Shrinking heat-shrink....

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Xylo

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
421
Forgive a novice question here, but barring use of a heat-gun, what alternative methods for shrinking heatshrink exist / are good?... I've seen references to:

a) a hair dryer
b) a lighter
c) the barrel of a soldering iron
d) an iron

What other methods exist/are good?


BTW, with respect to the above:
(a) seems obvious...but can you really get enough heat?
(b) I tried and it seems to possibly blacken/scorch the heatshrink a bit occasionally...although maybe I'm just not practiced enough
(c) haven't tried yet...
(d) errr....I dunno about that... ;)
 
If you're using a good heat shrink, you shouldn't have a hard time finding the specifications for it. 3M is great about publishing materials specs for example.

a) A hair dryer is probably enough heat. It will take a while, you'll need to use the highest setting, and so on.

b) A lighter is too much heat. If you move the shrink away from the flame, then you'll reduce the heat; but it's too unfocused and hard to control.

c) A soldering iron can work, if it's low wattage and you don't care about how the results look. The soldering iron is too hot, and will melt away some of the surface as you touch it.

d) A clothes iron? I haven't tried tht one. I'd expect it wouldn't be hot enough, and that you'd have to make contact with the iron surface, potentially ruining the iron.

Heat guns aren't that expensive; you should consider adding one to your toolbox.
 
A hair dryer works fine. I can speak from personal experience as all of my stuff is done w/ a cheap hairdryer. Just put it on "high" and hold it 2-6 inches away from the heatshrink, should do the trick in a matter of seconds just be careful not to overdo it.
 
hair dryer... much more margin for error than a lighter...

an iron??? now THAT might get interesting... :eek:
 
i used soldering iron and hairdryer. both sucked bad. i sort of switched off because both were slow.
 
how bout just rotating the heatshrink on top of a candle ?
anybody tried that one?
 
i use a lighter for all heatshrink...in fact the best thing for the job is a wind proof (torch) refillable butane lighter that you can buy at 7-11 for like $4
 
cell_491 said:
i use a lighter for all heatshrink...in fact the best thing for the job is a wind proof (torch) refillable butane lighter that you can buy at 7-11 for like $4
Click to expand...

You don't occasionally get any little black scorch marks (noticeable on non-black heatshrink)?
 
i used to use a hairdryer for heatshrinking, but it just took too long and a) it usually didn't shrink it all the way and b) i killed it while using it
i've used a soldering iron barrel but that just takes too long
i've found that using the lighter works the best and the quickest. DON'T hold the heatshrink on top of the flame, you'll burn it. I hold it to the side of the flame and rotate it. usually don't burn anything.
 
A lighter ofcoorz, gives you the most control. Just keep it moving then it won't make any burn marks.
 
Xylo said:
Forgive a novice question here, but barring use of a heat-gun, what alternative methods for shrinking heatshrink exist / are good?... I've seen references to:

a) a hair dryer
b) a lighter
c) the barrel of a soldering iron
d) an iron

What other methods exist/are good?
Click to expand...

LOL, just sleeved mine 1 hour ago, i have a Heat-gun, but since its like 45ºC in my garage i didnt bothered, i used a lighter, and its perfect if you are carefull and try 1st before you go ahead with the job.

a) Well my wifes is probably hot enough, but she might kill me if she seen me using it for that matter
b) as i stated above, its a good tool for the job, make a trial run 1st to get used to it
c) I dont think it would be a good idea, but i have to try it and get back to you
d) same as c)
 
I use a heatgun my sister uses for embossing crafts and such. I've used hair dryers with similar success in the past, though they are somewhat unwieldy.
 
I've accidentially used a soldering iron, the heat shrink slid too far down while I was soldering :p

But normally I use a lighter to do it. I just move the flame quickly around the area, not too close and don't hold it in place for too long so it doesn't burn.
 
Anyone know how hot a hot-glue gun gets?...compared, for example, to the barrel of a soldering iron?

Maybe a hot glue gun w/ no glue? Or would that be too hot and just melt it...
 
Polyolefin or Polypropylene?

Polyolefin can take more heat. In both cases however, I just roll it around high above a lighter flame. Polypropylene (radio shack kind) leaves a nasty stain if you touch it with the barrel of the soldering iron.

Anyone tried silicon tape for insulation?
 
I would highly recommend on using a heat gun. You can get them at any local arts and crafts dealer for like $20. If this is a one time thing then you can get away with a lighter. Soldering irons usually dont do that great of a job on evenly shrinking the tubing.
 
:O I use that stuff. It works really well, just be carefull with it, it doesnt take much heat to shrink that stuff. Sometimes a hot hair drier works :)
 
I just recommend shelling out/borrowing a heat gun. I'd never done anything with heat shrink before and I managed to do a pretty decent job on my computer (with some help).
 
It's HeatShrinkz! So creative.

Every word is cooler with a "z" at the end of it. Proven fact. :)
 
ChingChang said:
It's HeatShrinkz! So creative.

Every word is cooler with a "z" at the end of it. Proven fact. :)
Click to expand...
QFT

No j/k :p This shrink wrap actually works really well. Its very easy to work with, plus they had to name it something. Atleast its not named something like Fatal1ty Wrapz. :p
 
Actually, had they added "Xtreme", well then... ;)

But seriously, I really don't have easy access to a heat gun, and the cheapest I've seen them are $35+....Ironically, when I was a teenager, I used to work in a software store and can't begin to remember just how many hundreds of boxes I shrink-wrapped in my time there...heh.
 
Hmm...searching eBay yields some potentially viable deals...

Any brands to look for or to avoid?
There's a number "no-name-brand generic imports" for pretty cheap...buttt...
 
Im not very familiar with brands, but you should be able to pickout brandnames from generic ones.

Personally I use a powerstripper as a heatgun, its made by Wagner.
 
I've been using my $10, 1800 watt hand held hair dryer for the last 3 years. Works like a charm. Get right on top of the HS and no problems. If I burn it up, I'll buy another one. Don't waste money on a heat gun, unless you need it for something else also. My .02.
 
Heat gun shrinks it in like 7 seconds.. I bought one a long time ago (30 bux) because I play hockey and always need to change out the blades on my stick.. now it doubles as a heat wrap shrinker. :D It works 10x better than a blow dryer or any other weak method.
 
Ive used the radioshack heatshrink. Compared to what I used at work to fix electronics, the radioshack stuff seems to be a waste of money. It doesnt shrink much, melts too easily, and doesnt hold tightly onto the wire.

Yes, I do choose heatshrink tubing that is the correct size.
 
I have a tube of silicone caulking that dries clear. I take a pinch of that and roll it around the wire between my fingers. It is dry to the touch in about 10 minutes, and is clear so you can show off your soldering ability if you did a good job soldering.
 
bob said:
Ive used the radioshack heatshrink. Compared to what I used at work to fix electronics, the radioshack stuff seems to be a waste of money. It doesnt shrink much, melts too easily, and doesnt hold tightly onto the wire.

Yes, I do choose heatshrink tubing that is the correct size.
Click to expand...
Heh, with that stuff you NEED a heatgun. It takes a good amnt of heat to cause it to shrink :p
 
I've used heat guns, lighters, candles, etc. My absolute favorite method is to use a butane powered soldering iron (for the soldering and the shrinking [not with the barrel, either]). Not only has the butane soldering iron replaced all my wired soldering irons, but also the heat guns and lighters. So here's the trick, after I solder, I crank the heat up on the iron, and use the open mesh butane striking area (where you use the striker to ignite the butane) and run it under the heatshrink. Use it just as you would an open flame, and run it under and over for perfect, even shrinkage.

The butane soldering iron has to be the best $20 I've spent in a loooong time.
 
bob said:
Ive used the radioshack heatshrink. Compared to what I used at work to fix electronics, the radioshack stuff seems to be a waste of money. It doesnt shrink much, melts too easily, and doesnt hold tightly onto the wire.
Click to expand...
That's Polypropylene, the shiny kind. It is inferior compared to Polyolefin heat shrink tubing. In addidion to be things you mentionedm, it is also less flexible. But I still use the stuff in part because I can't find the Polyolefin heat shrink in a smaller diameter (Lowes Home depot have only large diamaters) and I feel kind of stupid buying the stuff online :D

Oh, btw, it takes practice and isn't a substitute for heat shrink but liquid tape is good too.
 
mikeblas said:
Why?
Click to expand...
I'm guessing for extra protection or incase the tube slides off or maybe so that epoxy holds it. I always use heat shrink after applying liquid tape.
 
butane soldering iron with hot air attachement, fully adjustable heat output perfect. Ive been using this for the past 5 years, flawless results.
 
TheRagingGerbil said:
Gives added security. Plus, when shrinking the ends of sleeving, it wont slide off and it will hold onto the wiring.
Click to expand...

Security against what?

I would contend that non-plenum shrink tubing is not correctly installed if it is sliding off the ends. Plus, it's a trivial matter to hold the tubing section in place while shrinking.

It's hard for me to understand the benefit of the filled tubing.
 
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