Gun or Iron for Soldering?

[Jack The Riffer]

What's your preference and why?

[Bengal]

Iron. It's easier to navigate without the handle getting in the way in a small cavity...

I hold my iron like a pencil...

[fett]

Believe it or not. I have a dinky pistol grip iron. Not a gun as in those big things. But I do have a Weller, 35 Watts?, pencil iron with a 1/4 flat tip. It works great. And I do hold my iron like a pencil.

[marty264]

Iron all the way.

[quadperson]

I hold my iron with both hands....oh, I thought we were talking about golf.

[Phantom Hawk]

IRON !!!!!!! and yup, held like a pencil.

[charvel750]

Don't the soldering guns have a negative magnetic affect on the guitar's electronics/pickups? The irons don't, at least I think...

[Cygnus X1]

Iron. I have two.
A 15 watt for micro electronic PC boards, a 30 watt for most everything else.
I also have a Weller gun, capable of melting steel, I think. Prolly around 5000 watts, circa 1968. I never use it.

[straycat]

Radio Shack has a 25-40 watt iron that works great.I use the chisel tip.

[Bengal65]

I use a commercial Weller station. It costs up front, but my last one lasted 37 years! It has the sponge, temp control and auto shut off if left unattended after awhile. It also will use about 10 or so different tips. My last Ungar/ Weller was purchased in the 60's when slot car building was it it's heyday. I still have it and use it although the tips are not made anymore

[Ace]

I hold my soldering iron by the tip, you wimps!

[JacksonDean]

I hold my soldering iron by the tip, you wimps!

:ROTF:

I've actually thought about getting a soldering iron and start practicing soldering stuff: a myriad of loose wires I'm making do with, some cables, that annoying chihuahua next door. You know the typical stuff.

[guitarplayer]

I use a butane powered iron by Matco. It's great, you can change out the tips and control the heat.

[Axewielder]

I also have a Weller gun, capable of melting steel, I think. Prolly around 5000 watts, circa 1968. I never use it.

:ROTF: That might be overkill! :ROTF:

[Spivonious]

If I held my iron like I hold a pencil, I'd burn all of the skin off of my fingertips.

What I want to know is how you hold the iron, the solder, and the wire all at the same time?