Does anyone have a recommendation for a heat gun for paper crafting? I’ve been using my blow dryer but it makes papers go flying everywhere and I was wondering if a heat gun would be a better choice.
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Following this, because same.
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I have whatever the craft store stocked so no brand rec from me but just a confirmation that yes absolutely, a heat gun is far superior to a blow dryer that sends papers flying!
Some hair dryers do have just a heat setting with no blow.
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Just be careful, heat guns ate hot! You can melt and scorch things easily and unexpectedly.
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We have a heat gun my husband got for doing resin but I wasn’t sure if I could use that one or if there was one that got less hot for paper crafting.
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I don’t use it for paper crafting, but I do have a heat gun for other crafts. I bought the basic $20 model from Wagner at Home Depot. I’ve used it for a few projects now, and I’m really happy with it.
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What everyone has said. A heat gun is much nicer for crafting as it’s mostly heat and just a bit of hair movement. It’s also way more focused. It is however A LOT hotter, so precautions for safety while in use and how you set it down when it’s hot are important.
For paper and other crafting, I have a Marvy Uchida that is 20+ years old which was my whatever-the-craft-store had and I remember using a 40% off coupon on it which made it quite reasonable and it’s still going strong. It’s also small and easy to store.
For DIY around the house, I have something like what MistressJennie shared - a basic from a home center. It covers a larger area which is great for bigger projects and is comfortable to hold for longer periods of time.
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Following up on this old thread - I ended up getting a Heat It Craft Tool made by Ranger (about $25) and I highly recommend it. Nothing moves around when I’m drying and it’s quiet enough that no one can hear it on zoom calls (no needing to mute then forgetting I’m muted!). I also tried one of the heat tools like you use for embossing but found it way too hot, loud, and too much air movement.
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How hot does your Ranger one get? It sounds like a candidate for my Christmas list, but since I craft on my wooden coffee table that’s usually rife with paper bits, so I’m wondering whether setting it down might be an issue for me.
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The plastic gets warm but not super hot. I usually lay it down in my lap (probably not the best idea) or on my cheap silicone mat I craft on. I think you could lay it down on the wooden table without issue. I’ve recently added a little hook on my rolling cart that I now hang it off of to keep out of the way.
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Yeah, the fact that you can put it on your lap makes me think I’m probably not going to burn the house down.
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Heat guns are very hot and can burn you, so be careful. And I think if the temperature is that hot then it would be a good idea for you to emboss everything, including paper, or maybe wood, blackboard, etc. It can help you create a focal point on the page. layout and write the designs on paper.
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Check WalMart, during this Christmas, they usually have a baking area with some thick silicone trivets. I use those under anything hot plus my glue gun. Glue pops off a lot easier than when it hits the glass table. 
Same ideas on the heat guns. Make sure you get craft over hardware. I have both for different things. Take note that there is a coupon that just came out in a mailer today for Joann’s. There is a three day period of time next week that we can use it to get 60% off - assume it will also be in the app. 
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