I can do them with a big blunt hackko chisel tip, the magic trick to that is to use solder paste with an iron, and wash off the boards once your done (alcohol + horsehair brush, check the welding section at your hardware store ~50 cents a pop) ... at home I have a pretty fine point conical, and use thin (wire) solder.
Theres always more than one way to skin a cat, I just dont like hot air cause unless you have the perfect nozzle its a big risk on multipin parts, and no matter how many of the pricy things you have, it always seems like you need yet another one for a package you have not soldered yet