Technical Heat gun recommendations??

I've decided to quit using the cheesy pre-insulated wire terminals and start using heat shrink tubing. What's been your heat gun experience and what brand do you recommend? Thanks!

 

I like using a battery powered heat gun for shrink tubing. Milwaukee M18 in my case, since that's the batteries I have. Unlike my other corded heat gun, I can easilly set the Milwaukee down up right on it's battery, and not worry about setting down the heatgun on the floor and potentially setting the hot tip down on something. (I've melted more than one power cord this way...)

It's a bit bulkier (because of the battery) than a corded one, but it doesn't bother me.

If all you're going to be using the heat gun for is shrink tubing, I would say any cheap heat gun will work, you don't need one that goes to 1200 degrees.

My other two heat guns, one is an old wagner, with 2 heat modes (high and low) that was my fathers, and I also have a newer "digital" wagner where you can choose the temperature, and it also has a "cool down" function that keeps the fan going until the heating elements cool down. It can get very hot, 1300 degrees or so, which can be nice in some situations. Obviously not needed for shrink tube though. Most common shrink tube only needs a few hundred degrees to shrink.

All 3 of them work perfectly fine for shrink tubing.

And a note on shrink tubing, if you haven't tried using adhesive lined double wall shrink tubing, you might want to give that a try. It's a bit more expensive, but it makes a very durable and completely waterproof cover. It's just about permanent though, so you can't really go back and cut open the shrink tube if you need to get back to the connection for whatever reason.

 

Anyone ever use a micro torch?

 

i use a micro torch ...never tried a heat gun

 

I have this one. Works great, really like it. Not a bad price for a good heat gun

https://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-PC1500HG-1500-Watt-Heat-Gun/dp/B004Q04X44

 

Box of barnburner matches will fix you right up.

I've bought a number of heat guns over the years, I now look for the lightest, cheapest one in town.

 

I’ve burned up a couple of cheap ones. Everyone seems to sell essentially the same gun, only the plastic colour changes from one to the next. The first one came from HF, with a bunch of attachments I’ve never used, and a blow mold storage case. Each replacement has come with more of the attachments, and has fit fine in the blow mold case for storage.



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I always use a reflector with a run of the mill Wagner, for shrink tubing.

 

Have HF one that I use for just that purpose for years. Bought on sale for 9 or 10 bucks

 

I've had very good results with my Wagner dual temperature heat gun.
I use the lower setting for heat shrink tubing.
KK

 

I’ve used both, torch and heat gun. I have a cheap heat gun from the Harbor and it works great. I also use a mini torch at work.


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I have been using a Milwaukee heat gun and I can't say anything bad about it. I don't know about you guy's but everytime I tried using a touch, the shrink sleeve looks like ****.

 

If you want the best , then get a "Leister ch-6056 kägiswil" but be prepared to pay $300+ [for a used one]
https://www.ebay.com/p/2079247540?iid=202828246526

when you mentioned "I’ve burned up a couple of cheap ones." Do you run the gun through a cooling cycle before you switch it off?

Even on my expensive Leister , I always turn the heat back to Zero and keep the fan motor blowing until cold air comes out..... Then I switch it off.

This is the difference between 15 minutes life expectancy and the 20 years I've had from my Leister on the same element.

 

I like electric heat guns for that. Flames for cigars

 

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-1...0020&msclkid=b49bcf5d273912162a57914818f8ceaa

Works very well.
SPark

 

Nope. These are cheap tools, with “high” and “low”, and off. There’s no real temp control, and no cool down cycle. Turn it on, point it at the heatshrink, wait a few seconds for it to do the job, and turn it off again.

The current one looks like this:



But you can find the same level of quality at Harbor Freight, Lowes, Menards, or Home Depot.

Usually what happens is that the porcelain insulator starts to crack and break. Once that starts, the gun is doomed.

I have to admit being intrigued by the cordless electric ones now, though. Would be nice to not have to tangle with cords.



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Pick up a a BBQ lighter at the dollar store . About $3 - $4.00 It heats up quickly and shuts off when you put it down. Better than burning your fingers with your Zippo. A heat gun works great if you are doing production harness work.

 

Production run is the key I think. When I tackle a new home made harness I think I will save any of the heat shrinking to the bitter end and do them all at once. I say say "bitter" as I know that this will be a battle on par with Clash of the ***ans!

 

Another vote for the HF gun. They work fine for me.

 

Ditto ^^^^^ Great gun

 

Bought one of these....haven't used it yet. Usually use a H-F one for heat shrink as well as removing varnish or epoxy

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-2000-...eywords=dremel+heat+gun&qid=1578458620&sr=8-5

 

I bought a less than twenty dollar one about 4 years ago. For that price I didn’t worry about whether it was the best one or not.....

 

I don`t know if the salesman messed up or not, but I bought a Bosch Model 1942 from Fastenal for about $85 about 5 years ago. I use it all the time. Quite a few steps up from a cheapy model.

 

I have an older Milwaukee this has served me well for over 10 yrs without issue. It has been banged, kicked, and dropped but keeps working. Simple, hot, cold, off, but that is all you need. You are not cooking with a heat gun, or blow drying your hair. Can't say if newer versions are as good, or if cordless is better.

 

Ditto on the corded Milwaukee heat gun. Have had mine over 20yrs. made in USA.

Pat

 

I have had my HF heat gun for about 6 years and it works great. Sometimes I don't feel like getting out a cord and the gun I keep a bbq lighter in the top drawer of my tool box. Works fine .

 

Ditto, but I like the clear Chinese lighters better. You can adjust the flame level on those!

 

I use a Harbor Freight mini torch, was around $15 and works great.

 

I bought a HF one about 5 years back, works fine. Got it for $9.