Copied from the bottom:

If you don't not only do basic research on the most basic of subjects, but 
give an indication that you have done so if you have done so, then you are 
going to bring the censorious ravings of the alpha-males down on your head, 
and then everyone will yell at each other (again), and then ... we are NOT 
going to have a repeat of the last few weeks. So if it happens again just 
maybe EVERYONE who gets involved in the yelling sessions gets a short sharp 
dose of moderation. Which always starts more yelling. So lets try not to 
start. (Alpha males also please note).

_______________________________________

Given the zillions of articles on the web on soldering ...

This presumably came as no surprise.
> I soldered two wires together. I noticed that, I needed to tin the tip
> to properly transfer heat to the joint.

nor this
> Also, after the iron heated
> up, I touched the tinned tip to the joint and had to wait a few
> seconds for the joint to get hot enough to melt the solder.

> I t's leaded solder I believe.

Most of the solder 'around the place' will be.
Much is '60/40' (Google knows).
Some little will be aimed at Alumin[i]um soldering. Rare.
Some little ill be slver solder and similar specialist.
More modern solder may be lead free and an abomination to use (Google knows)

> This caused the entire wire to become quite warm to the touch (even
> through the insulation).
Also, I imagine, no great surprise.

> My only concern is that when I do this (with
> a pencil type 15 - 20 watt iron) I will overheat and damage the
> components. How do I heat just the joint and not the entire component
> and damage it? (When I do get around to soldering my pics and stuff...

The answer to that is an extremely easy one.
Read a few of the zillions of articles on the web on soldering.
Repeat until you get the idea.
And/or read PICListarchive material on same until suitably informed.

When you have found it come back and tell us.
ie soldering is a basic electrical construction skill which has been part of 
the amateur constructors necessary skill set for many many mnay decades.
As such there is an inordinate amount of information about it on web and in 
books and more. You can probably even find (shudder) U tube videos on 
electronic soldering 101.

Asking questions about basic soldering skills on list is liable to bring a 
hail of not totally misplaced abuse down on your head re RTFine(they tell 
me)Manual et al. It doesn't sound from what you wrote (regardless of what 
you actually did) as if you have as much as Gargoyled "soldering" (11.5 
million hits) nor "electronic soldering" (380,000+ hits) nor ... .

If you had done the latter (or have) you'd find the very first hit to be 
useful. Viz
    http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm
    http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm#irons
Like perhaps unto it
    http://www.elexp.com/t_solder.htm
    http://www.essortment.com/home/solderingiront_sagx.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldering

and more.

If you don't not only do basic research on the most basic of subjects, but 
give an indication that you have done so if you have done so, then you are 
going to bring the censorious ravings of ther alpha-males down on your head, 
and then everyone will yell at each other (again), and then ... we are NOT 
going to have a repeat of the last few weeks. So just maybe everyone who 
gets involved in the yelling sessions gets a short sharp dose of moderation. 
Which always starts more yelling. So lets try not to start. (Alpha males 
also please note).


   Russell




-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist