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For removing vinyl (no, I didn't just botch a job!) If anyone has some general recommendations (heat/watts, brand, etc) or a specific recommendation, or even one they would like to sell, please let me know.
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I prefer the little Butane torch myself, but as far as heat guns go, try to find one with a built in stand. The main hassle of heat guns is trying to lay it down. Mine has melted the cord many times The butane torch is small enough to hold between a couple of fingers while you keep on working, it also has a nice base so it's easy to set down.
------------------ George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@ionictech.com
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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I only use a hair dryer and have had nothing but good luck. Stick something in your wifes good hair dryer. When it makes a noise she will want another one. Tell her you could use the crappy one in your shop. You just saved yourself a trip to CVS drugstore.
------------------ Rob Larkham RL Graphic D-Sign Chester, MA rldsigns@aol.com
Posts: 517 | From: Chester, MA | Registered: May 2001
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Rob, now THAT's funny! Well, I've already got an old crummy POS hairdryer, so I won't need to be sabotaging the wife's hair dryer. Thanks for the advice everybody, I guess it don't really matter what heatgun i get then if even a hairdryer will work.
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Home Depot, Lowe's, and most hardware stores have them...usually under $20. Be sure that it has vaiabele heat settings, and START with the LOW setting!!! (On the high setting, these things will melt lead!) hair driers arew OK for some jobs, Heat Guns are for the stubborn, nasty, old&cracked, i'll kill the SOB next time jobs! Lots of others uses for them around the house and shop!
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
95% of all accidents occur immediately after the words "Hey...watch this."
Brushasaurus on Chat
Gladly supporting this BB !
Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I have 2 of the Milwaukee brand heat guns (black in color)in my shop. They are variable temp from 0-9. I have been using one of them almost daily for 5 years now with no problems. They run about $40.00 at Lowe's.
------------------ Greg Gulliford aka MetroDude Metro Signs and Banners 1403 N. Greene St. #1 Spokane, WA 99202 509-536-9452
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I started out using a hairdryer but on larger jobs it kept blowing fuses, musta overheated or something. I bought a 1200/1500 watt Heat gun/paint stripper. Never had a problem since. They are made to handle the hard use.
As Si said, start on low heat and work up. And keep it moving. I had a job shortly after I got the heat gun...removing stripes off a Ford P/U. Noticed some smoke. Looked up behind the outer panel of the box and the rustproofing tar was smouldering!!!
------------------ Dave Grundy AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley
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I also use a heat gun, it's a Wagner model I bought from Home Depot for about $20.
It has a HI and LOW setting.. LO is about 400 degrees, HI is about 1,000 degrees.
I once got impatient while removing the OEM decals from one of my jetskis and cranked it up on HI.. hehe.. well, I messed up a couple spots because it was too hot then decided I may as well remove the rest of the paint while I was at it. It was a smaller plastic area too so not only did I take the paint off, I learned I could re-sculpt the shape of the part with the heat.
Anyways, I suggest you get a heat gun and leave the hair dryers in the bathroom. I've never had a hair dryer last long enough to remove all the lettering from a truck door.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I've got a Wagner from Ace Hardware that works fine, but I love my torch! For 12 years I heard installers say how much better a torch is for on site installs, but was afraid to try it and lugged around several extension cords and my Wagner instead. Then one day I travelled a ways to a trucking company for an install and forgot the heat gun. All they had to borrow was a torch, and so I reluctantly tried it and found it easy, maybe easier than the heat gun. It's amazing how easy it is to use and how much flame the vinyl could take. Now I prefer it to the gun. Get a pocket sized torch for your install kit.
------------------ Alan Dearborn Dearborn Graphics Rye, NH USA alan@dearborngraphics.com
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I have a couple of heat guns I use for stripping any smaller stuff, and I have tried using a torch on a couple of occasions, but I found that it heated a much smaller area at a time. A few months back I stripped 4 53' trailers and 2 26' box trucks with 10 year old vinyl. Talk about horrible, tedious work. I bought something called a 'weed-burner', I got mine on ebay, but they carry them (more expensive) at a propane accessory place around here. It is a large 'torch' that hooks up to a standard grill propane tank. It is really more like a flamethrower, and it works great. Stand back about 5 feet, and let loose a 2 foot flame that will heat up a huge section at a time. I paid $40 for mine. I forget exactly how hot it gets, but I tried to melt a penny with it and not only did it work, it melted a hole right into the asphalt.
------------------ Tyler Malinky
A Step Above Signs Cleveland, Ohio 440.479.8129 440.842.1894 fax
www.astepabovesigns.com tmalinky@astepabovesigns.com or exmayors@aol.com
Posts: 190 | From: Parma, Ohio USA | Registered: May 2001
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The STEINEL HL 1802E is what I am presently using at my shop- Iv'e used a few different guns out there. The STEINEL is the way to go!!!!! Stop your search and check it out. Ya' gotta find em' first. Don't know where my boss got it from and he's golfing right now...go figure. Anyway, it has a heat adjustment from 0 to 15 or so.....very convenient...check it out.
------------------ Corey Wine signCONCEPTS Airdrie, Alberta, Canada The ex-Californian Canadian signconcepts1@home.com
"I cooked a meatloaf recipe that I downloaded off of the internet. A day later, I got a stomach VIRUS....Coincidence?"
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I too have the Wagner. Got mine at Sears for about $40. It has 9 heat settings and cool down feature. Where the knob is, there's a thing built to set it on it's end for when it's on cool-down so you don't melt the cord or whatever else you may lay it on. This thing has saved my butt a few times.
It's the first heat gun I've ever used, so I have no point of reference for comparisons, but I'll tell ya, I've never used it and thought "wouldn't it be nice if this...."
------------------ Chris King Paper Works & Graphix Indiana, PA
Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Though I do agree on having a "heat gun" in the tool kit, I would feel naked without my "heat lamps".
These lights or lamps on a tree stand(adjustable as well) are so fast, cause they will heat up a 4'x4'(or larger area) in just a minute, then while you start peeling you just move the lamp over a few feet at a time and the vinyl is ALWAYS hot and waiting for ya (hummmmm )
No worries of blowing anything or body up, no fires to put out. They can be the old "bulb" type or the new quartz, whatever, they are FAST and SAFE!!!!
Roger(hit the lights)
------------------ Roger Bailey Rapid Tac Incorporated Waikoloa, Hawaii
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Hey Roger, where do you get heat lamp trees from? I had heard of them before, that they were used in body shops for something or other, but I could never find them anywhere...
------------------ Tyler Malinky
A Step Above Signs Cleveland, Ohio 440.479.8129 440.842.1894 fax
www.astepabovesigns.com tmalinky@astepabovesigns.com or exmayors@aol.com
Posts: 190 | From: Parma, Ohio USA | Registered: May 2001
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