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  1. #1

    Heat gun or Blow torch for post processing?

    After breaking off supports or sanding, I usually use a lighter to heat up the plastic to remove the white discoloration on my prints.I'm thinking about one of those small handheld torches or a hot gun. Any thoughts?
    Last edited by JackMcConick; 03-13-2019 at 05:16 AM.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator curious aardvark's Avatar
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    Jul 2014
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    I occasionally use a very small lighter powered torch to quickly remove fine stringing.
    Just be careful it really doesn't take much for the print to deform.

    A hot air gun with a temperature control would probably work better.

    don't think I've ever had white discolouration though. you using abs ?

  3. #3
    The Esun PLA+ will leave white dots where a support was.. picking at it with a dental pick can remove it if you have the patients. You can see them on the base of one.. I got tired of scraping..Well you could on the original image.. forum reduced the size I guess..
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    Last edited by airscapes; 03-07-2019 at 03:15 PM.

  4. #4
    Technician
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    Dec 2018
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    I am a big fan of the reheating. It works on ABS too. I have not used a heat gun though, only an open flame. I have had success with a lighter and with a cook's blowtorch.

  5. #5
    Technologist TommyDee's Avatar
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    Flameless torch... typically disguised as butane soldering irons. Remove the tip and you have a ceramic grid heater element (catalyzer?) that converts the flame to just glowing red heat. There is enough air flow to target small areas. Also does wonders for de-stringing. These are usually hand held.

    But the surface mount components for PCB's using flameless heat tools... now that's professional grade! I use my flameless hobby torch for making printed board assemblies.

    recube_wand_ebay4.jpg

  6. #6
    Great! I like it!

  7. #7
    Technologist TommyDee's Avatar
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    Jan 2019
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    As I posted in another thread, I should just reveal the torch I am using. WITH A DISCLAIMER! I love this torch, but it requires external ignition after only a short period of use. The plastics deforms from heat and the built-in igniter becomes useless. Also, the safety mechanism is easily removed which isn't necessary when you have to use an external igniter

    It does not use a mesh to catalyze the flame; it uses a ceramic grid. You heat the grid with a butane light/torch (sharp blue flame) into the vent hole and then start the butane flowing.
    the ceramic will get red hot and it has enough heat-flow to get target areas as small as a 1/4" [6.35mm].

    eBay seems to be the only place left to get these... and they are quite reasonable.

    Mag-Torch MT 765 Micro Butane Refillable Torch or MT 775 with some accessories.

    Basically, these work great as a pimple removing tool from support removal on ABS and alike, but also nice to remove or solder surface mount components. That's why I needed a backup. They are getting rare in the regular world (not eBay). Spent a half hour with a Home Depot chatterer explaining just that.

    Anyone finds a different unit that uses a ceramics based catalyze'r, please post up the details.

  8. #8
    Student Daniel-J's Avatar
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    I had a need to buy a gun like that, too. I'm tired of these leftovers. You provided a good selection of equipment, but there are really many. Found some samples right here, but I'm not sure they'll all fit. I don't quite understand the difference between them, the cooler they are, the more they can change the temperature or add finer settings?

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