DIY Hot Air Soldering Iron using 12-18volts DC at 2-3 amps

Step 12 Candle blower :)

The strength of the hot air is the key to removing all that good hotness from the heating element inside the soldering iron. Trial and error should get you the right amount of airflow through the heating element that will effectively heat up the cold air blown into the heating chamber and out of the nozzle to a desired temperature. Too fast an airflow and the air will not have enough time to heat to the desired levels. I think I struck it lucky as I did not have to worry about this bit. The added benefit of having a coil used for heating with air flowing into the chamber containing the heating element, is that the resultant turbulence distributes the air more evenly reducing energy losses during heating of the cold air.