Adam Savage's Favorite Tools: Cordless Heat Gun!

Adam discusses the many ways to use a heat gun in projects, including the most common of heat guns: the ubiquitous hair dryer. And recently, he picked up a small cordless heat gun that is an ideal balance between the versatility of a blow dryer and the power of a corded heat gun. Perfect for electronics projects!

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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman

Thanks for watching!

[ghffrsfygdhfjkjiysdz]

7:00 "... its warm but it will never burn me out here..." as he slowly, subconsciously, keeps moving his hand further away. On a side note, makita makes a 2 speed, temperature controlled version, but it costs $200.

[DoctorDalek]

I use a SMD soldering workstation (a cheapo 858D) for most of my sitting heat gun work. You can adjust the airflow and temperature individually. You can also swap out the tips for different shapes/sizes. It's great for any detailing work.

[SierraLimaOscar]

The something between a blow drier and a heat gun argument is the exact reason why I bought the same battery powered DeWalt. It does eat up batteries like crazy, but it also does exactly what I need it for. It is perfect for heat shrink tubing on cables of a diameter between 6 and 12 mm.

[oambrosia]

Adam, check out Steinel. They have heat guns with "infinitely" variable temperatures. I've got one that ranges from 70-1100 degrees and has an LCD to show set temp/current temp. And now I see they have a cordless model that has similar flexibility (120-930 degrees)

[peterfox]

I have had a Milwaukee M18 heat gun for a few years now and absolutely love it for potability and use away from the workshop. As a ham radio guy they are great for use with adhesive lined shrink tube to weather proof coax connectors especially when you are up on an antenna tower. Much better than dragging a power cord up with you. They are definitely less powerful than corded ones but the portability more than makes up for it.

[newt]

I own many, many Dewalt tools Including the heat gun. Love it. Not has hot as my plug in, but is perfect for many applications. Love the dewalt heat gun for my marine grade shrink tube.

[WMARUoriginal]

I’m not a maker but a heat gun is so handy to have for general household uses. I think I need a cordless one now

[davidjames]

One of my favorite tools is an embossing heat tool I picked up at Michael's ages ago. I just find them so much lighter and easier to hold than a big clunky heat gun.

[_Turner]

I've been researching this heat gun for days, but it wasn't until your logical explanation that sold me on going with this platform. I appreciate your view and explanation, thank you!!

[murasaki]

When I was on mid-shift in one of my assignments the USAF, we learned a trick. Mids in my shop were where most of the actual maintenance got done, and that used to scuff up our boots. So at 6am, we'd go into the electronics repair facility and grab shoe polish, methyl alcohol, and a heat gun. Put the polish on, use the heat gun to flow it smooth, and then a bit of methyl alcohol to make the shine a perfect mirror. When the day shift bosses came in, they wondered if we were lying about the work we got done. :D

[daa]

Most people forget that an integral part of using a heat gun is the cool down. When I was in HS the automotive shop brought in about a dozen brand new heatguns they just bought because they no longer worked, I was assigned the troubleshooting and repair of those heat guns. What I found was that the control board on the rear opposite the hot end was cooked, I determined the cause to be simple convection they were using them and turning them straight off and putting them away with the hot end facing down so the rising heat of that red hot coil went right into the control board. I also noticed this in my first electronics industry job where we used the well known Weller ESD heat guns, many of them had scorch marks around the air intake but they still worked. If the manufacturer puts a cool function on your heatgun USE IT, that is if you want to get many years of service out of it.

[nothingnoonenowhere]

That blow dryer plus box apparatus would be a great evaporation/dessication tool if you need to evaporate a tray of liquid too

[BaJleathers]

Good God!

The hot box solution is absolutely inspired! I WILL be using it in the future.
Excellent video, as always.

Thanks.

[travislayh]

I have a Mastercraft digital heat gun from Canadian Tire (hard to get in the states I know). The good thing about it is you can go from 120 F to 1100 F in 20 degree increments so it allows you to creep up on things as well.

[dauenti]

Tested is so extremely valuable to us makers. Free tutorials. Thank you Adam and crew! Shout out to NORM!

[crawdaddct]

Battery tools have improved so much. My battery grinder and roto tool are probably my favorite, but heat gun is definitely a must have.

[Dennis-ucgm]

I've been put'n off getting one of these cordless heat gun's . When I first saw them I was like YES that seems very useful. I read a bunch of reviews, majority were good. I would use mostly for heat shrink of electrical repairs at remote locations. Not having the extreme heat a corded one can put out is perfect. I think they might even be good warming up stuff that can be affected for extreme cold in the winter, just be careful around flammable things . I'm getting one !

[apenza]

I’m amazed at far battery powered hand tools have evolved over the past 40 years since I bought my first Mikita battery drill. My carpenter friends laughed when I bought their 3.5” battery circular saw but when we had to install cedar shakes on 10 roof dormers they all grabbed my saw to make those angled cuts.

[rafaelkestafa]

Hi y'all! I used to have(and still have although I don't use it very often now) one of these cheap heatguns that works perfectly fine I may add, until a couple of months ago that I decided to purchase that exact same cordless DeWalt model you show on the video. For me, it is the portability. I found myself doing a lightning repair job in my backyard and I found the need for one of these soooo bad. I found it cheap and unused on the Spanish Craigslist and got a tool only deal. Can't be any happier with the purchase, let's me do everything I do in the shop, but also outside if I need to do any kind of electrical job. Great video!

[mccorkleknight]

Adam with a Tool Tip Ted Talk. I love my cordless heat gun. It is one of the most used tools in my kit for wiring and electronics. I also use it from time to time when I'm working with my kids and doing fuse beads and we are creating 3D models out of mostly 2D beadwork.