Adventures in soldering

 I've recently started trying to learn to use the soldering iron Mom found in the barn. I've used it four times now and I haven't burned myself or set anything on fire so I guess it's going pretty well. For some reason when ever I start to smell the soldering iron heating up I think to myself, 'Oh crap, I'll going to burn something.' It probably doesn't help that it wants to sit with the tip touching the paper; so I have to do a lot of finagling to keep it pointing up while the iron warms. I'm going to try using a rock or a brick.
 
 This is a picture of the kitchen table after I commandeered it for soldering practice. As you can see I put newspaper in the vise (also from the barn) so it wouldn't damage the wires.

There are a few things I have to remember when doing this:
1) Solder wants to sticks to itself and to a much lesser existent the soldering iron.
2) It moves fast. Especially when it's moving to some place you don't want it to.
3) It will always try to go where you don't want it to. Twice I've had it flow into the little wire loop I've got on this project. And I really don't want that loop filled with solder.
4) Once it gets into the spot you don't want it to it's almost imposable to get it out.
5) If you try to use the iron to clean up the spot you soldered; the solder will almost always turn liquid and ooze away from where you want it to. 
6) You have to get solder on BOTH sides of the wire you're connecting. Other wise when you try to clean the spot up with a file, like the book on soldering I checked out from the library suggested, the solder will shot off towards your eye.
7) Wear safety goggles.

  Just a few things I've learned while trying to get the hang of this fairly dangerous craft.

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