"..Are any of the clubs focused on non RC models?..."

Some people make the small EeZeBilts as static models - see here:

http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/SMF/index.php?topic=982.15

then there is brazing 😊 did a load of this when working with high pressure copper tubing 👍

A note on plumbers acid flux (Bakers fluid) yes it does work however don't leave any instruments/equipment you value in the vicinity of the soldering process because it will be as rusty as hell the day after.
Other soldering activities soft and silver
1 cleanliness is paramount
2 correct solder and flux
3 temperature or your iron or gas torch
4 (soft) only apply solder when your work is at temperature
5 (silver) apply solder when your work is at temperature and just before make sure your solder is introduced to the flame and is fluxed .
4 finally use a minimal amount of solder it reduces number 5
5 clean the joint
PS if silver soldering before the job has totally cooled quench it in cold water, this will make the flux easier to remove otherwise it hardens like glass.
Good look

"..., however I have built from some plans. I build small models, 10" is my biggest and most are under that..Usually I draw what I want to build, make templates, transfer to balsa, and build.."

Have you seen this site? Provides free templates for exactly the kind of models you make. See the illustrations....

http://eezebilt.tk




While clean surfaces are the correct way to make solder flow and stick properly, you will find that plumber's Acid Flux will give you a successful solder joint on pretty much any surface, no matter how dirty...

well back in the day (when Noah was building the ark) and I was serving me time :-) we used to have a golden rule about ferrous and non-ferrous metals and solder -

Ferrous metals and alloys contain iron and they tend to rust; non-ferrous materials do not. . such as brass, copper and so forth and these are the easy ones to solder with soft solder.

Ferrous metails which contain iron as we have said - we need to use a harder solder such as brazing silver solder and then we are into the field of Welding.

Basically the art of soldering is to find out the type of materials we intend to join together and then we can come up with the appropriate method.

Stainless steel is a different world altogether and so is aluminium.

Hell of a subject to get into 🤓

Hello
I myself think soldering is practice doing clean surfaces are the first step flux, type of solder and a good iron .
Holding the pieces in jigs or clamps will assist in the final out- come.
At first it seems very hard but practice will prove to help and soldering becomes a little easier.
Rick

Re soldering there are many tutorials on line showing all aspects of soldering but basically means clean surfaces correct fluxes and solder and above all sufficient heat.👍