SMD Soldering Techniques

Would anyone care to pass on their experiences with surface mount device (SMD) soldering techniques?

Sounds like this is a key skill for circuit development.

Has anyone tried self-aligning solder paste with a home heating device like an iron, a frying pan, or a toaster oven like this?

Solder Paste Photos

For manual techniques:

1. What wattage soldering iron do you like?
2. What kind of rosin/flux?
3. What material solder?
4. What diameter solder wire?
5. What kind of holding device?
6. What diameter soldering iron tip?

What size chips have you worked with? What package types? QSOP for example.

i use a high temp low velocity heat gun to do most smd ic's
for one simple component i use either soldering tweezers or a wahl isotip with 1/64 tip.
the only time i use a frying pan(actually a hamburger cooker on a variac to control temp)
is to repair rf pa modules like sav17 that got cracked.