Heat gun recommendations?

[Eric Garza]

I am considering buying a heat gun to heat treat limbs and bend wood. In the past I have heated over my electric stove, so a heat gun will be a new thing for me. Anyone have recommendations on brands to buy, or to avoid? I would rather keep my spending moderate, but if I have to spend $100 to end up with something that will work well and last, I am willing to do it.

I searched around and found a thread with a similar question from 2007, but that was over 10 years ago so I thought I would ask again.

[Del the cat]

IMO, a cheapo one is as good as any...
They will all fail if not positioned carefully nozzle up whilst cooling to allow the heat to escape without melting the innards. The fan can easily distort with the heat and the motors can become noisy. I expect even expensive ones will have the same potential failure mode.
A temperature control is nice, but it's more about how close you have it to the work and how long you leave it.
Del

[JWMALONE]

I painted houses for 20 years, used a lot of heat guns. I would not spend a hundred bucks on one. You can get a Wagner at Lowes for less than 30 bucks and its all you need. I had one I used as a heater in walk in closets for a couple years until it grew legs and walked off. The porter cables work fine as well. The fancy ones with all the heat settings and such were no better in my opinion.  Its just a hair dryer on steroids after all.
What Del said times two on the positioning.

[Badger]

  I like the Master heat gun, the models range from about $90.00 to $130.00. No need to cool them when you turn them off is a big reason as well as being tough. Parts are easy to get if you need them and not too expensive. They have a higher fan setting as well. They will last for decades.

[osage outlaw]

I like the cheap wagner.  I'm still using one that I bought almost 10 years ago. 

[JWMALONE]

I like the cheap wagner.  I'm still using one that I bought almost 10 years ago.

Exactly!

[S.C. hunter]

I use the Wagner also. If you look in the manual there are different nozzles that can be ordered, a slotted one, and a round one with about a 1/2 " hole.  I think they help to keep the heat from traveling around onto the back of the bow.  They are not expensive either.
 DO stand it up when cooling though like what was said.
     Steve

[JonW]

I recently used a Milwaukee brand gun. Best gun I ever tried and will be the next one I buy.

[osage outlaw]

Jon, I picked up an older Milwaukee heat gun a while back and it is identical to the wagner.  It just has a different name printed on it.  I'm not sure if the new ones are like that.

[Dances with squirrels]

I still have and use the first and only one I ever bought, a Black and Decker. I've dropped it several times and never babied  it or turned it a certain way when I shut it off. It's at least 20 years old and has been used hundred of times.

[BowEd]

I've had an old wagner.Long long time usage.Still kickin!!!It's got a high and a low.Usually always I use the high.

[JonW]

Clint I have a wagner and it is not even close to being the gun that milwaukee is. It was not the same as my wagner.

[Bryce]

I went to ace and bought the cheaper of the two that they had. That was 8 years ago and it’s still going strong

[Stick Bender]

I have the Wagner it's adjustable heat temp knob on the back of it I like it !

[Weylin]

I've been using a cheap Wagner for ten years and it's still going strong. I haven't been particularly kind to it either. I'll get another if/when it dies.