Noob feeling like an idiot - could use some assistance...

[Grendel2000]

So is there a technique or trick that's best for getting the lugs soldered quickly to avoid damage?

Have a hot soldering iron.  It may sound counter-intuitive (since you don't want to burn anything), but it means everything heats up quickly so you can be in and out in a second or two.  This is true of all solder joints, not just switches.  If you're spending ages anywhere waiting for the solder to flow, your iron isn't hot enough.

It's worth practising on some scrap board with some spent components.  Perfect your in-and-out technique.   

I'll work on that, but MAN those lugs are close together and I'm always worried about touching nearby lugs/wires when I work on that.  Also, when you have the thru-hole on a lug and put the wire through do you generally solder on the entry side of the wire (the side the rest of the wire is on) or the side the wire tip is on?  Or does it even matter?

[bluebunny]

It doesn't matter.  If the iron is hot and you apply heat simultaneously to the lug and the wire, then the solder will flow to make the joint.  Touching an adjacent lug won't hurt, but it will of course take some of the heat away from where it's needed.  How big is your tip, if you're concerned about this?  I use a 2.3mm tip for pretty much everything and don't get claustrophobic around switch lugs.

[antonis]

And tin each particular item individually before contact final soldering..

If you try to solder an untined wire onto an also untined switch lug you'll probably result into burned cable inslulation and loose switch lug..

P.S.
The secret is: Let them COOL ENOUGH before REHEATING them..

[bluebunny]

The secret is: Let them COOL ENOUGH before REHEATING them..

^^^ This!!

In one of Antonis' earlier pictures, each of the three individual switches in the 3PDT stompswitch is shown as a "column" of three parallel horizontal lugs:

-
-
-

Solder one lug per switch at a time - don't solder all the lugs in one "column" in one go.

[DIY Bass]

And if you are having trouble with a lug - it's not soldering well, or (my favourite)  one of 2 or 3 wires joining to one lug lets go and springs away mid-solder, then stop, rest, let it cool and go back.  Don't think "just a little more and I'll get it".  Stop and come back when it's cool.

[11-90-an]

Patience is key...

-For waiting for the solder to dry while heating it again and again
-Waiting for parts to arrive

Please do note that transistors, switches and some pots have near to zero patience when you are heating them up and deciding "I wanna die" in a few seconds...

[Grendel2000]

And if you are having trouble with a lug - it's not soldering well, or (my favourite)  one of 2 or 3 wires joining to one lug lets go and springs away mid-solder, then stop, rest, let it cool and go back.  Don't think "just a little more and I'll get it".  Stop and come back when it's cool.

I just MIGHT be SUPER guilty of not following this advice in the past...

Probably how I killed the switch.

[Grendel2000]

Patience is key...

-For waiting for the solder to dry while heating it again and again
-Waiting for parts to arrive

Please do note that transistors, switches and some pots have near to zero patience when you are heating them up and deciding "I wanna die" in a few seconds...

Yeah, when I started the build I really struggled with using the iron properly (probably still am).  I didn't know what tip tinnier was and I din't know which tip to use so I spent a lot of time holding the iron to things to get them hot enough.  I suspect I probably have some less than ideal joints and could have some damaged components.