Anybody use a heat gun?
Anybody use a heat gun for hot oil stock bending? With the 1000 deg temp, could you also use it for silver soldering? I've got a propane torch, but I wondered if the electric gun would be safer/more controllable, particularly for hot-oil stock bending without setting the gauze on fire.
Thanks,
Steve
25 April 2009, 18:39
tnekkccI was sent a heat gun as a gift with a tool order.
All I have used it for his heat shrink sleeving.
25 April 2009, 19:58
Doc224/375Silver solder NO !. Besides heat gun won't focus on a point so it's worthless for soldering period .
You could use it for stock bending I would assume .

26 April 2009, 05:42
butchlocabsolutely the only thing to dry your hair with

I've never bent a stock, but I'd say to pass on the heat gun. It is just like using fire, except you can't see the flame. When you have the gun going for a little while they can get pretty darn hot and on wood it is hard to judge the temp until the wood starts discoloring. Also, the heat is going to be concentrated in about a silver dollar sized area.
I've used heat guns quite a bit, and own a few ranging from the $12 harbor freight specials to a $175 variable temp model so while I may not be as experienced as some are, I've done a goodly bit holding one over the years.
26 April 2009, 07:35
homebrewerThey sure as hell will strip off the old paint that has been on your window sills and jambs for 35 years. Best thing ever for that. Beats the hell out of chemical strippers and the handheld paint scraper...