How to make a hot air soldering gun with your own hands

The soldering hair dryer was “born” relatively recently. With the advent of very small sizes of microcircuits and their parts, desoldering with a conventional soldering iron has become almost impossible.

So the soldering gun replaced the usual tool of radio amateurs, called a soldering iron.

Tin can be heated with air

Today, this power tool is indispensable and enjoys enormous popularity and demand in the market.

What it is

A soldering gun is usually a device primarily designed for soldering microcircuits. The design of the device resembles construction tools in its appearance (drill, hammer drill, screwdriver, etc.) and in content - a construction hair dryer. The devices operate on the same principle.

Working with processors has become difficult

The body of the hair dryer is made of heat-resistant plastic, which has a nozzle and a temperature regulator. When turned on, the device “grabs” air due to the built-in fan, it warms up and goes outside.

Note! The pricing policy for the devices is very high. Craftsmen have appeared who are able to assemble a hot air gun for soldering microcircuits with their own hands and share their achievements in this area.

There are not many functions, and the price is high

From a soldering iron and a dropper

To make a soldered hair dryer with your own hands, you can use a simple soldering iron with the protective casing removed from it.

When taking it as the basis for a future heater, it is necessary to modify the design, which consists of the following:

• First, the tip is removed from the working part of the soldering iron, after which the mica tube with the nichrome winding placed underneath it is completely pulled out of the wooden handle-holder.
• Then the power wires suitable for the heating element are disconnected and also pulled out of the wooden holder, but from the other side.
• After this, a hole of the required size is drilled in the side of the handle, into which the previously disconnected network wire is threaded (towards the working part).
• At the next step of making a soldering gun, take a dropper, from which the tip is cut off in the area where the rubber skirt is located. Then the exposed part of the tube is inserted into the network hole of the wooden handle.
• Next, the rubberized seal (skirt) of the dropper is pressed with force against the end part of the holder, ensuring reliable sealing of the docking area.
• Upon completion of these actions, the ends of the drawn power wire are reconnected to the nichrome winding and reliably insulated.
• A piece of telescopic antenna of suitable diameter is inserted into the hole where the soldering iron tip was previously located and carefully clamped with a locking screw.

The tightness of the inlet hole in the handle will ensure effective inflation with cold air coming from the compressor station.

At the final stage of assembling the soldering gun, you should return the heating tube with the nichrome winding to its place, having previously wrapped it with several layers of aluminum foil.

Then the heater prepared in this way is recessed into a wooden handle and securely fixed using a flexible copper wire wound along the entire length of the protective coating.

Advantages and disadvantages of a hair dryer

The main advantage of a soldering gun is its ability to work with a variety of metals and materials that can be melted. The air jet allows the surfaces to be heated and soldered. Microcircuit, the main feature of a soldering hot air gun. It can also be used at home for various purposes. Allows you to issue a high temperature limit of 800 0C. The device is heat-resistant.

Tin processing device allows you to make balls for soldering

There are practically no disadvantages related to a soldering hair dryer. Except for its high cost, and as a result its inaccessibility.

Specifications

A homemade hairdryer will have the design and principle of operation described above. The invention will, of course, require a certain amount of materials, which will not be difficult to find in home bins.

A homemade hair dryer has a slightly lower temperature of 600 0C. This temperature regime is sufficient to heat the base and solder the radio components. The device can be used for microscopic work at a power of 75 W. When soldering larger parts, higher power is needed (about 110 W). The current value is 4 A, while the voltage indicator is from 24-35 V.

You can assemble it yourself

Additional Information! All parameters must be precisely adjusted to avoid dangerous situations during operation. The material for assembly has been carefully selected. There is no need to rush, each subsequent step is pre-thought out.

Making a hot air gun

A hairdryer with a fan and a nichrome spiral with a thickness of 0.4 mm or more are well suited for making an air-heated soldering iron yourself. Since we plan to assemble a homemade device of a compact size, a spiral with a diameter larger than 0.5 mm will not work. A larger cross section will require more current. First you need to select a power source, and then select the number of turns, since the resistance of the spiral and heating of the air will depend on this. In order to assemble a powerful hot air gun, a power source with a voltage of up to 36 V is sufficient.

Housing and heating system

An old soldering iron or a steel tube can be used as the body of the hot air gun, but since the operating temperature will be high, you need to wrap the tube with heat-resistant material or attach a handle holder. You can also use a car cigarette lighter as an air duct inside which the heating system will be placed.

At the next stage, it is necessary to wind a nichrome spiral with a small distance between the turns. A ceramic tube with a diameter of 4-5 mm can be used as an insulator on which the spiral is wound. The length of the spiral must be wound taking into account the resistance, which is calculated in the range from 70 to 90 Ohms.

The end of the tube can be equipped with a ceramic or porcelain tubular element, and it is better to wind the spiral on a flat plate, which will have a beneficial effect on heat transfer. You will get peculiar branches in the form of petals that will not touch the insulator. To increase efficiency, thermal protection can be made using fiberglass or asbestos.

What can you solder with this tool?

In domestic conditions its use is negligible. The device is aimed at high-quality and fast performance of a large volume of work. Often, men who repair household appliances and solder radio components at home do not even know about its existence. In addition to soldering microcircuits, you can perform a large number of other works.

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Can be processed linoleum

For example, this device is often used during repair work, namely:

• In the process of laying linoleum.
• Film-coated materials.
• Soldering plastics and other materials that are easily fusible at high temperatures.

You can seal bags
. Important! It is worth remembering the rules of personal safety.

Criterias of choice

If you have the funds, you can purchase a soldering device at a special retail outlet; fortunately, the range offered will amaze you with the presence of a variety of models with a different set of capabilities. Such equipment is produced by many well-known companies, which should be given preference.

Before you buy a hair dryer, you need to determine the requirements for it that are necessary for use, and focus on them when evaluating the modifications available for sale:

1. First of all, this is the operating temperature range that the device can produce. This is the main characteristic of the heating element, which determines the range of materials with which the hair dryer can work.
2. If the heat resistance of the hair dryer shell does not correspond to the declared temperature, this will lead to its destruction and failure of the device. This means that the materials from which the device is made must be selected especially carefully.
3. A well-made soldering device must guarantee uniform airflow onto the surface being processed. Therefore, the quality of the air supply device and the number of revolutions it produces is also important.
4. The hot air gun must have reliable insulation that meets safety requirements.
5. It is necessary to have a thermal electric relay that will allow you to vary the temperature of the blown air. This will make it possible to solder a wide range of materials.
6. The finished product should include a nozzle, or several pieces, for processing surfaces of varying thickness and relief.
7. Well, you shouldn’t forget about the power of the device either.

Device

The design of the hair dryer is quite simple. The hot air gun easily copes with heating and melting of various materials due to the supply air flow. In this regard, the design has a highly durable body that can withstand high temperatures.

The heating element is a copper coil

The air flow can warm up to 850 °C at a power of 2 kW and above. A production soldering hair dryer has a temperature regulator.

Purpose of a homemade hair dryer

You need to have an accurate idea of ​​what a soldering iron of this type is needed for. The device must create the melting temperature of tin in a certain place in the circuit. When melting the mounting alloy, a radio component is mounted or an unnecessary element is removed from the board of any electrical device.

The hairdryer creates a directed hot air flow to the place where the board circuit needs to be soldered. Under the influence of high temperature, tin turns into a liquid state, thereby enabling the worker to carry out the necessary installation operations.

Soldering the circuit with a hairdryer

Principle of operation

The hot air flow is concentrated in a chamber, which is wrapped around copper wire and foil paper. Air is pushed out of the compressor through an inserted steel tube. The homemade product does not provide the ability to regulate the temperature, and therefore the air flow can be controlled using the intensity of the blowing, pressing or releasing the tube through which the air passes.

There is an airflow regulator on the body

When the speed changes, the temperature also changes. By trial and error, you can select the required temperature for melting the solder and begin desoldering.

A homemade hot air gun, of course, will not replace a desoldering station, but it will help you easily cope with difficulties when soldering very small radio components.

Small details

Let's look under the fan to see how the coil is connected to the cable. The design turned out to be very repairable. It is enough to unscrew just a few screws to replace the spiral, for example, in order to adjust the resistance of the spiral to the voltage of an existing power source.

I soldered the petals to the heater cable, but it was possible to roll the ends of the conductors into rings and tin them, just like we do when we change a collapsible power plug.

Most of the things I intend to do with a soldering iron require both hands free. Therefore, I made this stand for fixing the hair dryer on the table. A clamp with an open perimeter allows you to securely hold the hair dryer and, if necessary, easily remove it from the stand.

This is how the soldering gun turned out.

How to make a soldering hair dryer with your own hands?

Self-assembly from materials lying around is an alternative option to a purchased soldering machine. When using high-quality components and following the technology of the assembly process, it will allow you to assemble an excellent model and use the homemade product for its intended purpose.

Safety precautions must be followed

First, you need to understand that the homemade device will be stationary. High temperature conditions will not affect the handle of the manufactured device. The heating element will be a nichrome wire carefully laid on the cylinder. A hair dryer that has served its purpose is used as a base. The air flow will be created using any fan of the smallest size. All that remains is to think about the start button and temperature regulator.

It’s better to find or draw up a diagram in advance

During the assembly process, it is necessary to wind the wire in a spiral around the cylinder, and wind it with insulation (you can use fiberglass), make a thermal tube and pull the winding on it. This procedure will allow you to avoid overheating of the device at very high air flow temperatures.

The Mypovos 858D model is comfortable

Next, install the injection element into the back of the soldering gun. The wire is passed through a rheostat to control the temperature. A nozzle for air flow output and a start button are installed in front of the heating element.

For your information. The hot air gun can additionally be equipped with lighting. The assembled version will also allow you to perform soldering accurately and quickly.

Cooler based

The easiest way to make a hairdryer with your own hands at home is to use the turbine principle of air injection, implemented using any small-sized fan suitable for these purposes.

A soldering hair dryer can be made with your own hands using the cooler that comes with the power supply of any desktop computer.

In this case, the fan is built into the handle of a thermal element made of a fireproof tube with an electric spiral, passing through which the air will heat up and then enter the soldering zone.

The outer part of the soldering gun body must be made airtight, which eliminates the possibility of air being sucked into the surrounding space. To assemble the heater, you will need nichrome wire wound in a spiral on a ceramic tube.

The total length of the winding is selected so that the resistance of the entire wire segment is about 70-90 Ohms.

The individual turns of the spiral wound on a ceramic base should be located at some distance from one another. For safe operation of the heater, this removal should be about 1-2 mm.

Features of ready-made hair dryers

The main feature of a ready-made soldering gun is its practicality and reliability. Radio technicians have a wide choice. Tools for the job can be purchased both online and in stores. It is recommended to make a choice among the ratings of available hair dryers according to technical characteristics and price-quality. Choose a hair dryer + soldering station included in the segment:

• Mypovos 858D. I found my calling among buyers as completely safe. Its price starts from 1300 rubles*. High-quality assembly and flawless operation of the complete set are noted. The warm-up temperature corresponds to the declared one (from 100-480 °C). The kit includes suction, tweezers and solder. The device has a cooling system.
• Newacalox 8586. Features an interesting modern design. The hair dryer, together with the station, has acceptable dimensions (95x15x135 mm). Heating temperature 500 °C and power 700 W. But this model also has disadvantages. Warming up according to the specified temperature parameters differs from the real one. It does not have the ability to go into sleep mode. The pricing policy ranges from 4458 to 5639 rubles.
• Qsunrun 858D. Presented in the “The most interesting model and affordable price” segment. It has standard characteristics and small dimensions. There is practically no difference from other models. Its price does not exceed 1000 rubles. The downside is the slight overheating of the soldering iron handle.
• YOUYUE 8586. A very compact device, which is what customers like. In terms of technical characteristics, it is not inferior to the most expensive “monsters”. Slightly lower temperature. Approximate cost 3750 rubles.
• Yarboly. This brand of hair dryer has a large number of attachments and, perhaps, the lowest price - about 400 rubles. The heating temperature is quite low and does not even rise to 300 °C. The device is of excellent quality and has five replaceable attachments.
• Meterk Heat Gun. The hairdryer is high power and produces a temperature of 600 °C. Deviations from the set temperature regime are noted, but can be adjusted. The price does not even reach the limit of 2000 rubles.
• SmileMango 8018LCD. An excellent tool, small-sized, has a liquid crystal display. Mass market price from 2800 and above.
• Youyue 8858. It is considered one of the most accurate temperature devices. The price is 800 rubles lower than described above. It works practically without any noise and warms up quickly. Has a sleep mode. Small in size and easy to use.

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Model “Element 858D” with “sleep mode”

ELEMENT 858D from inexpensive

The ELEMENT 858D is a portable hot air station with a digital modular design for use in desoldering and soldering applications involving multiple components. Due to the small dimensions of the device and convenient design, it allows comfortable use. In its arsenal, the device is equipped with a closed system of sensors, a microcontroller for digital display of data and adjustment of the required temperature, good power, the ability to immediately warm up within five seconds and stability. When the device is not in use, energy is saved.

The ELEMENT 858D model is convenient and comfortable

As soon as the soldering device is placed on the holder, the station is put into standby mode. After removal, everything returns to the operating parameters configured earlier. The device is equipped with a cooling system.

Main characteristics of a portable soldering station:

• supply voltage - 220 V;
• power - 650 W;
• temperature regime - 100-480 0C;
• resistance - 74 Ohm;
• air flow - 120 l/min;
• noise - <45 dB;
• dimensions: 150×100×138 mm;
• device weight - 1.50 kg.

In the general list of products offered, it is considered one of the inexpensive devices.

BAKU BK—8032A++ with microprocessor

BAKU BK-8032A++ is a compact, multifunctional heat gun with microprocessor control. Used for dismantling electronic components, soldering small parts made of plastic and other low-melting materials. A microprocessor is built in as a controller, temperature conditions and air flow are displayed in digital format.

The Baku model is high-tech

The base of the hot air gun also fits the nozzles of soldering stations.

Main characteristics:

• Supply voltage - 220 V;
• power - 450 W;
• temperature regime - 100-480 0C;
• resistance - 74 Ohm;
• air flow - 30 l/min;
• dimensions - 21x7.7x277 mm;
• device weight - 1.0 kg;
• heating element - metal;
• the pump is turbine. The hot air gun is equipped with nozzles of various diameters (8 and 10 mm).

The domestic model comes with a display

BISON 55350 inexpensive professional

BISON 55350 is a professional assistant for every amateur and radio technician. It is a hot air soldering station on a digital basis. Equipped with a liquid crystal display and equipped with modern, high-tech materials. Capable of providing reliable and high-quality work.

Main characteristics:

• Supply voltage - 220 V; power - 650 W;
• temperature regime - 100-500 0C;
• resistance - 74 Ohm;
• air flow - 120 l/min;
• dimensions - 26.5 × 16.5 × 15.5 mm;
• device weight - 1.72 kg;
• heating element - ceramic;
• pump - turbine.

The soldering station is equipped with a power disconnect button, a soldering iron stand and is equipped with three replaceable tips.

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Additional Information! The manufacturer provides a 12-month warranty from the date of purchase of the device.

YIHUA 8858 soldering air station wagon

YIHUA 8858 is a new generation device. Will please radio amateurs and will significantly speed up the work. This soldering gun is so versatile that it can be used both during the installation and dismantling of various components. It is very convenient to work with surface elements with this hairdryer.

The Yuhua 8858 model is quite versatile

Main characteristics:

• Supply voltage - 220 V; power - 650 W;
• temperature regime - 100-480 0C;
• air flow - 120 l/min;
• dimensions - 305x60x60 mm;
• device weight - 1.72 kg;
• heating element - ceramic;
• pump - turbine.

The device is equipped with three interchangeable nozzles (8 mm, 10 mm, 13 mm). Two of them are round and one is a square model. It is also equipped with a stand for a hair dryer, which can be mounted on any surface. Packed in a box with protective material to prevent damage. Instructions for use are included.

The Yuhua 8858 model comes with 3 nozzles

The Internet offers a huge range of products produced under different brands. The choice will remain with people who use such devices for domestic or industrial purposes. When using a soldering hotplate, it is still worth thinking about purchasing a thermal station in order to use the entire list of additional functionality and to create comfortable working conditions.

*Prices are current as of October 2022.

Main parts and materials

I've had this fan lying around idle for a while now. These 40mm fans used to be widely used in PC 486 and video cards.

This unit will require minimal modification. You will need to re-insert the wire into the attachment point.

I didn’t have a tube of a suitable diameter for the heater air duct, so I borrowed it from a ten-watt resistor type C-5-5. To free the tube from the insides, I sawed off one of its rolled edges with a file.

I do not recommend using ceramics or quartz glass for the heater air duct, as these materials can be destroyed if flux or wash accidentally gets on a heated surface. I’ll tell you a secret, I did my first experiments with a ceramic heater air duct, which collapsed at the first thermal shock. So, it is better to choose steel or, at worst, some non-ferrous metal.

In order not to bother with making a mica frame, I used a wire with a diameter of 1.2 mm from some kind of rheostat. I think a wire with a diameter of 0.5-1.5mm will do. If you choose a thinner wire, it will not be securely fixed in the housing, and if you choose a thicker one, you will have to increase the cross-section of the cable, which will make the latter too rigid.

Mica will be needed to make a gasket that insulates the coil from the heater tube. The fiberglass will serve as thermal insulation between the heater tube and the hair dryer body.

To make it more convenient to work with recalcitrant materials, you need to use “Rubber Glue”, “88H Glue” or “Moment” glue. Mica can be glued to fiberglass or even paper. The fiberglass can simply be glued and dried. As a result, the glue will burn out, but at the assembly stage it will provide indispensable help.

The heater spiral must be wound in such a way that it is inserted into the tube with a gap, which will subsequently have to be filled with a mica gasket. If you can find a tube of suitable diameter, you can insert the end of the wire into the tube and only then wind the spiral. I didn’t have such a tube, so I simply wound the wire around a metal rod, and then screwed the central wire inside the spiral. This technique is shown in the video>>>

I have used these wonderful products many times to solve completely atypical problems. In this case, electrical terminal blocks will transmit current from the cable to the spiral and fix the position of the spiral relative to the front edge of the tube (to prevent the spiral from shorting to the body).

To make the body of the hair dryer, we will use tin obtained from any non-corrugated tin can.

Often the cylindrical surface of the cans is hidden by a label. If you run your fingernail along the side of a jar in a store, you can easily recognize a jar with a smooth side wall.

From the cylinder of a five-gram syringe we will make a hair dryer handle.