How do I shrink heat shrink tubing?
- Thread starter SteveD2
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Supposedly, you need a 400F heat source to "properly" to heat-shrinking.
Yeah, a butane torch will work.
Hair dryers will sometimes work, it just depends...usually though, it will take awhile and you have to make sure to get the heat-shrink uniformly "shrunk"
Believe it or not, matches will also work!
Yeah, a butane torch will work.
Hair dryers will sometimes work, it just depends...usually though, it will take awhile and you have to make sure to get the heat-shrink uniformly "shrunk"
Believe it or not, matches will also work!
heat guns are fairly cheap, and unlike a butane torch they won't melt wire insulation, or eventually burn through the heat shrink. I'd recommend a heat gun. Otherwise you might end up creating more problems than you solve.
If you are going to do alot of wiring/heat shrink tube, get a heat gun. I do a modest amount but not enough to need a good gun. I have a portable butane soldering iron that has a couple of tips just for heat shrink tubing. Its made by Weller and cost about $25.Does great for all my wiring needs and I'm forever finding other uses for it.
I am an electrician, and we usually use a propane torch, but a heat gun is much easier to use by a novice.
Go to the hardware store and purchase a hot air gun, they're typically used for stripping paint. They are cheap and effective. I have one and use it for heat shrink at home all the time.
If you are going to use a heat gun, craft a little shield that will bounce the heat onto the heatshrink opposite the gun outlet. We use heatshrink in aviation every day.
I have used a Weller butane soldering iron with a diffuser tip. I use heat shrink tubeing on all the automotive wireing I do and for RF repair work.
In the 12 year I worked as a Tech. I was the only tech. that soldered(sp) and then shrink tubed. If it is worth doing it is worth doing right!! Most tech's would twist a pair of wires then use liquid tape on them or plain electrical tape.
In the 12 year I worked as a Tech. I was the only tech. that soldered(sp) and then shrink tubed. If it is worth doing it is worth doing right!! Most tech's would twist a pair of wires then use liquid tape on them or plain electrical tape.
If you are just doing small connections, like radio wiring and small items like that, a BIC lighter works wonders....
A candle works just fine.
DEWFPO
DEWFPO
I love the windproof style lighters. They're compact and make a lot of heat.
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