shrinking shrink tubing

Depends on the hair dryer wattage.  and the quality of the tubing.

I ended up buying a Harbor Freight heat gun for about $9 when it was on sale plus the 20% off. Wife's hair dryer just couldn't get it done.

If you have only 1-2 pieces, a lit match held under will do the trick (as long as you don't linger too long in any one spot!).

Walt, I have not used shrink tubing in many years. I used a heat gun at the time but it had adjustable settings. Maybe a hair dryer with higher wattage may do the same thing. Too much heat would ruin the shrink tubing I believe......Paul

I use a grill lighter with the flame set to its lowest position.  The long stem allows you to easily get to those hard-to-reach places...and the small flame allows you to apply the heat exactly where you want it versus a hairdryer.  It takes only a couple of seconds (if that) to shrink the tubing.

I started out using a heat gun or the heat from a soldering iron held close to the tubing.  Then, on a visit to TrainAmerica Studios I observed several of their techs doing locomotive conversions to TMCC.  They were all very efficient and used a butane cigarette lighter to shrink the tubing.  Waving the flame over the tubing for about one second gave a FAST and uniform shrink. 

To make it a little easier to direct the flame, I bought a longer version of the butane lighter.  The big box stores (Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal Mart, etc.) have them.  I've been using it successfully for over 10 years and haven't set any tubing on fire yet. 

While I was typing this response, I see that Joe A uses the same tool.

I use a heat gun, it's the best way to shrink it.  I have a couple of options.  I have the Master Mite heat gun for larger things like shrinking covering over electronic modules, etc.

I use my Hot Air Rework Station wand for the small stuff, it works great and delivers pinpoint heat.  I typically use the tip second from the right as it's just the right size for the job.  I set the heat at 200C for heatshrink, works like a champ.

Some might say you have a lot of hot air.

I used  an old 1970's 1200 watt hair dryer until I purchased a real heat gun.

An open flame is never a good idea, if there are alternatives. I use a soldering iron.

I agree with Arthur above. Unless you are doing a huge area and need the coverage of a heat gun, just use your soldering station, which is already in use. I just use the side or tip.

If for some reason you melt the plastic to the tip, which you should not do, just clean it off and re-tin.

Charlie

I just use a regular old Bic lighter and apply the flame in short swipes until the shrink tube stops shrinking.

Paul

I use my MAPP torch only because its close by. A lighter works just fine and is safer I will admit.

The exact reason I favor the temperature controlled heat gun.

I use a heat gun. I have a Kobalt digital gun. It works great and was reasonably priced. In days past I used a cig lighter. I don't think a hairdryer will work and if it does it will take a while.

Typical heatshrink shrinks when it's hotter than 100C, that's probably hotter than most hair driers are designed to put out as a rule.

I use a soldering iron.

I used to use a disposable lighter, never really liked doing it this way for safety and other reasons. The first time Radio Shack went bankrupt I got one of their heat guns for shrink tubing at a big discount and have been using that since then.

You'd think that GRJ would use a soldering GUN, as I do.

In my limited experience, both soldering and heat shrinking tubing in the O Gauge Environment (OGE) normally must takes place in confined quarters where an open flame could easily torch adjacent stuff.  I've found that waving the side of the tip or the leads going to the tip under the shrink tube is usually sufficient.  However, there have been some stubborn cases in which I've needed to actually rub the underside and top of the tubing with the side of the leads.  Be careful not to touch the tubing with the tip as old solder can be left on or embedded in the tubing which could later come in contact with electronics and cause a short.  I just bought a bunch of tubing at Ace, this afternoon, and will be using it tonight or tomorrow.  Good luck!

walt rapp posted:

I own neither so I'm curious: is a hair dryer hot enough to shrink shrink tubing or does it require a heat gun?

as always, thanks - walt

A 1500 watt Hair Dryer will do it. It's not focused enough - need a cone or funnel shaped adapter - not all include one

Heat gun is well worth the $9 from HF. A great purchase. 

Rapid Transit Holmes posted:

You'd think that GRJ would use a soldering GUN, as I do.

I have that exact Weller gun, but the hot air rework tool works a lot better in confined spaces, and it works quicker than using a soldering iron.  For larger jobs, the genuine heat gun is vastly superior.  Try shrinking a 1" piece around something as shown below with your soldering gun and let me know how you make out.

While you're waving your soldering gun around inside the chassis, I'm pointing my little heat nozzle at the actual joint and shrinking it in a second or two.

The right tool for the job is always a good idea.

RT Holmes,  where do you get your 8200N tips?

D500 posted:

I use a soldering iron.

Ditto.  The "barrel" of my soldering iron shrinks the tubing just fine.

I use a heat gun because it is the right tool for the job.

Mikey

I bought this a few decades ago. It is modeled after a hairdryer that I remember seeing even more decades ago. It came with a few attachments for heating the back side of things, but I use it just plain. It doesn't melt wire insulation very quickly, but does a great job on heat shrink tubing. It is intended for that job. If there is some room between the heat shrink and the wire, blowing into the end of the heat shrink seems to do the fastest and most complete job.

I bought a cheap hair dryer years ago from a resale shop that I use for shrink tubing and also to help paint dry a bit quicker (requires some practice to get the paint dry without causing damage).

My wife is into crafts and makes greeting cards using rubber stamps, and when she upgraded her embossing heat gun I inherited her old one similar to this one.  It works like a charm on shrink tubing.  Dean

Use a heat gun like a lot of these guys. Not sure if it would work and the girls frown on lending out the hair dryer for RR work. Have used the flame in a pinch, just avoid using next to things like wood, paper.

mikey posted:

I use a heat gun because it is the right tool for the job.

Mikey

Yep.  I use heat gun, which I initially owned for working on the race cars.  Also great for adhering DYnamat to sheet metal inside cars before re installing carpet..   I use it to shrink 1" tubing around audio snakes now.    For tiny shrink tubes, I may bring out my small butane torch for pinpoint accuracy.

Thanks to all of you for your varied comments.

Given that I only have a Christmas time layout, I don't have a need to use shrink tubing very often - certainly not every year.  So I didn't want to overspend on something that I would rarely use, thus my original question.

I have both an old-fashioned type soldering iron and a soldering gun.  The next time that I need to use shrink tubing I will give the soldering iron a shot at it.  I have 2, one more heavy duty that the other.  I'll start with the lighter duty one and if I need to bump things up I will.  I don't know that the lighter duty one is less hot, it might only be a case that it's physically smaller.

As always, I really appreciate you guys answering questions

- walt

At home I use a heat gun I bought from Ace Hardware many years ago. It has various fittings for the nozzle. I use one that looks like the one on the master mite that GRJ had a picture of. My company uses the same fitting to shrink heat shrink tubing on military electronics. At my train club we bought the cheap Harbor Freight heat gun. I don't recommend using a flame for safety reasons but I have used it in a pinch.

Thanks Pat.

cjack posted:

I bought this a few decades ago. It is modeled after a hairdryer that I remember seeing even more decades ago. It came with a few attachments for heating the back side of things, but I use it just plain. It doesn't melt wire insulation very quickly, but does a great job on heat shrink tubing. It is intended for that job. If there is some room between the heat shrink and the wire, blowing into the end of the heat shrink seems to do the fastest and most complete job.

I use the same tool as Cjack for large jobs up to 2"+ tubing.  For 98% of jobs I use a, (hold your breath), normal match.  Very quick and easy, plus you have the opportunity to pass gas while doing it with no one noticing.  I use a cigarette lighter if I have a bunch of pieces to do.  Haven't had any fires etc.  There is a minor skill involved that comes after doing about 5 units.  

Most blow dryers only reach about 130 f, probably not hot enough to melt shrink wrap. The cheapest heat gun from harbor freight starts at 572 f. That is hot enough to melt paint. Starts at $12.99.

Sean

Walt, take a look at Micro Mart, they have a small heat gun for pin point heat.

I think the price is around $30.00.

I believe it is blue in color.

Walt,  All the many techniques referenced by others work most of the time. I have been using my daughters old Revlon hair dryer for must sizes up to 1/2" I.D. with no problems. Don't know the temp output, but at full throttle it sure can heat up your fingers tips  without any trouble.

Interesting thread.

I had not tried to use the heat from my Weller 8200 soldering gun to shrink tubing for years until yesterday. I needed to shrink a short piece of 1/8 inch heat shrink tubing, so I decided to try the gun.
I found that it took a long time for the tubing to shrink, and when it did, the shrinking was very localized. It would have been very easy to waver a bit and touch the tip to the tubing, leaving a mark and probably soiling the tip. Plus I think the tip could have easily been overheated / damaged by being heated all that time without doing any real heat transfer.

I will stick with my heat gun on low.

And as I posted earlier, my old 1970's hair dryer worked too, but it did take longer.

Open flame in my shop?......... just not a good idea. While I try to minimize their use, there could be flammable solvents in the air.

C W Burfle posted:

Open flame in my shop?......... just not a good idea. While I try to minimize their use, there could be flammable solvents in the air.I don't have that condition but good call, use common sense.

I don't have that condition in my little work area but good call CW, use common sense everyone.

Paul

cjack posted:

I bought this a few decades ago. It is modeled after a hairdryer that I remember seeing even more decades ago. It came with a few attachments for heating the back side of things, but I use it just plain. It doesn't melt wire insulation very quickly, but does a great job on heat shrink tubing. It is intended for that job. If there is some room between the heat shrink and the wire, blowing into the end of the heat shrink seems to do the fastest and most complete job.

i use the same tool. Works perfectly, probably because it is designed for the job. Originally I used a large Master heat gun because I had seen them used in a production environment, but this one is much handier for incidental use.

I use an Oxygen Acetylene cutting torch to shrink mine...just kidding.  Actually, I have used a bic lighter for years and never had a problem.