Heat Gun Temp Ranges

[Pontiac787]

Some of the better heat guns come in different temperature ranges. 300-500, 600-750, 800-1100. Which is the most versatile? Uses would be removing large stickers from metal, shrinking shrink tubing, etc. I don't think I need something that goes to 1000 deg.

 

[neophyte]

Hotter temps can be used for soldering or fuse welding certain materials.

As far as temperature ranges, you can get guns from Steinel with a digital range that’s infinitely adjustable almost, for more precise temperature control, and Master Appliance has a gun with a laser surface thermometer for very precise SURFACE temperature control, to prevent over heating a finish when removing decals stickers etc.

Temp range and control needs vary with what you’ll be using the gun for, and what might come up that you’ll need the gun for.
Price range should really be judged by personal budget, and likelihood the gun will get lost, damaged or stolen by some ********.

Also,
You might want to look into tip availability, since having different tips can be very helpfull with certain tasks.

 

[californiaHank]

Horses for courses. A heat gun that's good for heatshrink isn't going to be a good choice for paint removal, and one that's good for removing paint isn't one you're going to want to use on electrical wiring.

 

[Pontiac787]

Thanks for the replies. To put my question a little differently, What are some examples of what a 500 deg. gun would be used for? A 750 deg. gun?

 

[californiaHank]

I've got two guns - a small one and a medium-sized one.

Weller 6966C. It's small and relatively low-powered, and comes with special purpose tips for heatshrink electrical connectors. Perfect for working in crowded spaces without risking cooking other stuff that's close to what you're working on, and the special tips allow you to heat both the front and back of the connector at the same time. I don't use it for much other than electrical work.

A no-name 700W one. It's bigger than the Weller, but it's still compact enough to use in tight spaces and it puts out a lot more air. I use it for general stuff like softening the ends of PVC hose when installing boat plumbing. It works OK for heatshrink, but it's not as handy or convenient for electrical work as the the smaller Weller.

I don't have one of the big 1500W+ high-temp guns, but you probably want one of those if you need enough air-flow to heat a large area for jobs like stripping paint or removing vinyl floor tiles. If you get a big one for general use, it's probably worth paying extra for one that has variable temperature setings.

Most heatshrink works at 200 or 250 degrees Fahrenheit and gets destroyed at around 300 or 350 degrees. It you leave a high temp gun on it for too long, it's easy to wreck the connector. Paper burns somewhere around 450 or 500 degrees and vinyl melts somewhere around 185 (?) degrees. That doesn't mean that you have to use a really low temperature gun, but it does mean that you have to be careful that you don't put too much hot air on your work for too long. A variable temp gun makes things easier.

 

[Davefr]

Get the Weller 6966C and all of the attachments for small heat shrink tubing. However you'll need more oomph for large diameter, thick wall, adhesive lined heat shrink. For that I'd get this one. It's done everything I've asked of it and just won't die.

 

[Pontiac787]

Thanks all. This information is helpful.