splitting hairs but that isn't the DC one....That's the iron I am using http://m.homedepot.com/p/Weller-18-Watt-Soldering-Iron-WPS18MP/202077464/
LOL I know, I've soldered a bunch of LED "eggs" to stars.. taught me to just to buy them attached already.. Besides the price dif was minimal..Stick with the conventional soldering iron. Using hot air would probably melt the solder holding the Led to the star before melting the solder needed to attach the wires. Not an outcome you'd be happy with.LOL
Yea that happens once and awhile but I probably had more "oversolders" where it was shorting out to the star aluminum and of course the heatsink..When you are soldering you heat the wire and let the wire melt the solder. Any other way and you have a cold joint which is weak and can cause problems down the road.
My bigger problem is getting and maintaining an iron that I have decent control over.. Most of the time the tips go wonky (I do know this is my fault..Jeff the key is just the right amount of solder. Trick to it is to "tin" the wire and the place where you are soldering to whether another wire or a lug. I've soldered everything from PC boards to heavy wire and rarely had a cold solder joint.
I wrecked the tip.. so I'll eventually get it to work..A Weller won't give you problems though. Did you use a little sandpaper on the tip then rosin flux then tin? Usually works on the cheap stuff you like.
Not according to some people..Time is money