The instructions do not always reveal all the nuances of how to use a hair dryer. This multifunctional tool is useful in a variety of areas of life and will prove very useful in production. Its main function is to warm up and direct air masses. Replaceable nozzles are used as auxiliary elements, designed to accurately supply a stream of air and protect surrounding objects. However, the use of a hair dryer does not end there.
What is and what does a construction hair dryer look like?
A household tool supplies hot air to a selected object. The photo of a construction hair dryer shows that in appearance it most closely resembles an electric drill or a regular hair dryer. But its operating temperatures are much higher than the latter.
A construction hair dryer consists of a housing under which a powerful motor is hidden. On the internal spindle of the device there is a fan that forces air into a thermally insulating casing with a heating element, usually ceramic with a nichrome spiral. The casing has an outlet nozzle through which a hot air stream is supplied.
Many models of construction hot air guns are equipped with a long handle on which there is a start button and mode switching keys. Because of this shape, the tool can be called a heat gun.
The handle usually has rubber pads to prevent slipping.
Depending on the model, hair dryers may vary in size and weight. On average, the length of the instrument is 22-30 cm, and the weight is up to 1 kg, in rare cases up to 2 kg.
Important! The more massive the heat gun, the higher its power. But working with heavy tools is not very convenient; your hands get tired quickly.
Avoid metal accessories when styling
Combs and brushes you use when styling should not have metal parts. The fact is that the metal heats up quickly and unevenly - you yourself will not feel that some parts of it are excessively hot, but your hair will. Once - and the keratin core is burned in the middle. Then the hair splits and breaks from this point.
No, there are much more suitable materials for styling accessories. Mustang Professional hair experts recommend using carbon fiber skeleton brushes, and for thermal brushes, ceramic tourmaline bases and soft synthetic bristles.
Pay attention to these models. A skeleton brush for quick and gentle drying of hair under a hair dryer is included in the set of professional Mustang combs, and thermal brushes of five different diameters are sold separately so that you can choose the ones that suit exactly the length of your hair.
How does a hair dryer work?
The operating principle of a hair dryer is practically no different from the operation of a conventional hair dryer. An electric motor, using a fan, draws air inside the device through special holes, directing it to the heating element.
When passing through a hot coil, the flow reaches very high temperatures, and is then transferred to the outlet nozzle on the other side of the hair dryer. A directed hot jet bursts out of the nozzle at high speed, capable of not only heating, but also melting objects.
Application of a device based on thermal effects
High temperatures allow:
- heat soured threaded connections for dismantling old water supply networks and during machine repairs;
- heat wax, bitumen, resin and any other sealants based on them when installing the roof, installing sound insulation;
- stick stretch films onto textured surfaces;
- solder polypropylene fabrics;
- accelerate the hardening of multicomponent adhesive and other mixtures.
In other words, a construction hair dryer is capable of heating any building materials, with the exception of wood, as well as paint and varnish and even polymer compositions.
Types of construction hair dryers
Construction hot air guns are divided into categories rather arbitrarily. It is customary to distinguish the following types according to power:
- household - up to 1.1 kW;
- professional - on average up to 2 kW;
- industrial - 2 kW or more.
The higher the power of the hair dryer, the higher its maximum temperatures. Industrial models are capable of delivering a jet of air at about 700 °C.
Another classification divides hair dryers by design.
- Pistol. These models are the most popular; they have a handle located perpendicular to the body, on which control buttons are mounted.
Pistol hair dryers are quite lightweight - they can be held with one hand. - Direct. These models do not have a handle; they have an elongated shape. You need to hold a straight hot air gun by the body, which allows you to conveniently grab it with both hands, but at the same time increases the risk of burns or electric shock.
Straight heat gun is good for working in confined spaces
Another classification divides technical hair dryers into varieties according to the type of power supply:
- From the network. Models are more powerful, but they can only be turned on close to an outlet.
The range of a powered hot air gun is limited by the length of the cord - From the battery. You can use a technical hairdryer of this type anywhere, but its capabilities are limited.
Cordless heat guns are very convenient, but not suitable for long-term work
The handle of pistol models can be not only open, but also closed, protecting fingers from accidental burns. In addition to the fact that such devices are safer, they can be comfortably grabbed with two hands. But at the same time, the disadvantage of the protected design is its bulkiness; you cannot use such a hairdryer in hard-to-reach places.
What brand of technical hair dryer should I choose?
Among the variety of brands on the domestic market, there are clear favorites that know how to make good tools of decent quality and at reasonable prices. If we analyze the model lines, the leaders include the five best manufacturers:
- Elitech. The Russian brand ELITECH has established itself as a manufacturer of inexpensive but high-quality tools. The excellent combination of reliability, functionality and affordable price made the equipment very popular among craftsmen.
- BISON Another Russian manufacturer that has received a lot of positive feedback and recognition from experienced craftsmen. ZUBR equipment is unpretentious to operating conditions, has good ergonomics and maintainability.
- STEINEL. The German manufacturer was at the forefront of the creation of thermal tools and today is an unconditional example of quality. The company is actively introducing modern technologies, adapting familiar tools to the strict requirements of professionals.
- Makita. The Japanese brand is an expert in the development of power tools and has been one of the leaders for several decades. Makita is recognized by both amateurs and professionals because it makes comfortable, durable equipment with a high working life.
- Bosch. The German brand is synonymous with reliability, high quality and performance. Bosch makes tools that can withstand extreme loads in any environment. The list of advantages is complemented by the introduction of advanced technologies and a wide network of service centers where you can always order spare parts and components.
What can it be used for and why do you need a construction hair dryer?
Videos about what you can do with a hair dryer present it as a universal device with a wide range of applications. The possibilities of use are practically unlimited; the device will be in demand wherever high-temperature processing is needed:
- Using a hair dryer, you can stick vinyl film on any surface or carefully remove stickers and tinting from objects.
- The device is used to solder and mold plastic parts, for example, when installing drainpipes. The device allows you to make and attach patches to an object. You can also remove shallow scratches from plastic surfaces without leaving a trace using heating.
- Another area of application for a construction hair dryer is electrical work. With its help, small parts are soldered and desoldered, and the chips of motherboards, video cards, and smartphones are warmed up.
- The tool allows you to defrost brake pads or car glass; battery-powered models are especially convenient in this regard. Also, using the device, minor dents are leveled out on the car body.
- In furniture production, using a heat gun, you can glue parts and replace decorative edges. If you heat the wood with hot air and then treat it with beeswax, you will be able to return the beautiful shine to the product.
- A hair dryer is suitable for sterilizing metal objects. It can be used to clean manicure and pedicure tools after use.
- The device is used to remove contaminants. A stream of hot air effectively burns away plaque from ceramic and metal surfaces.
In home repairs, a technical hair dryer is most often used to remove old paint.
An unusual option for using a construction hair dryer in everyday life is heating and cooking. At the dacha, using the device, you can make popcorn or fry shish kebab, bake meringues or make coffee if other equipment and an open source of fire are not at hand.
Use thermal protection
To protect hair from the destructive effects of high temperatures during drying and styling, special products are produced that you can find in any specialized store. There is a simple rule that allows you to choose the product that best suits your hair:
- sprays and mousses with thermal protection are better for airy hair,
- creams and lotions - for heavier and thicker hair,
- Heat-protective wax is worth using if you have curly hair and want to make it straighter at the same time.
If, after using thermal protection, your hair has become too heavy and walking with it has become unusual and unpleasant, this is not a reason to refuse thermal protection, this is a reason to use it more correctly, apply less and more evenly.
How to use a hair dryer
A technical hot air gun is a rather dangerous device to use. If you handle it carelessly, you can get serious burns, so it is very important to carefully follow the operating instructions and safety precautions. For any method of using a construction hair dryer, you must:
- ensure good ventilation of the room;
- remove all potentially flammable or explosive objects from the work area;
- during operation, keep the hot air gun below or above the level of the head, so as not to burn your face in case of a possible mistake;
- use safety glasses and gloves.
There are also general rules for using a hair dryer, which recommend:
- start the device into operation smoothly, from low power to maximum;
- before turning off the hair dryer, first turn it back to the minimum settings so that the temperature changes gradually;
- Before operation, check whether the air intake grilles are open, otherwise the unit will quickly overheat and fail;
- take short breaks when working for a long time; usually construction hair dryers are not designed for continuous operation longer than 20 minutes.
When working with a technical hair dryer, you should wear gloves that are as tight as possible.
Before turning on the device, you should carefully study the instructions for using the construction hair dryer and determine which mode you need to set to carry out certain work. You cannot select the temperature and blowing speed settings at random - this will reduce the efficiency of using the device, and in some cases it will damage the surface being treated.
Advice! When you turn on a new device for the first time, you need to let it run idle for 15-20 minutes.
A brand new hair dryer may emit a specific odor when starting up; it comes from burning dust and lubricant residues inside the device. Normally, the aroma quickly disappears on its own and does not indicate any damage.
Household and professional heat guns
Construction hair dryers for household and professional use differ from each other. The former have limited functionality and are capable of drying, defrosting, and heating heat-shrinkable tubes. They are most often equipped with a switch for “hot” and “very hot”, and the set includes from two to three nozzles. Professional construction hair dryers are usually produced with narrow profiles. If the tool is intended for welding work, it has a shape that is convenient for welding. In addition, they allow you to accurately set the temperature and can have built-in indicators of the temperature of the supplied air flow. Wide-profile models are equipped with a variety of attachments, which can significantly expand the capabilities of the device. Another advantage of a professional heat gun is its longer continuous operation time. Household models need a little rest. The cost of professional hair dryers is much higher, but for home use, when the device is not used to perform a large amount of work, a universal inexpensive model is sufficient.
How to replace a hair dryer at home
A technical hair dryer is not present in every tool cabinet. Sometimes the need for a device arises suddenly and urgently.
It is quite difficult to completely replace a specific device; for example, a regular hair dryer for repair and construction purposes is clearly not suitable. The closest thing to a device in terms of properties and capabilities is a gas burner. It only needs to be slightly improved before use.
The burner functions as follows: compressed gas is supplied from a cylinder, and when a special button is pressed, its stream is ignited by a spark. In this case, the flame power can usually be adjusted using a valve. To convert a burner into a hair dryer, you only need to equip it with a homemade nozzle that will hide the fire and leave a stream of hot air at the outlet.
You can do it like this:
- select a metal tube whose width will coincide with the inner diameter of the burner outlet nozzle;
- insert the elements tightly into each other, the structure should not play or fall out;
- If necessary, cut the nozzle slightly to length.
You can upgrade a gas burner to a hot air gun in a few minutes.
Then all that remains is to check the device in operation. Open the gas valve slightly and press the spark button. When the structure is properly assembled, the flame should not extend beyond the installed nozzle - only air is needed for heat treatment.
A homemade hot air gun will not be as convenient to use as a real one; for example, it will be more difficult to regulate the temperature and determine its current values.
But for simple urgent work, a converted burner is suitable, for example, it can be used to warm up objects and surfaces, soften glue, and remove old paintwork from a wall.
Important! When using a homemade hot air gun, you must follow standard safety precautions, wear gloves and safety glasses, and do not point the device at flammable objects.
Tips for use
The service life of the tool can be significantly extended by considering basic operating recommendations. As a rule, in most cases the device fails due to a fall or overheating. Recommendations for use :
- Do not work near flammable or flammable materials.
- The air flow should be supplied at an angle of 45°. This eliminates the possibility of overheating due to reflection of the hot flow from the surface being treated.
- You need to ensure that the tool does not overheat. Professional models have a special sensor; household ones simply turn off after work for the recommended period of time.
- You need to work only with good ventilation of the surrounding area. Cold air is required to cool the instrument.
Each manufacturer includes operating instructions in the package, which should be carefully studied and followed. If it is not available, you can go to the manufacturer’s official website and study the specification of the tool.
From hairdressing salons to the construction industry. The hairdryer did this way. Its name coincides with the German definition of a gusty and dry wind blowing from the mountains into the valleys. In Germany, in 1900, they came up with a device that blew in a similar way.
Outwardly, the first hair dryer resembled a tin can with a wooden handle on one side and a metal pipe on the other. Released the product to the market. Inside the hair dryer there was an internal combustion engine.
The device weighed 2 kilograms, and the air produced a temperature of 90 degrees. I had to dry my hair at a distance of a meter from the hairdryer, otherwise it smelled like it was fried, literally and figuratively. Modern models weigh 2 kilos each and produce hot air only when they are in construction. In the installation industry, devices are just as indispensable as in a hairdressing salon.
Mistake: Holding the hairdryer with your dominant hand
It seems quite natural, so almost everyone does it. And in vain, because to form a style or distribute strands you need the dexterity of just this hand. Take the hairdryer correctly to better control the process, work more effectively with the comb and use less effort.
Mistake: Not cleaning the hairdryer
Let's be honest, no one ever cleans a hairdryer. It's time to fix this. The hairdryer must be cleaned of dirt regularly. Do you use it once a week? Carry out hygienic cleaning monthly. Do you use technology more often? Clean once every two weeks. Accumulated dust harms both the hair and the hair dryer itself. You don’t want it to break or, God forbid, to catch fire?
