Soldering for beginners?

[Sanjeev Visvanatha]

Hello,

Being a very mechanically minded person, I would like to branch out a little bit to try soldering. I own a very cheap soldering iron, from Radio Shack, purchased over 20 years ago. I used it once, and it must be in a box somewhere. I know many on this forum are probably very adept at soldering, and I wish to ask for some advice on this topic, as a complete beginner.

1. Are there any recommended resources to learn techniques? Online, or printed?
2. What should one look for when purchasing a soldering iron? My immediate application is for installing the quartz crystal in my WP-34S.
3. Any recommended equipment, considering that I am a beginner?

Thank you for any and all replies.