Homebrew PCBs

I am also making the transition to SMDs and it is not that painful. 
Some things I have done and find useful:

1. I did buy a new soldering station, not because my old Weller WTCP 
station was bad for this work, but I just wanted a new one for a 
second work bench. I have used a Hakko solder/unsolder station and 
found it grossly overpriced for what it did. The unsolder side had a 
seriously underpowered vacuum pump and the tip constantly required 
disassembly for cleaning. I stopped using it and went back to the 
hand operated vacuum device. The soldering side of it was OK, but I 
found my Weller to be just as good or better. And a lot less expensive.

I bought a Tenma digital station with interchangeable tips and have 
been using it for about a year now. It is every bit as good as my 
Weller for about 1/3 to 1/4 of the price (of the Weller, not the 
grossly expensive Hakko).

2. I purchased a cup warmer and use it to preheat circuit boards to 
make working on SMDs easier.

3. I found this internet article on modifying an inexpensive Radio 
Shack desoldering iron into a hot air soldering iron.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/07/how-to-make-a-surface-mount-soldering-iron/

I have built this and it does work for soldering many SMD devices. I 
use it in conjunction with the cup warmer and soldering paste. It can 
also be used to unsolder some SMD devices with just 2 to 4 leads. It 
has a very gentle air flow which can be directed to just a few leads 
at a time.

4. Tweezers. Small, sharp tips. Straight and bent.

5. Visor with magnifying lenses. You need this even if your vision is 20/20.