Mini Heat Guns

[Wendelspanswick]

I have to make a load of cables up on site next week and I need a new heat gun for the heat shrink as my old standard clunky heat gun has bitten the dust.
Looking for something small and compact, corded or cordless.
Recommendations wanted, what have you used and was it any good or a pile of poo!

 

[daleyd]

I've used one of the iroda gas soldering irons in the past where you remove the tip and screw in a little heat nozzle. Fine for the odd cable but I'm not sure about using it for a lot of them.

 

[galooph]

I've used a few different options for heatshrink.

I keep one of these butane heat guns in my tool box, but they're not great! Tends to ice up if you use it for any length of time, and the heat output is pretty poor. Very handy in confined spaces though, up behind dashboards and the like.

Next up, is the hot air tip on my Portasol gas iron. This works well, but is a bit slow on larger heatshrink. No problems with this icing up.

The best one I found for bigger jobs was a Steinel heat gun. You can adjust the temperature to suit what you're working on, and I've even used this to do surface mount rework on PCBs. If you want something more compact, it looks like they now do a smaller model, although I've not tried it.

 

[Wedg1e]

Bit like Daleyd, I have a Weller gas iron with a catalyst tip that blasts hot air. Not sure what size cables we're talking here but it's fine for up to say car wiring loom size.

 

[colnerov]

Hi, I've used lighters in the past.

 

[daleyd]

This sort of thing any good?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-Vers...TF8&qid=1449156785&sr=1-2&keywords=blow+torch

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I've gone for the Pro Iroda MJ 950 because I have just found out I need it for Monday and its a cracking price at Maplins!
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/pro-iroda-mj-950-heat-gun-n27ed
Most places have it for £75 but its only £25 at Maplins. Its web order only, should be here tomorrow.
It should do me for the day but if its not much cop I will continue my search!
Thanks for all the pointers.

 

[ukracer]

This sort of thing any good?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-Vers...TF8&qid=1449156785&sr=1-2&keywords=blow+torch

I would have thought he needed hot air rather than naked flame to be honest..

 

[daleyd]

I would have thought he needed hot air rather than naked flame to be honest..

It has a "catalyst" which absorbs the flame and turns it into a jet of hot air, but anyway you can use a blowtorch /naked flame on heat shrink. A quick blast over it generally does the trick. (Obviously don't leave it too long/get too close otherwise you end up with molten heatshrink!)

 

[voipio]

This works well:

http://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/zd-...ot-air-bs-plug/dp/SD01139?MER=e-bb45-00001001

The airflow and temperature adjustment range make this a very useful tool to have. Also good for desoldering many-legged integrated circuits, welding of plastics, separating epoxy-glued parts....

 

[Pete.]

I have an old Weller 6966 for those kind of jobs. I got mine for free and didn't realise how much they cost until I did a search just now.