What a heat gun can do

[Mike8560]

Started some salon cushions this afternoon and did the first one and had two lucked spots on seams I didn't like   
Some asked befir how to use one
before
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affer
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me I hold my hand in the area to feel the heat. 
And heat the area of pucker and the tight smooth are nnear it. 
I think heating let's the tight are streCh and loosen the pucker along with the heat tifhti g the pucker out kids like shrinkwrap.

[fragged8]

nice example Mike , personally i've not had much luck using heat.

Rich

[alge]

Hi mike, was this on vinyl? I didn't know it was possible on plastic.

I do it on leather when the job needs a little tweaking  ;), tends to shrink the hide for a few years of normal use but you have sure gotta be cute with the gun or you end up with burnt toast.  :'( + it smells really bad.

[Mike8560]

A sorry it was vinyl  tradewind to be exact. I'm replacing some wornout ultralsather salon seats.

[alge]

dont apologise mike, thats awesome if your able to do it on a vinyl. it takes a skilled hand on leather it must take an even lighter, faster and brave hand not to melt vinyl, thanks for sharing the concept.

[Ihavenoname]

Probably know this but, A good steaming helps as well.

[kodydog]

Hi Mike. When you say heat gun are you talking propane? Like what you might use on shrink wrap?

I'd be leery to use flame on vinyl, but it sure did get those puckers out didn't it.

I've used a blow dryer with good results.

[Mike8560]

Kody it's electric more heat then a hair dryer though

[Darren Henry]

it must take an even lighter, faster and brave hand not to melt vinyl,

I've been using heat guns  even to take vinyl shoes apart for repair (heat reactivates contact cement) since '86. I've seen two incidents in all that time.  Once the nozzle ,which gets very hot, got in contact with the vinyl and the other time was just an idiot not paying attention.

FYI ; as much as Mike's example does help, I've always had better success with heat guns and (to a lesser extent) steam if I address the problem before it is tacked down. If the "skin" doesn't want to lie down and play nice --- heat it up until it does, then tack it.

[Mike8560]

Darren I Alayna worry about the gun slipping out of my hand. Oops &$!€#!!

[JuneC]

I couldn't live - at least work - without mine.  Best $20 I ever spent.  I got this one from Amazon about 6 years ago and it hasn't given me a minute's trouble after many hours of use.  It has 2 fan speeds and infinitely selectable heat output (within it's range - from warm to very hot).  I use it to bend 1/2" starboard and PVC foam board as well as get the wrinkles out.

http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H0801-Heat-Gun-1800/dp/B0000DD1KQ

June

[BigJohn]

June:
     That's the heat gun I saw in use at a small winery here in Wisconsin, as the bottles went down the line and after the cork was in a shrink wrap sleeve was slipped over the top and the heat gun shrinked it into place!

[BigJohn]

Like I've said in the past a warm clothes dryer before installing the cover works good for me!

[christwo]

Heat gun horror story:
I'm currently working for Automotive Design and Fabrication and we do custom Mercedes sprinter van conversions. I had to vinyl wrap an A/C drop down pyramid that involved a few stitches and a whole lot of heat. Thing came out perfect after about 6 hours of figuring it out. As i was trimming the excess material, in a spat of negligence i set part of the piece on the tip of the heat gun and instantly but a huge whole in the side. Luckily I had enough excess material to pull and stretch it to a place where it wouldn't be seen, but it was almost a huge problem. Moral of the story, heat guns can be dangerous, but work great when ya pay attention lol