How to shrink heat shrink tubing?

[Michael A. Terrell]

William Sommerwerck wrote:

Isn't there a burning bush in your vicinity?

The problem is that fairly high temperatures are needed, well above what a
lighter or hair dryer put out. Lighters, in particular, will burn the tubing
before shrinking it.

One workable solution is to use a hair dryer, and block the inlets with a
sock. This causes the outlet temperature to rise to the "shrinking" point.
There's a catch, though... The hair dryer will "overheat" (natch -- that's
the idea) and shut off. If the dryer doesn't have a resettable fuse, you
won't be able to use the dryer again.

A few years ago I bought an inexpensive heat gun, which worked well. A bit
of scrounging might turn one up.

<http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-watt-dual-temperature-heat-gun-572-1112-96289.html>
$19.99 regular price. On sale for $9.99 at times.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

The problem is that fairly high temperatures are needed,
well above what a lighter or hair dryer put out. Lighters,
in particular, will burn the tubing before shrinking it.

If you need more heat than what a blow dryer will do,
the HS is defective.

Not likely. A hair dryer hot enough to fully shrink tubing would probably
burn your scalp.

 

[AZ Nomad]

On Mon, 10 May 2010 16:51:06 -0700, William Sommerwerck <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:

The problem is that fairly high temperatures are needed,
well above what a lighter or hair dryer put out. Lighters,
in particular, will burn the tubing before shrinking it.

If you need more heat than what a blow dryer will do,
the HS is defective.

Not likely. A hair dryer hot enough to fully shrink tubing would probably
burn your scalp.

Maybe HS has has changed recently or perhaps blow dryers are wimpier
now being designed for people too stupid to hold it at a reasonable
distance.
I only use the stuff occasionally and haven't in about 7 years.
Previously, I never had any trouble using a blow dryer.

 

[Andy]

On Mon, 10 May 2010 16:24:04 +0000 (UTC), "Geoffrey S. Mendelson"
<gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote:

I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need to
shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used for
removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I moved
here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it over
a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove lighter
ends up with burnt plastic.

I use the soldering iron barrel, not the tip.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.


Thanks in advance,

Geoff.

 

[Peter Hill]

On Mon, 10 May 2010 17:41:54 +0100, "N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk>
wrote:

Geoffrey S. Mendelson <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhugcn1.e0e.gsm@cable.mendelson.com...
I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need to
shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used for
removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I moved
here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it
over
a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove lighter
ends up with burnt plastic.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.


Thanks in advance,

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the
situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the
Wikipedia.


Wrap the tip of (old) soldering iron with some plumber's PTFE tape and then
apply the iron directly to the tubing or use a replacment tip , so adapted.

I just use the clean part of the tip where it has a broad tapper to
the main body. An iron has to be in contact not wafted around in the
vicinity, just rub it up and down the sleeve while rotating the wire
1/2 turn each way. An 11w 1mm tip iron will do nicely on heat shrink
for joints in single core auto wire. 1/2" is going to need something a
bit more powerful, 80w 1/4"?
--
Peter Hill
Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header
Can of worms - what every fisherman wants.
Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

 

[GregS]

In article <slrnhugcn1.e0e.gsm@cable.mendelson.com>, gsm@mendelson.com wrote:

I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need to
shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used for
removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I moved
here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it over
a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove lighter
ends up with burnt plastic.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.

The old BIC will work fine if you got the touch.
There is also a BIC gun, actually one of those slim lighters.

There is a cheap tool out there. Its like a big soldering iron.
Blows maybe 300 watts with a small footprint. The Ungar
I have been using for 25 years has steadily gon up in price,
over $100. Rediculous. Something like shown on this page,
as well as all the rest.
http://www.buyheatshrink.com/HeatGuns/heatguns.htm

I paid $20 for mine at a local hardware store.
I still had money for a beer.


greg

 

[Allodoxaphobia]

On Mon, 10 May 2010 19:59:30 -0500, AZ Nomad wrote:

On Mon, 10 May 2010 16:51:06 -0700, William Sommerwerck wrote:
The problem is that fairly high temperatures are needed,
well above what a lighter or hair dryer put out. Lighters,
in particular, will burn the tubing before shrinking it.

If you need more heat than what a blow dryer will do,
the HS is defective.

Not likely. A hair dryer hot enough to fully shrink tubing would
probably burn your scalp.

Maybe HS has has changed recently or perhaps blow dryers are wimpier
now being designed for people too stupid to hold it at a reasonable
distance.
I only use the stuff occasionally and haven't in about 7 years.
Previously, I never had any trouble using a blow dryer.

I use a pistol-style hair dryer _plus_ a 'cup' formed from several
layers of aluminum foil. Create the cup using the barrel of the blow
dryer as the form -- making it with 2 slots running down opposite sides.
Lay the splice/whatever on the bottom of the cups with the wire(s)
entering through the slot(s). Use by placing the blow dryer just part
way into the cup -- allowing the "blow" to flow out of the cup. (Use a
blow dryer with a bimetal overheat reset -- not an overheat fuse.)

WFM

Jonesy
--
Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
38.24N 104.55W | @ config.com | Jonesy | OS/2
* Killfiling google & XXXXbanter.com: jonz.net/ng.htm

 

[Wild_Bill]

Over here in the northeast, we have cold weather, and cheap vinyl cords get
almost as stiff as metal tubing. Cords used outdoors, or left in a car can
be annoying.
We keep cords in a freezer (along with batteries) to preserve the juice
that's still left in them for the next use.

Low voltage accessory cords with excessive/oversize plastic insulation are
one aggravation, but thin stiff cords (even test leads) are what I was
referring to. Hard plastics don't belong on these types of cables, although
the formula may be cheaper to produce.
A new set of test leads that came with an older model of Tektronix TekMeter
LCD scopemeter consisting of 4 leads, 3 were soft, but the red one was
semi-rigid.

Vintage cables are often stiffer after 20-30 years, and I suppose that's to
be expected, but new cables should be relatively soft.

--
Cheers,
WB
..............


"Jeff Liebermann" <jeffl@cruzio.com> wrote in message
news:ugvgu5505eai4ejoju9pmh6e51pineh3mp@4ax.com...

The rubber (RHW or RHH) cords seem to work best. Unfortunately, most
cheap plastic cords have an intergrated strain relief molded into the
plastic, making replacement with a different type of cord rather
tedious.

Good idea. I have a roll of 3 conductor 14AWG RHW for replacing power
tool cords and extension cords. I never thought of using it for
kitchen appliances.

Ummm... why would I put something electrical in the freezer? Never
mind, I don't want to know.

Yep. Same problem. There's a customer perception that a thicker cord
somehow signifies a high power or high current device. It's common
for laser printers and copiers to arrive with huge diameter cords,
that are mostly plastic, not copper. Compared to the common power
cord of half the diameter, the wire guages inside are identical. Of
course, the added plastic makes them rigid, inflexible, difficult to
manage, and impossible to coil.

With video and USB, the problem is not the plastic but the shielding.
There's no easy way to provide superior shielding and still have a
flexible cord. Braid is more flexible than foil, but foil has better
coverage. The exception is non-wicking braid, where the plastic
jacket is molded into the braid, which can be used to hammer nails.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[William Sommerwerck]

A new set of test leads that came with an older model
of Tektronix TekMeter LCD scopemeter consisting of
4 leads, 3 were soft, but the red one was semi-rigid.

Vintage cables are often stiffer after 20-30 years, and
I suppose that's to be expected, but new cables should
be relatively soft.

Perhaps the plasticizer would have unacceptably altered the color.

 

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <slrnhugcn1.e0e.gsm@cable.mendelson.com>,
Geoffrey S. Mendelson <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote:

I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need
to shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used
for removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I
moved here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it
over a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove
lighter ends up with burnt plastic.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.

Other way is a hot air re-work station. Mine can be set at a low enough
temp. But it's an expensive way to do it.

--
*Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

 

[GregS]

In article <5115cd2189dave@davenoise.co.uk>, "Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote:

In article <slrnhugcn1.e0e.gsm@cable.mendelson.com>,
Geoffrey S. Mendelson <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote:
I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need
to shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used
for removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I
moved here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it
over a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove
lighter ends up with burnt plastic.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.

Other way is a hot air re-work station. Mine can be set at a low enough
temp. But it's an expensive way to do it.

I have used mine, but the small area is only good for small shrink.
i also melt hot melt glue sometimes, and melt hot melt inside
the shrink. The edges need touched up at times.
The Ungar heat gun is about 350 watts and produces a 600 degree
temp at the tip. I have shrunk 2-3 inch shrink, no problem.

greg

 

[Wild_Bill]

That may be the case, William. Do you know of a product that will soften the
vinyl or PVC on low voltage wire/cables?

--
WB
..........


"William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:hsbp14$n6j$1@news.eternal-september.org...

A new set of test leads that came with an older model
of Tektronix TekMeter LCD scopemeter consisting of
4 leads, 3 were soft, but the red one was semi-rigid.

Vintage cables are often stiffer after 20-30 years, and
I suppose that's to be expected, but new cables should
be relatively soft.

Perhaps the plasticizer would have unacceptably altered the color.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote:

William Sommerwerck wrote:

Isn't there a burning bush in your vicinity?

The problem is that fairly high temperatures are needed, well above what a
lighter or hair dryer put out. Lighters, in particular, will burn the tubing
before shrinking it.

One workable solution is to use a hair dryer, and block the inlets with a
sock. This causes the outlet temperature to rise to the "shrinking" point.
There's a catch, though... The hair dryer will "overheat" (natch -- that's
the idea) and shut off. If the dryer doesn't have a resettable fuse, you
won't be able to use the dryer again.

A few years ago I bought an inexpensive heat gun, which worked well. A bit
of scrounging might turn one up.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-watt-dual-temperature-heat-gun-572-1112-96289.html
$19.99 regular price. On sale for $9.99 at times.

I received their weekly e-mail right after I posted. It is on sale
for $7.99 with the coupon below:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/html/wkend0517/images/2.jpg


Here is the user manual:

http://images.harborfreight.com/manuals/96000-96999/96289.pdf


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Allodoxaphobia wrote:

On Mon, 10 May 2010 19:59:30 -0500, AZ Nomad wrote:
On Mon, 10 May 2010 16:51:06 -0700, William Sommerwerck wrote:
The problem is that fairly high temperatures are needed,
well above what a lighter or hair dryer put out. Lighters,
in particular, will burn the tubing before shrinking it.

If you need more heat than what a blow dryer will do,
the HS is defective.

Not likely. A hair dryer hot enough to fully shrink tubing would
probably burn your scalp.

Maybe HS has has changed recently or perhaps blow dryers are wimpier
now being designed for people too stupid to hold it at a reasonable
distance.
I only use the stuff occasionally and haven't in about 7 years.
Previously, I never had any trouble using a blow dryer.

I use a pistol-style hair dryer _plus_ a 'cup' formed from several
layers of aluminum foil. Create the cup using the barrel of the blow
dryer as the form -- making it with 2 slots running down opposite sides.
Lay the splice/whatever on the bottom of the cups with the wire(s)
entering through the slot(s). Use by placing the blow dryer just part
way into the cup -- allowing the "blow" to flow out of the cup. (Use a
blow dryer with a bimetal overheat reset -- not an overheat fuse.)

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-heat-gun-accessory-kit-95301.html
$7.99 for a set of four nozzles & five tools for their heat guns


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

[Wild_Bill]

I don't have problems shrinking the tubing with a disposable lighter, most
of the time. If the tubing is far enough away from the tubing, it usually
won't leave any soot marks on it, but the soot marks can generally be wiped
away on light colored tubing with lacquer thinner/acetone.

A hot air tool for surface mount solder reflow is an effective method (but
not cheap), especially for multi-pin connectors where the heat can be
directed to a very limited area by the small tip (the reverse of a
desoldering iron, esentially).

For larger tubing, the smooth area of a stainless steel soldering iron works
(slowly) by lightly rubbing the hot barrel around on the tubing.

Other than using shrink tubing, there is a product referred to as Liquid
Tape, which can be applied with a brush or other utensil.

--
WB
..........


"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" <gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhugcn1.e0e.gsm@cable.mendelson.com...

I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need to
shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used for
removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I moved
here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it
over
a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove lighter
ends up with burnt plastic.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.


Thanks in advance,

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
New word I coined 12/13/09, "Sub-Wikipedia" adj, describing knowledge or
understanding, as in he has a sub-wikipedia understanding of the
situation.
i.e possessing less facts or information than can be found in the
Wikipedia.

 

[Mark Zenier]

In article <slrnhugcn1.e0e.gsm@cable.mendelson.com>,
Geoffrey S. Mendelson <gsm@mendelson.com> wrote:

I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need to
shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used for
removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I moved
here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it over
a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove lighter
ends up with burnt plastic.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.

For cable assemblies, I've found that nothing beats a Sunbeam toaster.
Turns itself off, too. You don't have to put it down into the slot,
just hold it over the top.

The trick with lighters is to keep the shrink about 1 1/2 to 2 inches
above the top of the flame.


Mark Zenier mzenier@eskimo.com
Googleproofaddress(account:mzenier provider:eskimo domain:com)

 

[mm]

On Mon, 10 May 2010 16:24:04 +0000 (UTC), "Geoffrey S. Mendelson"
<gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote:

I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need to
shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used for
removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I moved
here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it over
a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove lighter
ends up with burnt plastic.

I always use a kitchen match, a wood match about 3 inches long. A
couple boxes of them are very cheap.

It usually comes out perfect. Sometimes I need to use more than one
match to make it tight.

Once in a while I burn the tubing a little, but it's never seemed to
weaken it. I'm sure I only turn the surface black.

I hold the wires horizontal and move the match back and forth, with
the tubing within the flame, the match 1/2 to 3/4 inch below the
tubing. It shrinks quickly.

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.


Thanks in advance,

Geoff.

 

[mm]

On Tue, 11 May 2010 22:48:56 -0400, mm <NOPSAMmm2005@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

On Mon, 10 May 2010 16:24:04 +0000 (UTC), "Geoffrey S. Mendelson"
gsm@cable.mendelson.com> wrote:

I've recently started doing electronic repairs (mostly wiring) and need to
shrink heat shrink tubing. A long time ago I bought a heat gun used for
removing paint and used that. It was 120 volt, so I left it when I moved
here.

I've never had much luck (or is it patience?) shrinking it by holding it over
a soldering iron tip. Using a flame, like a cigarette or stove lighter
ends up with burnt plastic.

I always use a kitchen match, a wood match about 3 inches long. A
couple boxes of them are very cheap.

It usually comes out perfect. Sometimes I need to use more than one
match to make it tight.

Once in a while I burn the tubing a little, but it's never seemed to
weaken it. I'm sure I only turn the surface black.

I guess this is just soot from the match, based on a couple other
posts. Need I clean it off?

I hold the wires horizontal and move the match back and forth, with
the tubing within the flame, the match 1/2 to 3/4 inch below the
tubing. It shrinks quickly.

I've finished reading the thread and it's amazing to me the problems
some have. I didn't want to use a hair dryer because I didnt' want to
heat more than the tubing and I don't like the noise.

Maybe you all don't have kitchen matches so you've never tried them?

Is there such a thing as a small heat shrink tube shrinker that does not
toast the things around it? The largest thing I need to shrink over is
about 1/2 an inch most of them are small (20awg or less) wires.


Thanks in advance,

Geoff.

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Tue, 11 May 2010 19:41:59 GMT, mzenier@eskimo.com (Mark Zenier)
wrote:

For cable assemblies, I've found that nothing beats a Sunbeam toaster.
Turns itself off, too. You don't have to put it down into the slot,
just hold it over the top.

Isn't there an interlock in the toaster that checks if there's a slab
of toast inside before it will turn on? I'm not sure I want to insert
a slice of bread for every shrink tube joint.

The trick with lighters is to keep the shrink about 1 1/2 to 2 inches
above the top of the flame.

I always manage to char the shrink tube joint when I do it that way.
It's not the heat that's causing the blackening. It's that the
burning ligher fluid is too low in temperature for complete combustion
and therefore dumps plenty of soot on the shrink tube. You can
demonstrate it for yourself by burning a lighter under a plate of
glass. The distance doesn't matter. You'll always get plenty of
soot.

If you must use a flame, use a propane torch. Instead of 2 inches,
about 1-2 ft is about right. Don't hold onto the wire as you're
likely to burn yourself. Work very quickly and be prepared to react
if the wire or workbench catches fire.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

 

[Teodor Väänänen]

Jeff Liebermann wrote On 2010-05-12 21:38:

On Tue, 11 May 2010 19:41:59 GMT, mzenier@eskimo.com (Mark Zenier)
wrote:

For cable assemblies, I've found that nothing beats a Sunbeam toaster.
Turns itself off, too. You don't have to put it down into the slot,
just hold it over the top.

Isn't there an interlock in the toaster that checks if there's a slab
of toast inside before it will turn on? I'm not sure I want to insert
a slice of bread for every shrink tube joint.

The trick with lighters is to keep the shrink about 1 1/2 to 2 inches
above the top of the flame.

I always manage to char the shrink tube joint when I do it that way.
It's not the heat that's causing the blackening. It's that the
burning ligher fluid is too low in temperature for complete combustion
and therefore dumps plenty of soot on the shrink tube. You can
demonstrate it for yourself by burning a lighter under a plate of
glass. The distance doesn't matter. You'll always get plenty of
soot.

If you must use a flame, use a propane torch. Instead of 2 inches,
about 1-2 ft is about right. Don't hold onto the wire as you're
likely to burn yourself. Work very quickly and be prepared to react
if the wire or workbench catches fire.

My favorite method for shrinking shrink tubing is either ye olde lighter
at 1 to 2 " distance, or the part of your soldering iron the tip fits
into. Keep the heat source in motion, and no longer than is necessary
for good shrinkage.

Also, have spare bits and pieces to practice on, it can take a bit to
get the hang of a new soldering iron or station. I don't recommend the
lighter trick for anything else than small jobs, prototypes or repairs.

Just my $.02 worth.

/Teo.
--
Teodor Väänänen | Don't meddle in the affairs of wizards,
<teostupiditydor@algonet.se> | for you are good and crunchy with
http://www.algonet.se/~teodor/ | ketchup.
Remove stupidity to reply. |