Quoted from Tomass:So I finally broke down and picked up a desoldering station, pace mbt-210. What size tips will I use most for component removal? I mostly stick to bally / williams early solid state up to wpc board set, with sys 11 being a favorite. It came with several tips that are .030 ID, but those look pretty small. Also do I flux and tin the tips to keep them nice? And do I put a layer of solder for storage? Thanks for any advice.
Not really answering your questions directly - but here's some good practice nonetheless.
Use a small damp sponge to clean the tip.
I always add some fresh solder to the pins I plan on desoldering, really helps a lot.
Skip the lead free solder, higher melting point. Just a royal PIA. Just get some decent 60/40 or 63/37 rosin core solder. DON'T use plumbers solder - not electronic safe!
I tend to give pins a little, gentle wiggle as I desolder, helps suck up any stubborn solder between the pin and the via.
If it's really stubborn, the give it some more fresh solder.
Lastly, keep an keep out on the end of the desoldering tips - if for some reason they get rough on the end, you might rip a pad off. I haven't had that happen, but I can see it happening if you never change tips.
Once you get the hang of it (and it should happen quick) - it just makes makes a huge difference. I've unsoldered IC's and they literally fall off the board! 
