Deadeye

6 years I have been in this hobby. 5.75 years of that time building many many many many planes. Between what I have built for myself, and others; probably over 60, some of them ARFS. My Top Flite heat gun has shrunk, and reshrunk every single one of those plane's covering. Sadly, it threw a spark and let all the smoke out today. And we all know electric stuff don't work when you let the smoke out.

In what I thought was a blast of brilliance one day a few years ago, I bought a backup. It is a Hobbico. The three position hot/cold/off white push in switched one. After my other one died today, I tried it. The heat output on this one really sucks. I can hold my palm 6 inches from the nozzle at full heat. It barely shrinks Ultracoat, and I'm positive it won't do anything to Monokote. My wife's hairdryer put out more heat.

I'm placing my order for a Top Flight replacement tomorrow. I expected that thing to die 3 years ago. It has HUNDREDS of hours on it (used it to dry out wet carpets a few times too). And served me very well. More expensive? Yes. But worth every penny.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

send that Hobbico one back! It isn't working like it should.....

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

I suspect tailskid is correct in that your Hobbico is not working correctly. The gun I am using is a knock off of some kind and it gets so hot that I can't get my left hand anywhere near the business end of the gun. And that is causing a problem. I am currently trying to finish covering a plane with several compound curves on the tips and I am really getting frustrated. I would like to be able to pull the material around these compound curves while sweeping the heat gun over it but I can't take the heat. As a result, I have covered and stripped these tips twice because I was not satisfied with the results. I was wondering if the hot glove that Tower (and others) sell will keep the heat away from my hand and still allow me to grip the Monokote tight enough to stretch it tight around the outer rib of these tips without losing my grip. Have you folks who have used this glove found it up to the task?

Deadeye

I'm not sending a $17 heat gun back to anybody. Lesson learned in my opinion. Top Flite is on the way. Top Flite is where I'll stay.

Jolly Popper, I use the mitts they include with parafin hand wax spas. They have replacements at Wally world for a few bucks...it's in the women's/pharmacuticals around here.

But thick leather workman's gloves work great too. Wrap tinfoil around the fingers to repel heat. Just beware, it also insulates heat and will burn you if you leave the heat on the glove too long.

dirtybird

My Feedback: (5)

I got a real dandy from Harbor Freight. I don't remember what I paid for it but it was cheap.

stang

My Feedback: (1)

I use a heat gun/paint stripper that I got at a hardware store. I put it on low setting for models and it works well. If I need to strip paint from around the house I use the high setting and it melts anything. I think it is well worth the money.

Arceenut

Iuse a cotton liner glove sold in mechanics supply stores. They are just like the hobby 'hot gloves' sold by the hobby outlets only they are about 1/3 the price. If you have to work close to the heat gun, soak the glove with water and wring it out before putting it on, You can get to within 1/2 inch of the gun on high heat for a good 15 seconds before it gets uncomfortable. Also if you use the damp glove to wipe down the covering after heating, it will cool it down quickly and prevent bubbling over balsa sheeting..