Heat guns are handy to use for epoxy resin. They help to pop any bubbles that may be in your resin, helping you to achieve a smooth and even surface.
So, what are the best heat guns for epoxy resin? The best heat guns for epoxy resin have temperature settings, are comfortable to hold, are either cordless or have a long cord for ease of use, are versatile for use with many other projects, and have safety features to help prevent injury or fire.
Heat guns can be helpful not just for epoxy resin, but for other crafts like acrylic pouring, or household uses such as shrink wrapping an item or stripping paint. The key is to have the right heat gun for the job.
Top Qualities In Heat Guns For Epoxy Resin
Before you choose the heat gun for your epoxy resin, it’s important to consider some key qualities: temperature settings, comfort, cord length, versatility, and safety features.
Each of these qualities will help determine whether the heat gun will be worth your money, work on your projects, and keep you safe while dealing with high levels of heat.
Temperature Settings
The first thing to consider, and one of the most important, is the temperature setting of the heat gun.
To use the heat gun for epoxy resin, you’ll need it to be in the temperature range of 400-440°F. It can reach temperatures higher and lower than that too, but it has to be able to reach temperatures in that range.
This is important for guaranteeing that the heat will work correctly. Heat guns that start with their lowest temperature setting in the 500-700°F range will be too hot.
If you want to use your heat gun for acrylic pouring too, make sure it can go as low as the 150-200°F range.
Comfortable To Hold
Heat guns can reach temperatures of over 1,000°F. To be able to use a power tool like this safely, you have to be sure you have a good grip on the handle.
It’s important that the handle feels comfortable and natural for you to hold. It should have an ergonomic design that gives you a strong grip.
The handle also shouldn’t feel like it’s overheating and burning your hand. The best heat guns are designed with handles that are far enough away from the heat source and insulated to prevent them from burning your hands.
Cordless Or Long Cord
For ease of use, it’s important that the heat gun you choose is either cordless or has a long cord.
The cord should be at least 5 feet. This will give you the best reach to use it with your projects without having to grab a long extension cord.
Some of the more compact heat guns for crafting use have shorter cords around 3 feet. While these aren’t ideal, they’ll still work okay.
There aren’t very many cordless heat guns on the market due to the high level of power needed to generate the extreme temperatures, so your best bet is to look for a heat gun with a long power cord.
Versatility
To make the purchase of your new heat gun worth it, it’s best to find one that’s versatile and can be used on many different projects.
As we mentioned above, working with acrylic pouring, in addition to the epoxy resin, will require the heat gun to reach temperatures as low as 150-200°F.
Heat guns can also be useful for more industrial or household purposes, such as shrink wrapping, heating PVC pipes, removing paint, loosening rusted bolts, and more.
Some of the tasks listed above require higher temperatures, so it’s best to find a heat gun that has a wide heat range to match all these different projects and provide the best versatility.
Safety Features
Heat guns can be dangerous if not used properly. Some of them reach temperatures over 1,000°F, and when you get into temperatures that high, you’re running a severe risk of injury or fire.
The best heat guns have safety features to mitigate some of this risk, such as overload protection.
Overload protection, sometimes called overheat protection, will stop the heating process if the gun reaches a temperature that is too high. This protects your gun and the circuitry, as well as you and your home from a potential disaster.
Even if your heat gun does have this safety feature, remember to be cautious while using it. Always hold it several inches away from the object you’re heating and handle with care.
Allow the heat gun to fully cool down before putting it away for storage.
The Best Heat Guns For Epoxy Resin
Now that you know the key features to look for in a heat gun, take a look at some of our recommended products below to choose the one that works best for you.
Rank | Product | Key Features |
---|---|---|
1. | SEEKONE Heat Gun~1112℉ | Heavy-duty, wide heat range of 122°F-1112°F, comfortable handle, 5.25ft cord, overload protector, can also be used for acrylic pouring |
2. | Chandler Tool Store Heat Gun for Crafts | Average heat range of 392-572°F, comfortable handle, lightweight, 5ft cord, kick stand |
3. | CALPALMY Bubble Removing Tool | Reach up to 390°F, comfortable handle, lightweight, 38in cord, kick stand, only use for 3 minutes |
4. | Heat Gun, PHALANX Heavy Duty Hot Air Gun Kit | Heavy-duty, wide heat range of 122-1202°F, comfortable handle, 6.6ft cord, overheat protection system, can also be used for acrylic pouring |
5. | Heat Gun With Variable Temperature Settings | Heavy-duty, wide heat range of 122-1202°F, comfortable handle, about 62in cord, overload protection, can also be used for acrylic pouring |
1. SEEKONE Heat Gun~1112℉
The SEEKONE heat gun is a heavy-duty type of heat gun, with a wide temperature range of 122-1112°F.
This is low enough to use with acrylic pouring, high enough to use for industrial purposes, and includes a medium range perfect for epoxy resin.
Although this heat gun has two static temperature settings, these settings provide you with a heat range. You can then adjust the temperature using the nozzle to reach the proper temperature within that range.
It has a 5.25ft cord, a comfortable handle, and comes with an overload protector system to prevent the heat gun from overheating.
2. Chandler Tool Store Heat Gun for Crafts
This Chandler Tool Store heat gun has a different look from the SEEKONE above. Instead, it’s a more compact heat gun meant primarily for crafting.
This heat gun has two static temperature settings: low heat at 392°F and high heat at 572°F. There are no nozzles, so these are the only two temperatures that you have to work with.
For this heat gun, we recommend using the low temperature setting for your epoxy resin. Better to be just a few degrees under than more than 100°F over the ideal range.
It also has a 5ft long cord, comfortable and lightweight design, and a kick stand for safely setting it down to cool.
3. CALPALMY Bubble Removing Tool
This compact heat gun from CALPALMY has a similar design to the product above.
Rather than two temperature settings, it only has one setting that reaches up to 390°F. This will still work for epoxy resin, but not for acrylic pouring.
Its cord is a little shorter at 38in long and it can only be used for 3 minutes before there’s a danger of overheating.
However, even though there are some downsides to this model, it’s a great choice for crafters who plan to only use it for art projects.
4. Heat Gun, PHALANX Heavy Duty Hot Air Gun Kit
For another heavy-duty option, check out this heat gun from Phalanx.
This heat gun has a wide temperature range of 122-1202°F. Just like the SEEKONE heat gun, it has two static heat settings that offer temperature ranges, and you can further adjust the temperature using the wheel nozzle.
It would work great for acrylic pouring, epoxy resin, or more mechanical and technical household projects.
It has the longest cord, 6.6ft, a comfortable handle, and an overheat protection system to give you peace of mind.
5. Heat Gun With Variable Temperature Settings
The last option is this heavy-duty heat gun from Asnish.
Like the Phalanx and SEEKONE models above, it has a very high temperature range (122-1202°F) that makes it a versatile heat gun ready to tackle many projects, such as acrylic pouring, epoxy resin, and home improvements.
It has a comfortable handle, variable temperature settings modified with a switch and a wheel adjustment, and overload protection.
Although the exact cord length isn’t specified, one question asked and answered on the Amazon reviews indicates that the cord is about 62in long.
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