Thread: Recommend a Heat Gun?

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I'm looking for a heat gun, the sort us home haunters use for bending PVC, corroding foam, melting trashbags for texture, drying mache, that sort of thing.

I have no idea what to look for in a heat gun, what settings or brands to consider. I'd like to stay under 30 bucks if possible.

What do you folks use?

I would check out a pawn shop. They have all kinds of power tools. As far as settings go, mine has on/ off and cool. Name brand shouldn't play a factor here. It's just a heating element and a fan.

Another place to look would be Harbor Freight.

I have two. One looks like a metal hair dryer and a little label on the side says the nozzle temp exceeds 450 degrees. I got it off ebay in a lot of servos and other misc R/C airplane stuff pretty cheap. It's a pretty cheap looking gun. There's no name brand, UL listing, or anything else on it. The label just says "Deluxe Heat Gun 1000 Watts" I wouldn't pay $20 for it new. I use it for melting foam, drying paint, and taking walpaper off walls. I haven't tried to use it on PVC, but I'm sure it would work. It has one button. Push it for hot, push it again for cool, push it again to turn it off. I did a quick search and found one that looks identical here: Heat Gun

The other is a little smaller and is a tapered tube shape. It was made for scrapbooking and I got it at a garage sale for $2.00, including the stand. It gets pretty hot but doesn't have the air volume of the larger one. it's good for finer work on foam, but that's about it. I think they sell the same one at Michael's/Hobby Lobby. I have no idea how much they are new.

Harbor Freight has a couple of 1500 watt guns for $19.99

Go to any hobby shop that sells RC airplanes and ask for a MonoKote heat gun. It is made by Top Flight. Price is about $25.00

I've seen a heat gun at the Harbor Freight store. I think it was $19.00.

I got mine off ebayh for $30. It is a professional styrofoam heat knife. I also have a heat gun I got from Lowes. Both ran me abot $30 each. They are indespencible tools for home haunting. I recomend looking at both locations.