Can You Heat Emboss With A Blow Dryer?

Do I have to buy a heating tool to heat emboss? I want to try embossing, but I'm not sure if I would like it or not and I'm trying to find an inexpensive way to try it.

No - two reasons - it does not get hot enough and it blows to hard, blowing off the powder. The embossing/heat guns gets much hotter and has a lower volume of concentrated air.

Although I haven't tried it, I don't think a hair dryer will work. Embossing tools are much hotter and a more concentrated air stream. I think a hair dryer would be too cool and would just blow the stuff around.

Hobby Lobby has a nice one for $20, sometimes it's on sale for $10.

I have heard that you can use a toaster, just don't get the paper too close or it will burn. I have never done it though...

• Mother Goose Said:

exactly

You can use a toaster. In the days before heat embossing tools, the packages of embossing ink/powders had instructions telling the user to hold the paper 2-3 inches above the open slots of a toaster and watch it carefully. Only hold it over the open heat for as long as it took to melt the powder.

I used an old toaster for many years before a heat gun was introduced onto the market and I always had good results. I am back to using a toaster since my heat gun went up in flames several months ago. Works like a charm!

You could use the hair dryer under the piece you're trying to emboss, but I don't think it's hot enough to get the job done quickly.

I didn't have good luck with a hair dryer, but I did use an iron a few times. It was REALLY hard holding the iron while holding the paper on top. And once, I scorched the paper while melting the powder. What I should have tried was a curling iron instead.

I ended up using an old heat-shrink gun that my now ex-hubby used on little plastic pieces when he joined pieces of wire together. It's bigger and bulkier than the embossing tools sold in stores.

Looking back, I should have just bought a real tool made for this purpose.

Thanks for the tips ladies. I sounds like I'm going to have to buy a tool. I'm going to try the toaster idea first though...

It might work if you place a piece of foil under the paper you are embossing, but other than that, I agree with everyone else. The embossing gun is a better way to do it.

I've used the toaster too! (before I bought my heat gun).

if you go to j's befor the 15th you can get 40% off a heat gun. I just picked up one yesterday.. Pluse 3 ink pads, 3 embossing powers and a lot of stamps for under 50.00 they have a big coupon thing going on right now.I used a total of 5 or 6 coupon for one oreder. so check them out

I used a lamp with a 100 watt bulb. Works like the toaster.

Interesting about the toaster. I never knew that before.

can you use a toaster oven and set it on top? just curious.

Well, years ago I used to emboss over the toaster. Now, let me explain: You must be extremely careful, no babies around, no phone distractions, etc., (I learned from experience~)and it works best on small areas. You would stamp the cardstock, put the embossing powder on, tap off the excess powder and then start the toaster, holding the paper carefully above the heat elements just until the embossing powder melts. Too much and it looks terrible! More like melted wax instead of embossed. The other item I have used was a small Rival beverage warmer, you know--the kind you put your cup of coffee or tea on to keep it warm. It actually gets pretty HOT! Again, safety is a huge issue with me. Lastly, save a $1 a week, until you can get a heat gun. It will last for years! Blessings, Keleia

If you have an electric stove, you can use that. Just hold the paper several inches from the coils and keep an eye on it. That's what I did until I got my heat gun.

Ooh more great ideas! I am going to try the electric stove idea tonight. I will eventually buy a heating tool, but I don't know if I will use it enough to warrant the expense.

Thanks for the tips!

I say just buy the heat tool. I tried the hair dryer, it didn't work a bit.
I tried the toaster, and all I got was curled paper and burned fingers. The embossing powder DID melt, but it was awkward.

I picked up The Paper Studio heat tool at HL for $10 last year and I use it ALL the time. Embossing is so much fun! I highly reccomend the Ranger White Sea Foam embossing powder, it's so awesome You can make beautiful white images on any colored paper, it looks fantastic on dark papers!

I'm a big fan of Antique Gold too. It doens't cover all of the color of the ink you're stamping with, it leaves a bit of it that you can see through the irredescent gold, it's really gorgeous!

You could probably go to a LSS and see if they have any heat tools out that you can try prior to buying. The toaster/oven/etc ideas sound kind of scary to me - I would probably burn down the house .

A blow-dryer doesn't work!! Buy a heat tool with a coupon at M or J's or try ebay...they are sooo worth the money!!

The heat gun is worth buying because you won't just use it for embossing. I use it to dry my pigment ink, if I am in a hurry and need my Diamond Glaze to dry quicker than it does, dry my paint...the list goes on and on....

What else does everyone do with their heat gun?

FYI- The toaster idea works! I will end up buying a heating tool eventually, but wanted to try a new technique to see if I would like it or not. And I do!!!

Please remember to be very careful when using your heat embossing guns. I had the Colorizer and it literally caught on fire/ went up in flames one Saturday morning. Thankfully I used mine on a hard fire resistant surface away from anything else that was flammable, otherwise I probably would have done lots of damage.

BTW- The colorizer was 2 years old and hardly ever used. I have not bought another because I am scared of them now. And the makers of the Colorizer didn't seem to care that it caught on fire nor did they want to have it sent back to look into the cause of the fire further. They just said they'd replace it (which they haven't - so far.)

Thanks for the tip! I will remember that.

Adriann, don't laugh. I used to heat emboss in my OVEN! LOL I had an electric oven and I would hold my items with these long tongs Ihad under the heating element until it did its thing. Not very safe. But effective. I say get the gun!

• Keleia Said:

Over the toaster. Here I was imagining you ladies sticking the paper in the toaster and I could not possibly comprehend how that would work without a disaster.