@str
I know you want specific recommendations.
Solder:
http://www.all-spec.com/products/KW4405.html
Flux Pen:
http://www.all-spec.com/products/KF233115.html
But for the rest of you reading this thread who want some generalized information on soldering, I'm going to continue this rather longish post.
First, as an intro, I do a lot of PCB board design. I send the gerber files out to OSHPark and get the raw PCB board back. Then I solder on the surface mount components. The smallest I go is 0603 but I could do 0402 in a pinch. I've bought a lot of good hobby grade equipment, so hopefully I can pass on some advice on how to proceed.
For the typical RC hobbiest, 90% of the time you are just soldering thick wires to ESC/Motor Bullet Connectors, Lipo Battery power wires to connectors, Power Wires to FCB boards, and finally, 2.54 mm header pins on FCB's. If that is the case, you can get away with a cheaper soldering iron setup.
But ultimately, you get what you pay for...
For the best results you need a good brand of solder, a quality soldering station with decent wattage and an adjustable heat control, and a good flux pen. One of the most important choices is getting solder of the proper diameter. The mistake beginners make is to get too big a diameter. I recommend the .025 inch diameter size. For a large job...just double, triple, or quadruple the solder wire back on itself and twist it into a rope. Any thing wider than 0.25 inch makes smaller jobs impossible.
Here's my recommendation for specific equipment. I'm going to link to items available from ALL-SPEC.com. They have probably the most complete selection of soldering supplies on the Internet. The prices are darn good...and the shipping costs are reasonable.
Soldering Iron:
If you are willing to pay a few dollars more than the typical Chinese crap...this is probably the #1 choice.
You can see and feel the quality of this Hakko FX-888D made in Japan.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/FX-888D.html
Soldering Iron Tips:
You really only need 3 tips:
The Hakko Iron I recommended comes with a #T18-D16 chisel tip which is 1.6mm wide.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/T18-D16.html
If you have small jobs get a #T18-D08 chisel tip which is 0.8mm wide.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/T18-D08.html
For larger jobs get a #T18-D08 chisel tip which is 3.2mm wide.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/T18-D32.html
Solder:
Use lead solder which contains an embedded Rosin Flux...and wash your hands after using it.
Always solder in a well ventialted area and try to have the fumes blow away from you.
Contrary to popular belief, the smoke created by soldering with lead solder does not contain a lot of lead.
The smoke is caused by the heated embedded rosin...and over time, breathing those fumes is not good.
Leadfree solder is acutally worse in this regard since it takes higher temperatures to melt...and more smoke from the rosin flux is created.
Lead solder comes in 63%-tin/37%-lead...or...60%-tin/40%-lead formulations(among others).
Get the 63%/37%...it's better and costs a few pennies more.
A pound of this recommended solder will last forever.
Here's the Solder...Kester 44 RA .025in. diameter Sn63Pb37:
http://www.all-spec.com/products/KW4405.html
Soldering Temperature:
For fine work I set the temperature around 325C(617F).
For most work I set the temperature around 350C(662F).
For big jobs I bump it up to 375C(707F).
Flux Pen:
Yes, use a Flux pen. After using one, you'll never go back. They look like a magic marker. Depress the spring loaded felt tip to wet it, and paint on the flux like painting with a yellow magic marker...only this watery liquid is clear. Afterwards, for flux residue clean-up, get a box of generic Q-Tips and 91% Isopropal Rubbing Alcohol. Pour a small amount of alcohol into a cofee cup, and store the alcohol bottle across the room with the lid on tight. Alcohol is flammable...so you don't want to jostle your work table and have the bottle tip over and engulf everything in flames. Just dip one end of the Q-tip into the alcohol and clean the flux residue, and then dry the area with the dry end tip...throw the Q-Tip away...and repeat.
I've tried both the Kester 2331-ZX Flux Pen and the Kester 951 No-Clean Flux Pen.
The 2231-ZX pen is the best product hands down. The pen has a yellow cap...(the picture on the linked purchase page is wrong, showing the 951 pen by mistake).
The shelf life on these flux pens is limited...so only purchase by one pen at a time. They last a very, very long time.
http://www.all-spec.com/products/KF233115.html
The re-work hot air guns off of E-Bay have lousy quality of electrical components...so be careful.
Always unplug it from the wall when not in use...that goes for the soldering station too.
But if you want a hot air rework gun...buy one that is a standalone without the soldering iron.
Here's a very inexpensive one with free shipping from a US EBay vendor.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/858D-Rework...278391?hash=item3d0b669977:g:YKwAAOSwwE5WaPpq
In conclusion...stick with a quality soldering station...and if needed...a separate hot air station.
Don't go for the combo package...the soldering iron portion just doesn't stack up the the Hakko's power and temperature control.
Also, don't buy the $17.00 Hobby King sand-alone soldering station.
If you don't believe me, just view the following video from RCModelReviews and watch Bruce Simpson's teardown of one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSl1aCh45bo
It's complete garbage. It's so cheaply made that I believe you are risking electrocution or burning down your house.
Bruce just seems to shrug it off, and says "it's made to a price"...but I'd never risk it.