly, and of course the big LCD display is cool. Admittedly, though, I haven't had time to do anything more than assemble a couple of very small PCBs from kits, so I can't comment on how well it holds up in the presence of motherboard-sized ground planes and such. It is certainly worlds apart from my junky Radio Shack 15-watter but that's no surprise.

I've had occasion to use some decent OKI/Metcal stations in a previous life and I have to give the Weller the nod for the comfort and handling of the soldering pencil. I would love to try soldering some 20-mil SMT leads with this thing as I was always a klutz with the Metcal, even under a microscope (that's probably why my current employer doesn't let engineers into the SMT rework area ).

I believe the only difference between the 1001/2 is that the 1002 has an 80w pencil while the 1001 has a 60W with a very short tip-to-handle distance for fine work (which is what attracted me to that model). The power unit is identical and the soldering pencils are interchangeable/upgradeable (but they cost as much as a whole wes51, IIRC). With luck I'll be recapping my motherboard soon so I'll be able to comment on the efficiency of the 60W pencil.

[starfury1]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

yeah that the problem "as parts price"...its abit like building a car out of spare parts expensive$$$

I have done a little rework with the weller but like you we had people to do it for us, nothing like having the right tools for the job and the expertise to go with it...but me, no re-worker here
Caps transistors resistors

I have reflowed smc chips legs and some very fine one's too...as you say very tricky stuff, liquid flux really is a must I think.
(although I have never tried to replace an smc chip with it and don't think I will)

There is better stuff out there, but I am happy with my weller.

That unit you got Metaluna looks nice.......

As to being late probably but it will possibly help others further done the track so thanks for posting...and welcome

Mine is an old model thought and the new ones are a separate setup which can be clipped together

Not plugging this site but they have decent pictures here

Specs pdf too on the units

(click on the iron type.. then the picture on the right to see a large picture of the unit you want to look at )

HTH

[PeteS in CA]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

Mmmm ... Metcal ... $$$$$$$$$$! Seriously, I think the Metcal handle is better suited to smaller hands. Too pricey unless you really need it (that comment has to sound odd coming from me).

[starfury1]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

Metcal looked at their stuff nice...never used it..... Pricey ...well it would be worse here in Oz
OK at the moment 78 US cents for our dollar...now roughly 25% more you would expect to pay....not likely most stuff world be more like nearer twice and sometimes three times more here.
At best 50% more

But yep I think its a case of you get what you pay for
you want pro gear you pay pro prices but for that you would get something that would (hopefully) last and work well.

Although may weller hasn't been given a brutal life its lasted 30 odd years now I think that was 75$ Au well spent ...mind you that was back in the days when our dollar was worth more then the US dollar....long time ago in a world far far away

[Metaluna]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

I can't say too much about the Metcals except that my previous and current employer used them in both the production and engineering labs, and the techs seem to like them. I probably don't really have enough skill or experience in that area to appreciate the difference between them and lower end units (even the Weller I bought is gross overkill for my needs). I do remember one of my colleagues at the old job commenting that the techs were all excited that they could drag-solder large fine-pitch QFPs with them...apparently something they couldn't do with whatever they were using before. I guess they have really good temperature stability due to having the heating element right at the tip.

I don't know how durable they are, but then again even the expensive ones are pretty much peanuts in a commercial environment compared to the cost of other lab equipment (scopes, environmental chambers, esd-safe everything, etc.), not to mention the cost of ruining a US$20K PCB with a cheap iron. At my last job, we had one of the dual-output units with the SMT tweezers which was very cool. But if I could choose one thing to have in my workshop from there, I think it would be the nice shop-air-powered desoldering rig (footpedal and all). I bet you could recap a board in about 5 minutes with that setup.

[starfury1]

Re: Weller WD1002 review?

hi all

ok bit off topic

Metaluna not really talking in the same class you are, but
I bought a china knock off desolder station 701 (hakko 701 type knock off)

works well enough, but I wouldn't leave it running all day....handles on both iron and gun get very hot, does take time to get up to temp....I have read that the pots on them are likely to fail too....cheap ones I guess

(Weller does have much better temp control)

Does make it quicker and I suppose somewhat easier to remove caps but then again I haven't spent the time perfecting the fine art of removal technique like TC and others here have.
(they would leave me standing in the dust)

Ideally I should spent more time perfecting my skill in this removal technique , you never know when you are going to get caught with a desolder wick, iron and a needle

You still need to learn a few tricks to use a desolder station effectively

cost was like 1/6 off a Hakko here, like I said you get what you pay for so I not expecting great service life out of it.
For the odd recapping, component removal does me fine.

I have used a pace dual unit with tweezers...nice enough

20K PCB you really don't want to stuff that.... and that was part of the reason I got a desolder station.

although what you are talking about would be the Professional stuff....nice

Again not plugging sites just for reference photos only.. ok you can read the spec if you like

my 701

200 plus AU

Hakko 701

$1000 plus AU

Would love to try the hakko just to see how different they are.