Heat Gun Advice?

[gmpullman]

Hi All...

After what must be my 50th decoder install I decided to finally look into a mini heat gun for shrinking the HST or Heat Shrink Tubing. I had been using anything from a Bic lighter to a little flexible butane torch or the tip of the soldering iron...

We all know these aren't the "best practices." So I wondered if any of you have reccomendations for a handy little heat gun for our fine wire applications?

I Googled and looked on Amazon but the results are so broad and many are more in the range of stripping paint or thawing pipes... not exactly what I'm looking for 32ga. decoder wires

Thanks, ED

[mlehman]

I have a two-temp Harbor Freight heat gun. Just an ordinary gun, but it was cheap ($10?) and is reliable. I usually use the low setting and it is controllable for me when I do decoder and other fine work. You could probably fashion a nozzle to narrow it's aim some out of aluminum duct tape.

I'm pretty sure Micro-Mark and other vendors offer a small heat gun. You might also check the craft places like Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

[Soo Line fan]

I do a lot of wiring repair professionally on autos. I also author training materials, service manuals and bulletins. The auto companies and their suppliers legal departments do not like to specify using an open flame so I typically say use a heat source in repair procedures.

That being said, the best way I have found for shrink wrap is the long barbecue lighters. I get a 2 or 4 pack at Costco or china mart. I have a nice heat gun but it never comes out for this type of work. I would use any of the methods you mentioned before the heat gun.

[rrinker]

 Just try to keep the heat away from any plastic shells.

This is where a true variable temperature soldering station comes in handy - if I turn mine down, it will shrink the tube without melting it all over the tip in a gooey mess like happens with an ordinary soldering iron.

And it doesn't have to cost much - mine was under $50.

I use heat shrink constantly - tape is messy and too big, and all the liquid electrical tapes I've tried are also too 'macro' for fine decoder wire. Works great for feeder to bus connections, but not on the tiny decoder wires. Heat shrink makes for the neatest installs.

            --Randy

 

[tstage]

Ed,

You might want to consider one that you can adjust the temperature on.  I have one at work (Black 'n Decker?) that has an LCD readout so that you know exactly what temperature is coming out the nozzle - i.e. +/- 10 degrees.

Weller makes a nice "princess" size heat gun (pictured above) but it doesn't have temperature adjustment and it's not inexpensive.

Tom

[gmpullman]

Thanks, Fellas

Mike: I'll take a look at one of the Harbor Freight models. I have a couple of pistol grip heat guns but they're for bigger jobs and take a minute or two to really warm up... not what you'd want for small wire. Apparently the craft people do "embossing" which must be like raised engraved lettering so the craft store idea is good.

Jim: I am currently using a nifty Bernzomatic butane flexible flame shooter. The flame is almost invisible and it is nice and concentrated. Even has an LED for nighttime pyrotechnics! But on occasion I'll get things a bit too hot and melt the insulation just beyond the HST... thats what made me think of a little heat gun.

Randy: I've been a Weller man all my life but I just picked up a Haikko station and I love it...

http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888-FX-888-Soldering-Station/dp/B004M3U0VU/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1362019637&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=hailkko

I'll see if I can turn it down low enough for shrink work. I also find tape to be useless for install decoder work. Sometimes I'll cut tape in thin strips to use to bundle wires but as far as insulating, heat shrink is the only way to go.

Tom: Try again on the picture... I got the dreaded red X! I'm thinking something not too extravagant. Perhaps like this?

http://www.amazon.com/ECG-HG-300D-Mini-Heat-Gun/dp/B003N3G4WY/ref=pd_rhf_sc_p_t_3_N0Z7

OR

http://www.amazon.com/Multi-purpose-Stand-Perfect-Embossing-Drying/dp/B006Z9LUDG/ref=pd_cp_hi_0

For $16 maybe I'll give it a go???

Thanks for your input guys...

ED

[Soo Line fan]

gmpullman

We all know these aren't the "best practices.

Ed,

Actually you are following the best practice, which is the end result of a soldered and shrink wrapped connection. How you got there is not so important.

[tstage]

Ed,

Fixed the pic.  Sorry about that.  That particular heat gun has a small nozzle and heats up (and cools down) very quickly.  Again, it's not inexpensive but it works very well.

FWIW, I end up using the neck of my Weller soldering pen.  It's hot but I don't contaminate the tip.

Tom

[Mark R.]

These little guys are pretty handy to have around ....

http://www.pro-iroda.com/mj600.htm

 

Mark.

[gmpullman]

Mark R.

These little guys are pretty handy to have around ....

Hey Mark! That's the ticket! And when I'm all done with my wiring job I can use it to put a nice finish on the top of my Crème brûlée !  I see they're in Chagrin Falls, too... right down the street from me! Well, almost .

Thanks for all the ideas everyone.

ED

 

[tstage]

Ed,

Let me know when you make creme brulee.  I'll be right over.

Tom

[joe323]

This is a good question for my wife she uses her gun to shrink plastic around the holiday basket she makes.

[woodone]

Try Michale's craft store and get an embossing heat gun, about $20.00 if I recall.

I think that Micro Mart has the same thing too.

[cedarwoodron]

Randy- I have a digital soldering station also, but haven't used it for shrink tubing. Please tell me how - and at what temp (C) you use it to apply the heat for the shrink tubing, so I can get away from those barbecue kitchen matches I have been using! Thanks, Cedarwoodron

[rrinker]

 Mine isn't difigtal, I just have a knob that may or may not be calibrated - I should borrow a freind's infrared heat  gun and see what temp it actually hits, but for most soldering I have it about int he middle. If there are long breaks between soldering joints, I turn it all the way to the minimum, I think it's marked as like 200. At this minimum I can brign the side of the tip nearly in contact with the shrink tube without melting it. Another nice thing over a heat gun, even the smaller ones, is that since the soldering iron tip is small, I can finish up one wire without disturbing others in the area.

              --Randy

 

[Seamonster]

I bought Micro-Mark's miniature heat gun.  It's small, relatively inexpensive and produces very hot air.  The only thing it lacks is the curved shield that was on the professional heat guns that I used at work which deflected the heat all the way around the wire.