Heat Gun Tinfoil Nozzles

by mrscience6502 in Workshop > Tools

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Heat Gun Tinfoil Nozzles

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Hello! I will be showing you how to make nozzles for a heat gun in this Instructable. Heat guns are a cheap and simple way to desolder parts without buying a hot air rework station. They do have one downside, if you hold it near the circuit board too long, the board will burn up and release unhealthy chemicals. These nozzles are a simple way to concentrate the airflow in order to desolder parts faster.

Things You Need

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To build the nozzles you will need:

- Tinfoil/Aluminum foil

- Scissors

- Shapes to "mold" the nozzle

- A pipe clamp to fit your heat gun

- A heat gun

Beginning the Nozzle

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First, take your foil and cut it into three strips about 3"-4" wide, and about 12" in length. Take a strip and gently wrap it around the heat gun nozzle to make it into a cylinder (it doesn't matter if it's ugly).

Smoothing Out the Foil

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Put the pipe clamp around the foil and tighten it around the nozzle. Once the foil is secure, smooth it out using your fingers, or put a tube inside and smooth it around the tube.

Shaping Your Nozzle

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Take your shape and put it in the nozzle. Then crunch the foil around the shape to "mold" the nozzle. Remove the shape to finish the nozzle. Take the pipe clamp off and repeat these steps to make your other two nozzles. Look at the third picture to see how the shapes mold the nozzle.

Testing

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Now that you have made all three nozzles, it's time to test them! Simply turn on your heat gun, aim the nozzle opening at a circuit board, and start desoldering components! After testing my nozzles, I noticed that they turned the metal part of my heat gun weird colors. This happens because the foil is probably coated in something that burns when it get's really hot. I hope these nozzles will work for you, and if they don't I will gladly answer any questions!