i need a new soldering iron . do most prefer the iron or gun. my present iron is only 40w. and has a hard time with the bigger ga.wire.

Iron/station (no gun). Much easier to handle. Get something in the 60W range and you can solder anything R/C related.

This is an example. Others will post similar things, but this is just to give you an idea of the type of thing to look for.

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...dering-Station

Guns do not transfer heat as efficiently as a good iron so you would have an even harder time eventhough the gun is rated at 100W but it has the heat transfer of a 15W-25W iron.

+1 a good iron station all the way

a visit to your local radio shack might be worthwhile

Yep. The key I think is the larger tip, holds temp better. Makes for quicker work, better joints, and actually less heat into the components, with the size of stuff we are typically doing. And fits in the toolbox a whole lot easier.

To me this has always been one of life’s little mysteries, why do little wands frequently have more power/capability than big ol guns. Always thought that was weird.

ok thanks for the advice. i will go that route. but do the indoor tracks mind if you set up an iron. i just though they would prefer you use a gun for saftey reasons but i have never been to an indoor track and plan on going to hot shots soon.

Been to a lot of tracks, never seen an issue. But Safety First is always good. Get a holder, or a station with it built in. And don't leave it on all day (generally no need to unlike back in the horse and buggy days when many hard wired batteries ).

This is EXACTLY right, that's why I never suggest the use of guns over irons. With a good quality iron, you get a strong & FAST heat transfer, & that's one of the biggest factors in making a good solder joint(that's one of the big things I've learned being an Electronics Tech for the last 18 years or so). I still have my basic Weller iron(cost me about $45, got it about 3 years ago, & the element & tip can be changed out when they wear), & it still does GREAT, because it has a strong element, a quality tip with a lot of surface area, & I take good care of it.....

Also exactly right, Nowadays, we just don't need to leave an iron on all day, so just use a decent holder(& a solder sponge to keep the tip clean) keep the tp clean & tinned, & unplug it when you finish some connections....