Best tool for heating shrink tubing?

[Jerry G]

I noticed it mentioned a heat gun would be usefull, but that sounds a little clumsy.

What do you guys use.

Thanks

[paulster]

This:


With the heat shield on you just put it over your cable (in situ), click the igniter and you're done in a few seconds. The heat shield also means you get even coverage without having to rotate the gun.

[Jerry G]

This:


With the heat shield on you just put it over your cable (in situ), click the igniter and you're done in a few seconds. The heat shield also means you get even coverage without having to rotate the gun.

Thanks,

Anybody now a good place to shop?

I also have a Weller solder station and would like to buy some new tips.

[Winder]

Not as elegant, but works good on smaller tubing (i.e. up to about 1/2 inch), inexpensive, lasts a long time:



You can get tips from a variety of places. Altex has pretty good prices on shrink tubing and they carry tips (page 2 here has Weller tips):

http://www.altex.com/Solder-Iron-Tips-C10918.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[thousandshirts]

I've got the exact same edition CRC math tables book.

[Big Mike]

I have a wagner heat gun.

[Mars Hall]

Zippo, click, spark!

[OnTheFritz]

I've got a heat gun I bought from Harbor Freight on sale for 10-15 bucks-ish a few years ago that works great.
2 settings, and it's been very reliable.
May have been cheaper than that, I can't remember, but it was very inexpensive.

[Jerry G]

Aren't heat guns the size of an average hair dryer?

Sounds like it would be hard to aim without heating up other things.

[neikeel]

I run my soldering iron as close to the tubing up and down - that works without any tools and you can do it in tight spaces without heating everything else too.

[mwm523]

I run my soldering iron as close to the tubing up and down - that works without any tools and you can do it in tight spaces without heating everything else too.

Wow, need a steady hand for that! I'm not sure I'm steady enough.

[neikeel]

My professional tool is a scalpel or diathermy spatula close to lots of internal human clockwork - tends to focus the mind and steady the hand

[thousandshirts]

I run my soldering iron as close to the tubing up and down - that works without any tools and you can do it in tight spaces without heating everything else too.

+1 - I've resorted to this tactic a number of times. Not out of laziness -- I'm happy to grab my heat gun -- but as Neikeel says, for tight spaces. Either way, this works great.

[mwm523]

I'm going to have to try this... If I do well maybe I'll try the scalpel next!

[NitroLiq]

I'm with Winder...a lighter works great.