http://www.instructables.com/id/Make...oldering-iron/



Everything is in the knife tip, get some thick one.... real thick and not some thin that barely does anything. It's just like casserole thickness when you cook... takes eternity to heat up, but when it is hot that's the real deal.
That being said a 40W+ iron soldering tip do the job for the heavy duty removal.... When it comes to finishing, sanding is my way to go.