Heat gun

[Blaflair2]

Has n e one bought a Wagner heat gun at lowes? Like 30$ just wondering how well it works compared to more expensive ones.

[Hoarfrost]

I've been using one for a month or so on leather projects and such. I haven't had any problems but haven't spent a ton of time with it on.

[osage outlaw]

I have been using the same wagner heat gun for at least 5 years.  I bought the cheapest model that walmart carried. 

[DuBois]

Thats what I got and it has been no problems for about a year.

[DGF]

I purchased a cheapie from harbor freight and it's worked well for the limited things I do. I'm sure it's not as fancy as more expensive models but it has a low and high setting  and can be bought for $10 with the coupon regularly found in the American Rifleman magazine. I however haven't used a Wagner or any other brands to compare it against.

-Dan

[dwardo]

I found more expensive guns last just over a year and just out of warranty.
Where as cheaper guns last about 6 months then blow up, still in warranty so back to the shop with my reciept for a free new one, and repeat ....

[Del the cat]

The thing that can kill em, is switching off and leaving it lying on it's side. They need to be standing nozzle up so that the heat flows up and away like from a chimney. I melted the guts of my facy temperature controlled one bu leaving it nose down in my jig after I switched off
Del

[crooketarrow]

  Be careful and don'T leave it unatented.
  I've have a couple the one I have now I got at lowes 2 years ago.
  When on low was really low. I'd  let it on and go about doing what ever.
  One day the switch malfunctioned and it went from low to high,high. I only heat no-working parts. I was going to bend the handle to line up tips better. Went into eat lunch and burnt bow almost all the way though. Pure luck it did'nt set my shop on fire. It did burn all the saw dust on my bench. scorced 2 bow socks hanging above it. I wsnt back out before it hurt the bows.
  When heating bows go slowwwwwwwwwwwwwww never put the heat above low.
  BE BECAREFUL.

[osage outlaw]

I've been using mine on the high setting since the day I bought it with no problems at all.

[koan]

I have actually had better luck with the $10 harbor freight models... Some have a metal(diffuser?) and some have a ceramic one... The ceramic ones seem to have a more consistant heat.... but the 1st time you drop it or even bump it hard on somethin they shatter... And btw, the $10 gun i got at harbor frieght is identical to the $30 wagner except in name..atleast at my local wallyworld... Brian

[koan]

Me to Clint.... Unless im doin a severe bend. Then i heat the whole area on low and turn it on high right before i get the wood movin.... Brian

[Eric Krewson]

I must be lucky! I got ten years out of my first Wagner and would have gotten many more years if I hadn't dropped it one too many times and broken the ceramic in the heating element.

Wagner #2 has been running trouble free for at least the last 5 years. As you all know, I do a lot of heat correcting, hundreds of bows and billets, so my heat gun doesn't sit idle for long. I can't understand why all of your heat guns give up the ghost so quickly.

To keep from burning myself on a heat gun laying on my bench( done way too many times), I made a holster from aluminum to drop my gun in between heating sessions. I haven't knocked my gun off of my workbench onto the floor since I made the holster, something I used to do on a regular basis.

[Blaflair2]

That's a good idea. I thought it had to be facing up during cooling though? Or I guess just not on its side?

[BowEd]

I tried harbor freights' cheapies and they did'nt last long.Got a wagner for 27 bucks and have had it for years.Still working fine.Go to a bow making gathering and take note what's being used.

[Roy]

Still using the first Wagner I bought over 10 years ago.