Keith
Why don't you tape them together. I do.
It also protects the wire from bender marks.

Norm

Keith, My weller has tempermental moments,, maybe yours is too.
I discovered that you periodically need to remove the solder tip, clean the contact points, and reset the allen screws that hold it in. or just replace the tip.
I fought and fought,, until I discovered this. I have had to do it a couple times a year on mine.

That's exactly what I was going to point out.  The basic design of those guns puts a lot of current through the tip at a very low voltage; if those contact points get the least bit dirty then the voltage can't overcome the dirt, and nothing works.

If there's much differential strain on the wires at all the solder joint won't hold.  I've never been able to get the whole "do the same thing to two things at once" method to work for me -- I always end up just doing things one at a time, and tweaking the second one until it matches the first.

Joseph,
respectfully, I disagree,
I build all my own tanks, ( and some for other people too) I solder wires, connectors, and landing gear sized wire with my Weller,, It works just fine.
yes there may be more specialized tools for some things, but soldering two pieces of 1/8 music wire together I believe would really tax the limits of a 40 watt pencil,,
different strokes for different folds, However, my Weller is my go to soldering tool,, I have a magnetic tip, 30 watt, soldering pencil for electronics,, but for most things, I grab the weller,,

Ed, Yep,, some have allen screws, some use the nuts,, good catch,,

Don't just tighten the hold down nuts or set screws.  Loosen them first and run them back and forth to get rid of the oxidation that has been mentioned. 

Hey Mark:

Out of curiosity, have you used a Really Big soldering pencil, not one of those dinky little 40W jobbies?  Mine's 80W (I was wrong about the 100W part), and has approximately the same thermal mass as a Harley Davidson motorcycle.  Just for chuckles, since I'm building a tank right now, I tried using a temperature-controlled electronics iron that I use for circuit board assembly (I was going to use a pistol-grip gun -- but I couldn't find any!!).  It sucked -- as soon as the thing touched the metal I could hear the controller click on, and the heat was just plain inadequate unless I really went slowly.  On the other hand, once "Bertha" warms up she'll melt any solder in her path, and since she's got a sharp-pointed tongue on her I can get pretty fine control.

"Trying both" to see their advantages is a waste of time.

Any time that a group of well-established folks in a community disagree on what tool they use you're best off trying all to see which ones are best.  I'll claim that for common sense, but if that's not good enough for you -- it's my personal advise.

Please google and provide information on any professional soldering stations that come with a gun.

Since you said that soldering guns are only good for electronics, and since soldering stations are primarily for electronics, that's an odd suggestion to make.

Someone stated that they use a "five pound foot long" 100 watt iron.  Respectfully, I submit that this iron was purchased in 1946 or you got it from Harbor Frieght.

You quoted what I said, and you still missed the fact that I said it was probably over one pound?  Debate all you want, but please be accurate.
(Judging from the AC cord I think your 1946 estimate is a bit late, by the way).

Here is a link for the current state of affairs in 100 watt irons:

http://www.anythinginstainedglass.com/tools/ironsInland.html

or just google inland 100 watt soldering irons.

We'll all just have to take your word for it that a $20 soldering iron is "state of the art".

Please cite the advantages of the soldering gun.  Is there a variety of tips available?  Just what is the "utility" of the soldering gun?

I'm can't do so enthusiastically, because I think they're second best.  But they're hardly useless.  If there is one advantage over any non-temperature-controlled soldering iron: you pull the trigger, and before you've taken a breath the solder is melting.  You can't do that with a soldering iron.

It is interesting to note that based on what soldering experience that you have that you have determined that the gun is best, and that anyone who has a different experience than you does not know how to maintain a soldering gun correctly, and therefore, could not possibly know as much as you do on the subject.

Having used soldering guns for over 35 years, knowing what they're good for and what they're lousy at, and given your rejection of them for this job, I do indeed find it pretty easy to suspect that perhaps you weren't using the gun correctly.

But you ask about my experience:

I'm 49, and I've been soldering as part of hobby work and for pay since I was at least 12.  I've used a variety of trigger-operated soldering guns, irons of various wattages both temperature controlled and not, soldering "shoes" heated with oxy-acetyline torches then applied to the work, and torches both acetylene and propane.   I've soldered circuit boards, electronic connectors, structural parts of model airplanes, applied lead for old-style auto body work, soldered stained glass, and soldered copper pipes for plumbing.  In addition I've got some experience with brazing steel to steel (which is a lot like soldering, except your work glows in the dark), and some small experience with casting small model parts from lead and solder.  Oh -- and I've soldered sheet metal both for model airplane fuel tanks and heavier gauge structural sheet metal work.

So yes, I do feel like I'm qualified to speak on this subject, perhaps more than the average Joe, and on the relative merits of the tools that one might bring to bear.

I "do" and have done a lot of soldering.  I raced slot cars on commercial tracks for a number of years.  Commercial slot cars do 3-5 second laps on a 155' banked road course depending on the class that is running.  Solder to slot cars is what glue is to model airplanes.  You are required to make precise, accurate and strong electrical and mechanical joints that withstand the stress of racing.  Frequently you have to solder between heats to replace a burned up motor.  The iron is left on for the entire race.   Go to your local commercial track (if you have one) and see what the guys there are using.

Here is the link to serious soldering equipment:

http://www.e-slotcar.com/catalog/32

or just google e-slot cars and look in the soldering section.

See any guns in there?

So, you've soldered dinky little wires onto dinky little motors, and you don't like soldering guns.  I can understand that -- before I used a soldering gun for that particular job I'd probably heat a nail in a candle and see if I could tin it (or just drive the nail into my forehead as a less-painful alternative to attempting such a job with such an inappropriate tool).

But soldering wires onto prepared tabs is considerably different from soldering sheet metal -- which I know, because I've done a lot of both.  What relevant soldering experience can you cite?  What have you soldered with trigger-operated guns?  How long have you been soldering with guns, and did you just try once then stop using them, or did you really try to work out the process?  What variety of methods have you used to solder thin-gauge sheet metal, and what do you feel are the relative merits of each method?  How many different things have you soldered, and do you have a feel for what tool is the best for each different material?

I like that average joe thing.

I actually didn't pay attention to the convergence of your name and the cliche, if that's what you mean -- oh well, I probably would have used it anyway.

I'm not saying that a soldering gun is best, I'm just saying that it's not too bad.  Since there are obviously folks who prefer it (and certainly more folks that just Mark) I can only conclude that it is, indeed, a matter of personal preference.  So to insist that someone use the tool that's my personal preference would be perhaps to steer them wrong.

Joseph, I am inserting the initial question here,, he states as you note, that he has a Weller gun,, he also states a problem which I have personally experienced WITH the Weller gun.
I believe I also stated that it is not the perfect choice, but that it functions. I use it for the majority of my soldering needs and have no complaints, I have soldered pretty much all the same things that Tim has, ith the addition of soldering up holes in sheet metal autobody where the old technology required drilling a hole to pull with a hook,,, ( remember that Tim?)
I am not certain why your post became rather ,, shall we say aggressive? Like Tim I question whether the 25 dollar soldering pencil you linked to is state of the art. My soldering pencil is thermo controlled, it was approximately 75 dollars some 25 years ago, and was state of the art at that time,, hard to believe today it has been replaced by a 25 dollar unit,,
regardless, if you read the question below, I think you will find that perhaps my answer was both relevant and appropriate,, and with all likely hood, will fix his problem. there is no reason the Weller gun will not make the solder joint he is attempting, unless there is an issue with the gun, which typically is corrosion between the tip legs and the gun itself,,

Help. I am trying to solder two lengths of 1/8" music wire together. These are for landing gears. 8.5" long tied together with very thin copper wire at 3 points. Flux was used and silver solder. My aim is to bend them as one unit and then melt the solder away. Resulting in identical gears. They are clamped with wood.

 My problem is I can not get the solder to melt. I am holding it on the wire to be soldered. Nothing. My gun is a Weller 140/100 watt pistol grip gun.

 Any suggestions? Better better gun or set up. Or better way to bend identical gears.

Keith McCrary
 

<snip>  Silver solder is "hard" solder that should be used under areas of sustained stress.  It has a higer melting point. 

Agreed...
Mapp gas has a higher temp than propane also. I noticed Plumbers and A/C techs use it exclusively.

Not to throw any stones here......I've never seen any aircraft manufacturer use a soldering gun...
I have seen them use soldering irons and stations....