heat gun recommendations?

[chas_w]

I would like to buy a decent inexpensive (under $50) heat gun primarily for use with heat shrink tubing. It will only be for occasional use playing with speaker wire and such, so it doesn't need to be industrial strength. Any recommendations?

 

[mtrycrafts]

I would like to buy a decent inexpensive (under $50) heat gun primarily for use with heat shrink tubing. It will only be for occasional use playing with speaker wire and such, so it doesn't need to be industrial strength. Any recommendations?

Don't use one but is there a hot air hair dryer at home? Try that first, especially if this an occasional use. Or, matches?

 

[listener]

Option to heat gun

I recently had good luck using a butane lighter (cigar lighter with focused flame). You can direct the heat to the specific area that needs further tightening. Keep your distance though. I have a pretty hot hair dryer, it didn't work or was way too slow.

 

[chas_w]

Thanks for the tips. I have tried a couple old hair dryers we had laying around without any luck. I did use a lighter and it worked, but was not as easy to control the results as with a heat gun, so I've been holding off til I find a decent gun. Maybe I'll check Sears, Ace and Home Depot and see what they have.

 

[heikie]

I have used a few heat guns and the only difference is really the wattage. Any heat gun that you see for stripping paint etc. is way more heat than you need for shrink wrap.
Make sure that you use the low setting so as to avoid burning the shrink wrap and cable insulation.

 

[Geno]

As an electronics technician for many years, I used heat guns all the time for shrink tubing, but they were all well over $100...I would think that is a lot of money to spend for casual use. The suggestion of butane lighters is a good one - just be sure to hold the flame a couple of inches below the tubing and take it slow. Another cool little tool is the butane-powered "blowtorches" they make nowadays for caramelizing creme brulee. You can find some of them for under $10. Matchs work, too, and they're cheapest of all.