# Heat gun or Hair dryer?



## joHtoD3 (Mar 26, 2013)

I'm new to the forum and to building layouts, so I have decided to build my first layout in N Scale. I want to put down Woodland Scenic's vinyl grass mat. I've been watching some of their videos on how to form and mold their vinyl mat and they use a heat gun when heat it up to form it. My question is, is this just basically a hairdryer or does it put out a hotter temperature than a regular hairdryer which I would think would be cheaper to use as a source of heat to mold the vinyl. Thanks in advance for any suggestions or help!


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

John....Welcome to the site. A hairdryer should work. A heat gun (one that can be used to strip paint from one's house) may well provide to much heat.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

This is NOT personal experience, but I think you may need the higher heat of the gun, rather than a conventional dryer. Perhaps it's a question of application time, though?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

My heat gun has different settings.

You can get a cheap one for around $20 bucks, you don't need a $100 model.

Here is a Wagner at HD, 2 temp settings.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wagner-HT1000-10-Amp-Heat-Gun-0503045/202102620?N=c2fe#.UVI2IxyG2rU


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

Some of the WS mat is thinner that others. I would only suggest that you not use the high heat setting, if so, the mat mat will curl.


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## joHtoD3 (Mar 26, 2013)

Those are some good answers. Big Ed I like that Wagner! Thanks for all the help guys!


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## Don Trinko (Oct 23, 2012)

A Heat gun produce more heat than a hair dryer. Many have a switch for a lower heat level. 
Not sure if a hair drier will work for what you want but I know for shrink tubing a heat gun works fine. Don


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You get a different "kind" of heat from a hair dryer than a heat gun.

A hair dryer will give you LOTS of hot air, the heat gun will give you much less airflow, but much hotter air.

The choice depends on the requirements. I keep an old hair dryer around as well as a couple of heat guns.


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## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

There is another alternative, A heat gun:

http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=13384949&kw=heat gun&origkw=heat+gun&sr=1

Just to mention a few.

Ray


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