Yes the iron has to be tinned (keep = it clean and shinny) but in a light solder job you can tin or tip tin the wires. Solder flows "TO" the heat, so apply heat to a pretinned wire (you = can also buy pretinned wire) and touch it to the circuit membrane and additional = solder, as soon as it flows your done. If this still doesn't work try a = nowash solder on the parts and then dip them in a solder pot (pot full of = liquid molten solder) before you dip them clear the slag off the top of the liquid = solder (liquid molten solder should be shinny like mercury). =

If heat is really a difficult = problem, strip the wire up an additional inch, heat the wire to get the solder to flow = and then use heat shrink over the bear wire when you are finished.

Tip: try soldering with the two items directly in front of you, one in front to = the other so that your soldering iron hand comes in from one side and the solder = comes in from the other and if you can get the work inclined toward = you, you may find it easier to work on. If you plan to/enjoy soldering = circuitry get a few pairs of hemostats (?sp?) to hold the work, they work better = than vice grips.