KoalaGirl Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 Hi everyone, Ive decided I need a heat gun to smooth the candle tops. To date Ive been using a hair dryer but that gets messy. What should I look for in a heat gun? I dont think I've ever even seen one. Do they actually shoot out a flame? Any tips appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart70 Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 Hi,Most of the heat guns are much of a muchness and like most power tools you can buy a handyman unit at handyman prices or a professional unit at industrial prices.I think most these days have a low and high heat setting. Some may also have a high/low fan speed with an adjustable temp control as an alternative to a high/low heat setting. I dont do soy, but use mine to warm and take the chill off moulds. I bought a cheapy which does the job I ask of it well. Unless you are going to run the unit for hours and regularly a cheapy will do just as well as an expensive one.I think as long as it has either 2 heat settings or an adjustable heat it will be fine. Al they are is a heavy duty hair dryer that can blow harder and hotter than youir hair can take! LOLOh, and some also come with a heap of attachements for paint stripping etc.....If you dont have a use for these they are a waste. If you can find a similar gun without the attachments for a cheaper price them go with it.Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsie Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 (edited) I bought an Ozito heat gun at Bunnings and I don't recommend it. I found it displaced the wax too much when smoothing the tops of the candles. It has a nice, variable temperature range from 70 to 600*C but it pushes out too much air. So I stopped using it for candles.What I did find at Bunnings that I LOVE, is a Bernsomatic Micro Torch! Lightweight, precise, very little wax displacement, runs on cheap butane that is easily refillable. I think it is ideal for melting candle tops. Oh, and yes, it actually shoots out a small, blue cone of flame.My main safety concern with this type of butane torch is that it stays in the ON position until you manually slide it back to OFF. That means if you accidentally drop it, the flame may stay lit while lying on the floor, or on your foot, etc. But I still love it very much and bought a second one as a backup. If you go to Bunnings you should be able to find it in the Tools section with the power drills, etc, and should be for about $35.00. Edited October 19, 2010 by jonsie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart70 Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 (edited) What I did find at Bunnings that I LOVE, is a Bernsomatic Micro Torch! Lightweight, precise, very little wax displacement, runs on cheap butane that is easily refillable. I think it is ideal for melting candle tops. Oh, and yes, it actually shoots out a small, blue cone of flame.Didn't think of one of these! They would be ideal for topping soy candles. I dont use my heat gun for topping soy but now you mention it I reckon mine might blow too hard to top soy.Rob Edited October 19, 2010 by bart70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardLOZ Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 We have the Bosch heat gun here. Not cheap at almost $100 or so I think, however the quality is excellent. High and low fan speeds as well as temperature control from 50c through to 600c in about 6 increments.As they say buy good and buy once, buy cheap and buy many times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadineF Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 I got mine at Peaks Candle Supply for 17.95 and it works very well. It doesn't blow hard at all, and melts the tops perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 Sears Craftmaster with 3 settings, still going strong after 12 years!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgirl Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 (edited) $20.00 Wagner heat gun from Home Depot.. 2 settings on it.Cheap and does the job - I only had to replace it once in 8 years!! Edited October 19, 2010 by islandgirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shimmerglo Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 I got mine at Peaks Candle Supply for 17.95 and it works very well. It doesn't blow hard at all, and melts the tops perfectly.I've got Peak's heat gun too and it works great. No complaints here! Plus the price was very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudMarineMom Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 I have the Wagner from HD as well. Inexpensive and does the job. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlover Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 I've been using a little Darice heat tool from a craft store, but I also don't like the way it displaces the wax; it tends to create little air bubbles, even if I try to hold it far away or at an angle. Of the ones mentioned so far, which don't blow air? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricofAZ Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 I'm thinking of buying an aviation heat gun.http://cgi.ebay.com/Master-Appliance-HG-301A-Heat-Gun-AVIATION-AIRCRAFT-/330482968902?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf251e946Notice the rotating vent for the intake fan. You can set the temperature and reduce the air speed of the fan as you like, avoiding that nasty "blow it all over the room" effect.I used these in the 80's when I was in aircraft maintenance school and they did a good job of variable temperature/speed for shrinking fabric on fabric aircraft. They get very hot very fast, which I think is a plus for smoothing tops quickly. I lit a hangar on fire one time but that's a story for another day. It had something to do with using nitrate dope instead of butyrate and two dead CO2 extinguishers and lots of running to find a good CO2 extinguisher. :tiptoe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsie Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 For what it's worth, if any of the Americans are interested in the Benzomatic Micro Torch I described earlier, it can be found at Home Depot for about $16.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoalaGirl Posted October 20, 2010 Author Share Posted October 20, 2010 Thanks for your input everyone!Jonsie, is it easy to avoid the flame on the gas one, charing the wick? I wonder if one of those torch thing'ys they use to caramalize the sugar on creme brulees would work? From memory, they have a curved end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonsie Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 Thanks for your input everyone!Jonsie, is it easy to avoid the flame on the gas one, charing the wick? I wonder if one of those torch thing'ys they use to caramalize the sugar on creme brulees would work? From memory, they have a curved end.Good question about charring the wick, because it can happen. I've rolled up some tin foil to cover and protect the wick while I use the torch on it, and that seems to protect it just fine. Then I move the foil from candle to candle as I zap each one. And I believe the kitchen torches used for carmelizing sugar would work too, although they might have a bigger flame. I've never used one so I don't know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evergreen Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 I bought a cheap creme brulee torch at Kitchen Collection last night. It's a pistol grip butane torch. I haven't used it yet. It was $12.99 and they're running a promotion at my local shop--if you contribute a dollar to Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser, they give you 25% off your purchase. With the dollar donation, I got it for $10.74. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonia77 Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I've been using a little Darice heat tool from a craft store, but I also don't like the way it displaces the wax; it tends to create little air bubbles, even if I try to hold it far away or at an angle. Of the ones mentioned so far, which don't blow air?Heat gun has two heat settings 1 to 700 and 2 to 920 includes 4 nozzles to remove paint ,varnish. ,lacquer. Softens caluking ,putty ,forms plastics 2 year warranty"Astrology Consultant Vaastu ConsultantPyramids PowerBest Production House" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlover Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 (edited) Edited October 21, 2010 by Catlover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 (edited) $20.00 Wagner heat gun from Home Depot.. 2 settings on it.Cheap and does the job - I only had to replace it once in 8 years!!Same here. Still working great after 5 yrs. Also got mine at my local hardware store for under $20. Edited October 21, 2010 by Candybee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggie Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Another vote for Wagner. I bought mine at Lowes...had a Christmas gift card from my FIL so I guess you could say it was free...lol. It wasn't the cheapest model or the most expensive...I think the gift card was $50. and I may have bought something else too. Too long ago to remember. I've had it for 8 years and still going strong. It has 3 speeds and 2 heat settings.A few years ago when we were stripping old wallpaper in our kitchen to put up new...it came in handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlover Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 So, the Wagner also has a little bit of air blowing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mparadise Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 I sent DH to the store (either HD or Lowe's, can't remember which) to get me a new one when my cheapy one from Harbor Freight bit the dust in the middle of mass production for a show one night. He "upgraded" me to the digital Wagner one and I have never looked back. LOVE that thing. Has a whole bunch of temp settings that are a huge help when shrinkwrapping, etc. It was a little more expensive but I am not burning them out once a year (or more) llike I did with the cheap ones so in the long run it ended up costing me less because I've had it 3 years and use it WAY more than I did the other ones.This is the one I havehttp://www.gleempaint.com/wadihegun.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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