How To Use Heat Gun | Step by Step Guideline
I just got off the phone with Peter, who was telling me that, he bought a heat gun some two years ago. And up to now he doesn't know how to use heat gun? From my back end, I understood that he was skeptical.
Or maybe he was just afraid. After reading different reviews on the types of heat gun. Still, this little tool is a nightmare for him to get around. Well, the good news is that I want to solve that problem for peter and share my experience on how I used the heat gun to clean old paint. Then I will show you what is a heat gun used for.
How I use a heat gun to remove old layers of paint or wallpaper.
I do large scale projects that involve removing paints or wallpaper for clients and put on new one. So this how the process actually works. You can also follow the exact steps that I use to remove paints or wallpapers in your house.
- Step One: You need to clean the object or wood that you are working on. Any dirt can give you a rough time and make you work harder and longer. You clean the wood using a bucket of water
- Step Two: Plug the heat gun in an electrical outlet. And give it sometimes to heat. When it is ready, then you can pass the heat onto the wood. You bring the heat gun as close so that you have more heat. When doing this exercise, sure that you maintain a 45 degree angle and it should never stay in the same direction for more than two seconds. You repeat this exercise until the paint starts to bubble and melt.
- Step Three: When the whole paint has bubbled and melted, you can use a scraper to get rid of the paint. There will always be small dots of paint remaining on the surface. But this you can get rid of them quickly. You can use the steel wool to get rid of this easily. That is how I use a heat gun to remove old layers paint.
To bend PVC or copper pipes.
You can really go through a lot, when you don't have a heat gun. And there is a bunch of PVC pipes that needs bending. Within a few minutes, a heat gun can take care of this simple task easily.
To mold and weld metal.
With a heat gun, you can use it to mold different metal into the shapes that you want.
To remove stickers and label.
When you buy a new product, like a glass, a flower vase or pieces of plates. You will find that they have labels and stickers. It is hard getting rid of these stickers and labels with bare hands. Even if you have long nails, this will still cost you more time.
But with a heat gun, everything is pretty first. All you need is to pass the heat gun on the object. Then after a few seconds, the stickers and labels will soften and then you can pull it out.
To Defrost
Do you keep food items in the freezer? Then you will realize that, it can be difficult to get rid of the ice. Especially, if it has stayed there for a sometime. Same thing applies when you have frozen pipes during the winter.
So what is the solution? Get rid of the ice manually or get it into the sun to melt? They all work. But time is something that you want to save so that you can do better things with it. Well, if you pass the heat on the defrosted object, it wouldn't take more than 5 minutes before the ice melts.
But when, you are defrosting objects like pipes, you need to be careful because too much heat can make them burst.
To Shrink Wrap
This is simple. You use the heat gun to shrink wrap things like baskets gift or birthday present for your upcoming child.
General Safety Tips For Heat Guns
Using a heat gun is easy. But sometimes this little tool can excite us such that we forget the safety measures that we need to take. For example, a common problem that first time buyers ask is : At what temperature should I use the heat gun? There are two answers to this question.
First, read the instruction manual. It will give you different temperature levels for different products. But what if the object you are working on doesn't have the temperature level on the manual.
Well, you can start with low temperature level and work your way up. Until you find the right temperature level for the object.
Ventilated Location
You need a workspace that will give you zero chance of inhaling air. If you have your own workspace make sure that the windows and doors are opened. The best place to do all this work, is always outdoor if you are unsure with the ventilation of the location. Still at the location, you need to make sure that there is no flammable material around like saw dust that can catch fire.
Have protective gear before you begin work.
You need to have the right gloves, which are made from heat-resistant materials. If you will be working on paint, you need to have a respiratory mask that will protect you from inhaling paint fumes. Goggles are important gear to protect your eyes.
More safety tips.
There are certain things that you don't need to work with a heat gun. Such as lead-based paint, it is dangerous.
Never use a heat gun to work on soldering material unless you know how to use it 100%. Otherwise the heat gun can melt the solder, which can make the pipe weak.
Children, pets and pregnant women must stay from your working station. So that they don't inhale the toxic fumes.
Maintain a 45 degree angle on the object and make sure that the heat gun does not remain in the same position for that long.
Never insert your fingers or anything else on the nozzles of the heat gun when the heat is on.
I believe by now, you have gained so much information on how to use a heat gun. It is that simple, but the only thing that you need to follow is the safety tips, especially if you are working on large scale projects that involve removing paint.
If you are still unsure, you can read best heat gun reviews and select your pick.
