Cheap tools for shrinking heat shrink tubing

[Smokey]

All this lighter talk does seem a little puzzling.  It's like telling people to use a blade screwdriver as a chisel.  I mean ya it works kind of, but it's not the first thing you recommend to people.

There are so many good hot air solutions that really don't cost much and work WAY better.

[kripton2035]

proxxon does a nice small heat gun perfect for this - it's not the cheaper anyway. the MH550 around 30 euros.

details : http://www.proxxon.com/eng/html/27130.php

[SteigsdB]

All this lighter talk does seem a little puzzling.  It's like telling people to use a blade screwdriver as a chisel.  I mean ya it works kind of, but it's not the first thing you recommend to people.

There are so many good hot air solutions that really don't cost much and work WAY better.

If I was doing some kind of production run or shrinking up all the pins on a MASS connector, I'd reach for the heat gun.

If I just need to zip a couple pieces, out comes the lighter.  It's just way easier/faster for me.

[Rufus]

All this lighter talk does seem a little puzzling.  It's like telling people to use a blade screwdriver as a chisel.  I mean ya it works kind of, but it's not the first thing you recommend to people.

There are so many good hot air solutions that really don't cost much and work WAY better.

For jobs where you have suitable access a lighter produces results as good as any other solution. Additionally a lighter is dirt cheap, portable, very small, and very fast. With a lighter I could shrink sleeves on 3 bits of wire before you even plugged in a hot air gun never mind wait for it to warm up.

[peter.mitchell]

All this lighter talk does seem a little puzzling.  It's like telling people to use a blade screwdriver as a chisel.  I mean ya it works kind of, but it's not the first thing you recommend to people.

There are so many good hot air solutions that really don't cost much and work WAY better.

No way, flat head screwdrivers and a nice big pair of pliers to use as a hammer and you're set!

[ConKbot]

All this lighter talk does seem a little puzzling.  It's like telling people to use a blade screwdriver as a chisel.  I mean ya it works kind of, but it's not the first thing you recommend to people.

There are so many good hot air solutions that really don't cost much and work WAY better.

Then get a butane micro torch, since thats designed for heating stuff and not just lighting a cig  and even faster then a lighter.

[Smokey]

No way, flat head screwdrivers and a nice big pair of pliers to use as a hammer and you're set!

I recommend large vice-grips(tm) as they have a big flat(ish) side and some heft.  Channel locks also work in a pinch

[americanhacker1]

I tend to just use a bbq lighter when the iron isn't hot but don't put the heat shrink in the orange flame if you don't want it all sooty just hover the piece over the lighter it will just use the heat from the flam not the flame its self its much better unless your iron is heated to then by all means just crank it up and clean your tip and it will be perfect

[peter.mitchell]

On portable butane soldering irons, the catalyst often exhausts very hot air, which I use - I don't use an iron, as I often solder terminals to batteries, so if the iron goes through the shrink, I may short the battery.