Hack a day featured a cheap make it your self pskillenrules.blogspot.com/2008/06/home-... piclist.com/techref/hotairpencil20usd.htm.
Not really an answer to your question but I can tell you what I tried and did NOT work. I got a ratShack desoldering iron like this radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?product... and removed the big red bulb and connected it to an aquarium air pump. Again, this did not work, the solder never melted.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.