Heat shrink

Papa_lazerous · January 10, 2007, 07:45:56 PM

Ok I figured I should really tidy up my of board wiring and I know it would be good to use heat shrink tubing in a few places,

I'm just wondering what do you guys use as a heat source to get it to shrink?

The Tone God · January 10, 2007, 07:54:06 PM

Paint stripper type heat gun. Sometimes in a pinch I use a mini torch.

Abdrew

Papa_lazerous · January 10, 2007, 07:59:03 PM

I dont own a paint stripper gun, so not thinking of buying one just for that. the thing is if I have most of the enclosure finished and loads of parts in there isnt waving a heat gun around going to do more harm than good? there must be a way of using localised heat?

tonefreak · January 10, 2007, 08:08:00 PM

Mini torch.

ubersam · January 10, 2007, 08:08:54 PM

I have been using this - http://www.iso-tip.com/html/micro_therm.htm - much smaller than a full sized heat gun. It comes with a deflector.

John Lyons · January 10, 2007, 08:16:59 PM

A cigartte lighter is fine if you keep the object moving and don't heat up one area too long.

John

Processaurus · January 10, 2007, 08:18:18 PM

I tried using the gas range at my house when I didn't have access to the heat gun, it was hard to get it to shrink and not burn and smell awful. Same with using a soldering iron. If you use a tight fitting heat shrink, you can get away with not shrinking it in some cases, if it isn't moving around, since the goal is often just that you don't want stuff shorting out.

The gun is the preferred way to go though, if you see yourself shrink tubing a bunch of stuff in your life, plus you can use it for painlessly desoldering ICs.

Can a hair dryer get hot enough if you hold it right up to it?

The Tone God · January 11, 2007, 12:46:33 AM

I prefer the heat gun as it does not get hot enough to melt anything but hot enough to cause the heat shrink to act if you are careful with the distance and timing of the heat exposure. In tighter spots I use the torch but you have to becareful of burning other things.

Andrew

darron · January 11, 2007, 12:55:48 AM

and also, if you are going to use a cigarette lighter get one of those smoke free ones. don't use the flame ON the heat-shrink obviously.

a lot of people just like twirling the groups of wires together... i want to try to start braiding the groups of threes for the pots... maybe that will be followed with an argument on capacitance by someone?

blanik · January 11, 2007, 01:29:25 AM

ghee guys, you give yourself so much trouble....

i slip the HS tube on the wire, solder the wire, pull back the HS tube over the freshly soldered joint, work the tip of my soldering iron around the tubing until it shrinks... even if i accidentally touch the tubing for a few seconds with the tip, it doesn't melt it at all....

Somicide · January 11, 2007, 05:24:36 AM

plain ol' bic lighter works for me, when I don't want to plug in the heat gun. Heat guns are awesome tools, though.

Paul Perry (Frostwave) · January 11, 2007, 05:28:24 AM

If you are going to use a soldering iron, DON'T use the tip, use the barrel. Because, if you use the tip, you might get some goop on the tip & have problems later.
And, in my experience, no domestic hairdrier is hot enough (so people don't claim damages for crisped ears).

cab42 · January 11, 2007, 06:57:38 AM

Quote from: blanik on January 11, 2007, 01:29:25 AM
ghee guys, you give yourself so much trouble....

i slip the HS tube on the wire, solder the wire, pull back the HS tube over the freshly soldered joint, work the tip of my soldering iron around the tubing until it shrinks... even if i accidentally touch the tubing for a few seconds with the tip, it doesn't melt it at all....

I do it the same way.

I have only used a heat gun when the cable has been several centimeters thick (that was NOT stompboxes).

Regards

Carsten

dosmun · January 11, 2007, 10:56:21 AM

Lighter works for me.

sfr · January 11, 2007, 11:05:32 AM

What heat-shrink do you folks recommend? I'm thinking of ordering some from Small Bear - I've had it with the junky heat shrink they sell at my local Radio Shack, and everywhere else in town that carries it only has sizes too large for what I'm working with. I particularly would like something that would work decently over the exposed leads of flying components.

JimRayden · January 11, 2007, 11:10:51 AM

Quote from: Papa_lazerous on January 10, 2007, 07:45:56 PM
Ok I figured I should really tidy up my of board wiring and I know it would be good to use heat shrink tubing in a few places,

I'm just wondering what do you guys use as a heat source to get it to shrink?

Got a table lamp on your workdesk? Does it have a light bulb in it? I rest my case.

---------
Jimbo

Mark Hammer · January 11, 2007, 11:14:15 AM

I use my soldering iron for small work, like around the solder lugs of a pot. While this "works" it tends to impede the tinning on the soldering tip, which is why so many avoid it. It is also why I keep a little container of tinning compound handy for bringing back the shine to the tip.

MikeH · January 11, 2007, 11:58:10 AM

I always have my soldering and de-soldering irons plugged in, so I just use the desoldering iron. Heat shrink in very tough to melt, and tinning isn't a concern with the de-soldering iron.

clsnacky · January 11, 2007, 12:20:57 PM

Hi, first post here. I have used a regular old hair dryer many times, it works just fine for heat shrink.

Papa_lazerous · January 11, 2007, 02:15:32 PM

Hairdrier is a good idea. I held the soldeing iron real close to shrink some today will ahve to borrow the girlfriends hair drier to see if that works

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Heat shrink