Working with a technical hair dryer. How to remove old paint. Making a hair dryer and attachments for it How to make an attachment for a hair dryer

Working with a technical hair dryer. How to remove old paint. Making a hair dryer and attachments for it How to make an attachment for a hair dryer
20.06.2020

A construction hair dryer is a useful tool when performing any repair work. The cycle of its functional actions includes drying, soldering, welding, cutting and bending of material. But the possibilities of its use are much wider. An inventive person can come up with many ways to use this tool.

Nozzles for a hair dryer

When this tool is sold, the set comes with several attachments. Their other name is nozzles or nozzles. Often this is not enough for work. Devices can be purchased separately. Variety expands the possibilities of using a hair dryer by changing the strength and shape of the air flow.

Here are the most commonly used attachments:

  • focusing round necessary for contactless soldering of copper tubes. Welding plastic tape allows you to seal cracks in various structures and glue furniture veneer;
  • flat – it is used to remove old paint or putty, remnants of finishing materials;
  • reflex heats plastic pipes before bending them;
  • crevice, spline nozzles needed for soldering products made from PVC materials;
  • cutting necessary for cutting out various shapes from foam plastic;
  • welded mirror used in resistance welding of plastic materials and preparation of product joints;
  • by using welded nozzle connect welding synthetic cables.

The nozzle is selected depending on the intended use of the hair dryer.

Nozzle for soldering plastic on a hair dryer

Repairing plastic products is much easier than metal ones. This does not require high temperature or the use of transformers. It is enough to use a hair dryer and choose the right additional elements.

For soldering plastic products, a special flat V-shaped nozzle is suitable. It is equipped with a welding rod that serves as solder. The solder material must be of the same composition as the material being welded.

Nozzle for hair dryer - welding tip

The welding tip consists of two tubes welded at an angle. One of the tubes supplies hot air to the work area, the second - softened welding rod and solder. Its composition is identical to the material of the part being welded.

Hot air gun nozzle

The nozzle is a tube of variable cross-section, tapering towards the outlet. Due to this, the speed and pressure of the escaping hot air increases. Can be used for heating PVC pipes before bending, gluing protective and adhesive tape or veneer, and welding parts.

Hair dryer attachment for welding linoleum

To weld linoleum, use a nozzle equipped with a holder for a polymer cord, with the help of which welding occurs. Having inserted the cord into the device, turn it on and wait for the cord to begin to melt. We begin welding by moving the tip along the seam.

Connecting linoleum sheets can also be done using a thin nozzle with a diameter of 5 mm. To do this, we place the polymer cord in the seam between the panels manually. We direct a stream of hot air to the contact point, moving along it. Melting, the cord will glue the canvases together.

DIY nozzles for a hair dryer

For this you can use various metal tubes. The diameter of such a pipe must correspond to the diameter of the hair dryer nozzle and fit onto it. One end serves as a nozzle for a hair dryer, from the other we make the shape we need. The simplest is flat or slotted. To do this, just use a hammer to flatten the pipe to the desired size.

To get a nozzle attachment, you need to make 4 longitudinal cuts on the pipe and cut right triangles along them. The size of the transverse leg depends on the required nozzle diameter. By bending the resulting petals inward, we get a tip of a smaller diameter. We weld the petals together, clean the seams and get the desired addition.

You can also make a V-shaped tip with a solder rod holder yourself. To do this, you need to use three tubes of different diameters. One of them should be put on the hair dryer nozzle. The other two are welded together at an angle and welded to the main tube. With sufficient skill, you can get a product no worse than a factory one.

How to use attachments for a construction hair dryer

To get a good result, you need to choose the right power of the tool and use the appropriate attachment.

It must be remembered that the distance to the surface to be treated must be at least 25 cm. At this distance, the hair dryer disperses the operating temperature over the maximum area of ​​influence.

When gluing polymer surfaces, the joint area is first cleaned. For gluing, we use a nozzle with a holder in which the cord is located. We move along the joint, the cord melts and fills the seam. Without waiting for final hardening, the excess is cut off. Then the final sanding is done.

Do not close the air intake grille or bring it closer to clothing. This may cause the tool's motor to overheat and damage it. It takes 8 minutes for the hair dryer to reach operating temperature. During this time, place it on a special stand and place it away from fire hazards.

Wear protective clothing and asbestos gloves to protect against injury and burns. To work with plastic materials, 300 ° C is enough; do not overheat the workpieces.

Before starting work, you should study the instructions for using the tool. Typically, the temperature conditions for various materials, the power of the hair dryer, and the scope of its use are indicated here.

A construction hair dryer is a very useful tool for various jobs. In addition to the main uses, its owners find unusual uses for it. Defrosting pipes that have frozen in the cold, a frozen lock on a garage or barn door. Even a refrigerator can be defrosted this way. In these cases, the distance to the object must be at least 100 cm.

A construction hair dryer (also known as a “heat gun” or “heat gun”) is very similar in shape and design to an everyday device for styling and drying hair, but with minor differences. If you are planning large-scale painting or installation of plastic pipes, this device will become your reliable friend.

Why do you need a hair dryer and what functions does it perform?

The heat gun is more powerful than a hair dryer (930–2300 W), the temperature of the supplied air can reach 650 °C, and the productivity ranges from 200–650 liters/min, depending on the model of the device and the tasks assigned. But the range of tasks to be solved is limited only by the experience and ingenuity of the person using the hot air gun. Below are just some possible use cases:

  • Drying surfaces.
  • Soldering of metal parts and components.
  • Raising the temperature of metal joints before disassembling them.
  • Warming up adhesive mixtures before applying to the surface.
  • Warming up the connecting layer before separating the glued elements.
  • Welding and shaping of thermoplastic parts (for example, creating a bend or fitting plastic pipes).
  • Heating of varnish and paint coatings for their subsequent removal.
  • Warming up frozen water pipes.
  • Lighting fires for barbecue and shish kebab.

Now it has become obvious that the main function of a construction hair dryer is heating and preparatory. Operating from the mains, the heat gun has the advantage of flexible adjustment of hot air supply modes and does not require flammable fuel, gradually displacing the outdated blowtorch from the toolkit. And most importantly, don’t try to use it to style your hair or dry your pets, they will be very upset.

How to choose a hair dryer?

Choosing a construction hair dryer– the task is not difficult, but it is very important when purchasing to pay attention to such parameters as:

  • Power (from 930 to 2300 W). The temperature level directly depends on the power; the more powerful the hair dryer, the faster the surface will heat up. For the same tasks, the resource will be higher for the tool that has higher power. High-power hot air guns also increase the load on the network. Don't forget about this.

Power is a key parameter when choosing a hair dryer. It depends on him how quickly this or that task will be completed.

  • Maximum operating temperature (up to 650 °C). The higher it is, the more versatile the device and the more functionality it has.
  • Temperature adjustment. For simplicity, we can divide all technical hair dryers into two categories: construction hair dryer with temperature control and with smooth temperature control. With the addition of one word, the difference between the two types becomes enormous. Models without continuous temperature control typically have only 2-3 fixed-temperature operating modes, allowing you to work in conditions of maximum, medium or minimum heat, narrowing the functionality of the heat gun to almost a minimum, forcing you to accurately calculate the time and distance required for heat treatment . You'll have to get used to it, waste time and nerves. To prevent this from happening, you should immediately focus on models with smooth temperature control, insuring yourself against cases when materials of the same type may have different melting temperatures.
  • Availability of a temperature maintenance system. Thanks to the temperature stabilization system, the technical hair dryer keeps the heating level of the air flow at a stable height, regardless of the load. That is, with increasing air flow strength, the temperature remains unchanged. This indicator is directly related to the power of the device.
  • Overheat protection function available. It will prevent the hair dryer from overheating or even catching fire in your hands while working. But even if your hair dryer has this function, you only need to work with heat-resistant gloves.
  • The minimum length of the cord should be at least 2.5 meters so as not to feel discomfort when working at full height.
  • Some models are equipped with LCD screens to display operating temperature. The option is not so much mandatory as desirable. The prices of hot air guns with a screen can be significantly higher than without it, but ease of use also increases.
  • Depending on the model of the construction hair dryer and the manufacturer, special attachments are attached to it to expand the scope of application.

How to use a hair dryer?

The scope of application of a construction hair dryer is very wide, so each task has its own approach. Let's look at a few:

1. Removing old paint and varnish coatings. The easiest way is to remove old paint from wooden surfaces. It is more difficult to remove paint from metal products due to the fact that metal has high thermal conductivity and partially dissipates directed heat. And a real master class - removing paint from plastic coverings and surfaces - requires considerable skill, precisely selected temperature and correct time calculation. All we need for work: a wide-spray nozzle and a hot air gun itself.

Despite the ease of use, it is very important to follow safety precautions: do not remove thermal gloves and safety glasses while working, work in ventilated areas away from flammable and combustible materials.

We put on safety glasses and thermal gloves (safety precautions come first!), set the hair dryer to the maximum operating temperature (depending on the model - from 500 to 650 °C) and maximum air flow (up to 650 l/min). Next, we direct the hairdryer to the area from which we want to remove the paint. The device must be kept at a distance of 2-3 cm from the surface to be treated and wait until the paint begins to “bubble”, announcing its readiness to leave its home. After this, you need to take a scraper or spatula and carefully pry off the treated area. The paint will readily come off without leaving a trace. After this, you can begin processing the new zone. It is important to leave a few centimeters between areas so that hot air does not enter the already treated area.

2. Connecting floor covering seams. Using a construction hair dryer, you can quite simply weld the seams of several parts of the floor covering (PVC, linoleum, rubber), using an additive harness of a similar composition. The filler wire is shaped like a thin pencil and must be identical in chemical composition to the parts being welded. So, we adjust the two parts of the connecting coating close to each other, make a V-shaped groove along the entire length of the seam with a special cutter, melt the filler tow using a spline nozzle (used for slip welding of two parts of a homogeneous material) and fill the groove. The operating temperature for melting the tow should be around 300 °C. Excess connecting material is removed from the seam with a special crescent-shaped knife so that the surface of the coating becomes smooth.

3. Welding plastic pipes. The popularity of plastic pipelines is growing every day, and today there is no longer any need to call in specialists to create a water supply/discharge connection; modern tools allow this to be done at home. First, let's find a welded mirror (reflector attachment) in our kit. It is called a reflector because it prevents the welding object from sticking to the nozzle. It is shaped like a flying saucer: round and without any holes.

We attach the nozzle to the hair dryer, set the operating temperature to 200–300 °C with minimal air flow and leave it to heat up for a while in a vertical position. When the required temperature is reached, the ends of the pipes are brought to both sides of the nozzle and pressed lightly. It is important to catch the moment when the plastic has become soft, take the pipes away from the reflector and connect them to each other. They must be held in this position for 20–35 seconds, resulting in a strong connection.

4. Welding of film coatings. Film coatings are usually welded overlapping, placing the parts to be welded so that one part overlaps the other within 2–4 cm. Having set the operating temperature of the hot air gun in the range of 200–400 degrees and reducing the air flow to a minimum, we blow the film in the joint area. The operation lasts only a few seconds, and immediately after this the work area must be rolled with a roller. It is imperative to check the joint for strength by trying to break the connecting seam. If the strength is unsatisfactory, it is worth increasing the temperature and repeating the procedure.

The hair dryer once again proves the old rule: “Simplicity is your best friend,” and the main limiter in its use is only your imagination.

For dismantling and assembling SMD parts and also microcircuits made in SOP, QFP, PLCC packages, as was written in the first article, a regular soldering iron is not suitable. For these purposes, soldering stations are used, model PS-902, on the left, and SR-979, from Solomon, on the right, shown in the photographs. The station is equipped with a temperature controller, an air flow controller, an automatic static electricity removal function, and an automatic cooling system after turning off the power. The soldering station, in particular the SR-979, allows you to carry out soldering and suction without changing attachments. The stations consist of a main unit and soldering irons. Additionally, nozzles are supplied for different types of housings (15 varieties). The stations are designed for supply voltage: 220 volts 50 Hz. Adjustable temperature in the range 100C - 400C. That, in brief, is everything I wanted to say about the industrial soldering station. The dream of many radio amateurs and workshops, which until recently was a “Blue Dream” and now can be purchased in different models and at different prices.
Here are a set of photographs of the factory attachments. To enlarge a photo, just click on it with the mouse.

This article is not about the factory installation. Not everyone has the means, although the station pays for itself quickly with a large amount of work; many people just want to “construct” it, do it with their own hands. And even if such a setting is rarely used. So far there is no description anywhere for the manufacture of a soldering station and attachments for it.
Here we will tell you, together with the author of homemade attachments, about making them yourself. “With your own hands,” it is said loudly, you will have to involve a turner-miller in the production, preferably, of course, someone you know. Yes, and you will have to solder the nozzles to the disks (not soldered in the photo) with a soldering iron, but it is better to contact a refrigeration technician. They solder the tubes with a special refractory silver-based solder. But it’s probably possible with copper, I’m not an expert in this. I don’t think it’s possible to weld very thin nozzle walls using gas welding or, especially, electric welding.
And so, the photographs show a homemade nozzle with a hairdryer.


What material is the cone nozzle and rings with milled holes?
-Everything is made of steel, and the guide nozzles are made of tin, some kind of tin plate, thickness 0.4mm. Later, when I have made all the attachments, I will give them to be plated with nickel; they will be no worse than the branded ones.
-Model of your hair dryer?
-We have these hair dryers on sale, they are not for construction purposes, but specifically for radio equipment. There are three types, the price is $10-12, they have a temperature regulator, a wheel, it’s simple, of course, but it’s better than nothing, in principle it will do.
-I think that you can use one conical nozzle and screw in different ring inserts. Just make the carving. Or without thread, but so that they fit tightly.
-It won’t work, during operation the nozzle gets very hot, and accordingly scale forms, it will be inconvenient to screw the bottom with the nozzles into this cone, and I also specifically tried to reduce the diameter of the cone so that the nozzle would be as narrow as possible, so that it would not interfere with its fields, i.e. The diameter of the lower part of the cone is as small as possible, see pictures.
-The thickness of the walls of the parts, indicate for all, the sizes of the nozzles and the distance between them for different nozzles. The diameter of the part that is screwed in, the thread pitch, in short, everything regarding dimensions.
-I took the dimensions from the original nozzles that come with the soldering stations, I sent a PDF, everything is indicated there, for different types of nozzles.
-How is the air temperature regulated? As far as I understand, there is no such possibility. Or the air supply speed of the hair dryer itself?
-The temperature is adjusted using a hairdryer, as I wrote above. I won’t remake this hair dryer for now, I’m starting to work out how to make another element for supplying hot air, more aesthetically pleasing and convenient.

That seems to be all for now. There will be additions, we will definitely add them and, if possible, describe them in more detail.

I give the dimensions of the factory nozzles.

The instructions do not always reveal all the nuances of how to use a hair dryer. This multifunctional tool is useful in a variety of areas of life and will prove very useful in production. Its main function is to warm up and direct air masses. Replaceable nozzles are used as auxiliary elements, designed to accurately supply a stream of air and protect surrounding objects. However, the use of a hair dryer does not end there.

The list of operations performed with a construction hair dryer includes hundreds of different types of work. Describing the purpose as a whole, the tool is useful where precise and targeted exposure to high temperatures:

  • drying, heating, removing paint and varnish coatings, wallpaper;
  • gluing, deformation, welding of materials;
  • defrosting communications, metal products, locks, rusted bolts;
  • heating or drying adhesives;
  • applying tinting, stickers, films;
  • installation of heat-shrinkable parts and other installation work.

The construction hair dryer is widely used for car repairs, creating decorative elements from plastic or foam plastic, and when laying polypropylene water supply systems. This is an indispensable tool during major or cosmetic repairs, why they most often buy it. The complete list of possible uses of a construction hair dryer can be expanded and supplemented with clarifications, but the general idea will not change.

Only limited performance characteristics of the tool can somewhat reduce the range of use.

Controls

Using a technical hair dryer is quite simple; not only an experienced master, but also a beginner can cope with this task. The design of the tool is very simple and straightforward; all controls are located on the handle or on the side of the body.

In household models, the power key serves as a temperature regulator and has several positions. Sometimes this adjustment is supplemented by a smooth adjustment, displayed with a separate slider. Professional hair dryers are equipped with a block electronic control, in them the temperature is set with special keys or a roller.

The air flow speed is not adjustable, it is tied to temperature and is set automatically. This solution is quite logical, because the heated coil needs to be cooled, otherwise the tool will simply burn out.

In general, this is all about tool management. In addition to the fact that a hot air gun is a safe device, its equipment often includes protective options designed to preserve equipment and protect the operator.

First use

After the first connection of the hot air gun to the network, it is observed foreign odor This is normal for a new device. The heating element and coil warm up, dust and lubricant residues burn off on them, and the specific aroma passes quickly.

Only the smell of melted plastic should arouse suspicion.

As the manufacturers indicate in the passport, before starting work, or upon completion, the tool must operate at a minimum temperature or in cooling mode for several minutes. This will eliminate sudden temperature changes and extend the life of the hot air gun.

Despite the safety of a technical hair dryer, you should not neglect the general safety rules:

  • the user must wear protective glasses and gloves;
  • all operations are carried out in well-ventilated areas; some materials, when heated, can emit harmful chemical fumes;
  • It is necessary to use various loops, hangers or hooks to protect the instrument from damage.

The main list of what can be done with a regular industrial hair dryer will be of interest to those who are planning to renovate a house or apartment. It is also recommended to watch several video reviews on the operation of a hot air gun.

How to remove paintwork

Removing paint or varnish is a very common operation for a hot air gun. If earlier this procedure required a lot of time, then with the help of a hairdryer the problem becomes a minor task. Using various attachments, the user removes the top coating from any material whose temperature or melting time is higher than the paintwork material.

This method of removing top layers of paint will require a hair dryer running at a temperature of 550 – 600°C. The hair dryer nozzle is directed to the treated area and held until bubbles appear. Afterwards the paint peels off and is removed with a spatula. The operation is easiest to perform on wood products (windows, fences, window sills), but it is more difficult to remove paint from metal.

The high thermal conductivity of the metal structure dissipates heat, reducing operating efficiency.

It is even more difficult to remove paint and varnish from plastic; such work will require considerable skill and good theoretical knowledge of the minimum and maximum melting temperatures. Another popular area of ​​using the tool in everyday life is connecting plastic pipes with a technical hair dryer. Using a hot air gun and a reflector attachment, you can lay a water pipe. High air temperatures will not only melt and glue the couplings, but will also help.

shape the pipe

To achieve a strong connection, you need to correctly determine the moment of welding. Two parts of the pipe are brought to the nozzle and heated to a soft state at a temperature of 200-300°C. Afterwards they are connected to each other, holding for 30-40 seconds.

Seam welding

Bonding linoleum or PVC seams with a hairdryer is performed in several steps. First, the materials to be welded are adjusted, after which, at the gluing site, their edges are trimmed at an angle with any knife. Apply to the future seam additive harness

, then it is blown in the right place with a hot air gun at a temperature of about 300°C. When the composition becomes liquid, spread it over the seam with a regular rubber spatula and allow to dry.

Bonding films Another example of why a hair dryer is needed is working with films. The material used is easily affected by temperatures, so all actions must be as clear and fast as possible. The film is welded overlapping, one edge overlaps the second by about 3 cm along the entire length of the seam. When working with such materials, it is enough to install, treat the gluing area, and then roll this area with a roller.

If the temperature turns out to be insufficient, the operation is repeated with a slight increase in productivity until the seam becomes strong.

The construction hair dryer is very popular among experienced craftsmen. The tool is widely used on a construction site, in design or repair. With its help you can make various crafts or decorative elements, weld, melt, dry or deform materials and building compounds.

A technical or construction hair dryer occupies not the last place in a home craftsman’s tool kit. Using a hairdryer, you can easily remove old paint, dry surfaces, defrost water in the pipeline, and give plastic parts the desired shape. A hairdryer is indispensable when laying roofing felt - with a hairdryer you can cut the roofing felt, heat it up, or melt it. A hairdryer is used when installing heat-shrinkable insulation, welding linoleum, and when soldering with tin or silver.

If you really want to, you can make a technical hair dryer with your own hands, but the problem may arise already at the first stage - what to make a reliable and safe case from. If there is a sufficient selection of hair dryers on sale, it is better to buy a ready-made hair dryer.

Be careful when working with a technical hair dryer. The hair dryer heats the air from 300 to 600 degrees. Protective gloves will save your hands. When paint softens with hot air, toxic substances are released. Wear a respirator with a carbon filter.

Use a technical hair dryer correctly, then it will serve you for a long time.

  • Do not overheat the hair dryer while working; take a break from working every 10-15 minutes.
  • The closer you hold the hair dryer to the surface being treated, the more it overheats.
  • Do not immediately turn on the hair dryer to maximum operating mode.
  • Before turning off your hairdryer, turn it to low heat to cool it down.
  • Hair dryer attachments get very hot, so don't place your hair dryer on surfaces you don't want to damage.
  • Do not change the attachment until it has cooled down - you may get severely burned.
  • When removing paint from a window frame, unfasten the glazing beads and remove the glass. Glass can easily crack when exposed to a blast of air.
  • Be careful when cleaning old paint from the floor. Hot paint particles can fall between the floorboards and cause a fire.

DIY hair dryer repair

All electrical tools tend to break. If there are minor problems, you can repair the hair dryer yourself. The main working parts of a hair dryer are a heating coil, a fan, and an electric motor.

  • Try to find the cause of the problem. Perhaps the power cord is broken, or the wires are burnt, or the coil is burnt out.
  • Arm yourself with a screwdriver, soldering iron, find the hair dryer diagram, which is in the instructions for working with the hair dryer.
  • Prepare the surface on which you will disassemble the tool.
  • Remember in what order you disassemble the hair dryer. It is very good to use a camera to photograph all stages of disassembly. This will help you not to rack your brains over where to place the extra parts left after assembly.
  • Start by checking the plug, power cord, and contacts. Replacing the cord, buttons or soldering wires is not difficult if you have certain skills.
  • If the motor or fan breaks down, it is better to take the hair dryer to a workshop.

Nozzles for technical hair dryer

For ease of use, there are special attachments for a technical hair dryer. The nozzles are made of steel and can withstand high temperatures.

The sales kit also includes devices that will help remove paint from hard-to-reach places.

There are nozzles for welding, soldering and heat shrinking of pipes. A reflective nozzle is suitable for soldering thin pipes.

To heat and bend a plastic pipe, use reflex nozzles.

A wide flat nozzle works well for removing old paint from a surface. Protective and reducing nozzles are used to remove paint from a window - they help direct the air stream to the right place and protect the glass from overheating.

How to remove old paint

There are many chemicals available to remove old varnishes and paints. The composition is applied to the surface to be treated, after the paint has softened, it is removed with a spatula. The disadvantages of this method include the pungent odor of the chemical composition and the inability to efficiently remove paint from large areas. Old paint is difficult to remove even with advertised chemical paint removers.

You can clean the surface mechanically using a grinder or grinder with special attachments.

Removing old paint using a hair dryer is more practical and convenient compared to other methods of cleaning surfaces.

For work you will need

  • technical hair dryer
  • extension
  • hair dryer attachments
  • spatula and special tools for scraping paint
  • brush
  • protective equipment - gloves, respirator

Don't hold the hair dryer too close to the surface. Warm up small areas from a distance of 5-10 cm. When the paint begins to bubble, it must be removed with a spatula. A spatula, unlike a spatula, is more rigid and is more convenient for removing peeling paint. You can take a narrow spatula.

Do not heat a large surface at once. For ease of use, take an extension cord. Paint is easier to remove from wooden surfaces than from metal or plastered and painted surfaces. Ventilate the room often.
Hold the hair dryer by the handle and do not cover the air intake holes with your hand - it can quickly overheat. When removing paint from a window, it is better to remove the frame - it’s more convenient to work and it’s easier to get to hard-to-reach places on the window block.

Hold the hair dryer in your right hand, directing the air flow to the desired location. When the paint begins to swell and bubble, use your left hand to immediately remove the softened paint using a spatula.

Use a brush to remove small frozen pieces of paint.