How To Make An Induction Gun (Bolt Heater / Buster)

Parts ordered from eBay.
Use the following lines to search for the components I used in the video:

"ZVS induction heater 1000w" - Induction heater with fan, 12-36VDC, 20A

"Switch power supply 24v" - Power supply, output 24VDC, 33A

"buck converter lm2596 adjustable" - Buck converter. Used to drop the voltage from 24v to 12v to drive the relay & LED

"12v 40A relay" - Basic automotive style 12v relay (recommend buying a 24v relay because it would eliminate the need for the buck converter. Note: if doing the aforementioned replace the

1kohm LED resistor with a 2.2kohm resistor)

"1/2watt metal film resistor" - (either 1kohm if using the 12v buck converter, OR 2.2kohm if running the LED directly from the 24v PSU)

"push on-off latching switch" - basic latching switch

"5mm LED mount bezel" - used to mount a 5mm led to the enclosure

"5mm led red" - The LED I used was rated for 3.2~3.8v and a max current of 20ma

"8GA wire" - Insulated 8gauge copper wire (I used about 3meters (or 10ft) total length)

"c14 socket" - look for a C14 socket with an integrated fuse holder.

"5mm fiberglass sleeving" - I bought sleeving with an internal diameter of 5mm. Buy about 2meters (6ft) worth (its cheap)

"Split Conduit" - Split cable sleeving to fit over the 8GA cables that go to the handle (20mm or bigger dia, 1.5m long)

"female spade terminal crimp yellow" - Used to connect the 8ga cable to the relay.

"3 core mains cable" - I used less than 0.5m (1.5ft) rated for 240vac, 10amps

"cable gland PG9" - quantity: 4

Optional:

"5mm copper tube" - 5mm dia, 500mm long (1.5ft) I used this to make the 2nd smaller coil in the video

- SCHEMATIX -

[Schematix]

Verbal typo at 19:52. To clarify: THIS induction heater won't heat non-ferrous metals. It's just not powerful enough. For heating non-ferrous metals like alloy, brass.etc you need a more powerful induction heater and also the coil frequency plays a major role when heating non-ferrous metals. Sorry for any confusion! - SCHEMATIX -

[kylegordon]

This is great, thank you!

I had the misfortune to have a need to remove a nut from a 40 year old suspension strut in an enclosed fibreglass space. I had nothing that would work since it needed held in place by a 9/32" crescent spanner whilst a 9/16" ring spanner tried to unsieze the nut. Suffice to say the tiny chamfer started to round off first.

My local garage lent me their induction heater, and after a few heating cycles and penetrating fluid, the nut came off with no struggle at all. The induction heater is an absolutely fantastic tool for anyone working on classic cars.

I'll be building one shortly :-)

[fredbloggs]

Hi mate. The buck converter was a bit of overkill where a single resistor would have done just as well. Great project, I like the fibre glass sleeve idea.

[grzegorzratajczak]

Helo Mate.
Tell me please.
Which power supply is better to use??
24v 40A
or
36v 33A

Thank you so much.
Nice video

[oiu]

I am thinking you could use a repurposed soldering gun. If you could not 3D print one! You could wire in the trigger on it to control the induction heater 🧐

[livvy]

Question: On your handle the square aluminium is exposed so what is the voltage across them and is there danger of electrocution ? I should of course preface that with "excuse my ignorance"

[movikong]

Nice video!!! I have often thought of making this from an old induction kitchen oven; do you know if this is possible please? Where I live, sometimes old induction kitchen ovens with still functional plates are thrown away for other faults.

I would very much be interested in you comments to this. Thanks.

[exogator]

Can't tell if you were using the oil to lubricate the egg, or the egg to lubricate your oil...

[lf]

I have a similar project (box of parts) pending where I selected to use "Litz" wire for a light and flexible heating coil cable that should be more efficient having less transmission loss. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

[just_noXi]

How to make an induction heater: 1. buy induction heater.

[pierre]

Very enjoyable, thanks, and greetings form New Mexico.

[mmenjic]

You are talking about heating head of the bolt but you did not show heating the bolt head instead you are heating the whole bolt, why you did not put the bolt all the whey in like it is screwed into engine and then heated only head of the bolt sticking out ?

[stanislavhajek]

And for better efficienci, and even better performance, place the capacitors from the kit as close as possible to the coil, there is sou huge amound of curren flowing through the wires from the kit to the coil, this current is heating the wires quite a much and the LC resonance circuit has big rezistance, which eats the power only to heat the cables and not the heating object.

[jw]

so i need to buy induction heater to make induction heater?

[mysterious_czrs]

I think screws holding terminals on the gun are live aren't they ?

[istvanmeissler]

I love the idea of this project BUT the problem seems to be that when looking at induction heaters on Amazon (which I presume are the same as Ebay), the reviews as to quality and reliability are quite poor. The better alternative is the induction heater you made from components, but a smaller version would be better suited to a workshop environment. Thoughts?

[Atomsk]

It's illegal to tap metric threads in a 1/2" aluminum bar. Instead of 4mm, you need to use #8-32 :P

[invisableobserver]

So basically you created an electrical short which heats up like a vehicles cigar lighter? A few years ago I rebuilt the suspension on my vintage truck, it took a week of torching, lubricating and using long cheater bar to break loose one big rusted 60 year old bolt on the panyard bar in freezing cold winter outside.

[louiswilson]

I mean this with the most possible sincerity

The first minute and 15 seconds of this video is peak comedy

[jamespowell]

Well, thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.