How to Shrink Wrap Machinery

SAFETY FIRST!

Always watch the shrink wrap training video (you can watch it free online) before shrinking any objects.
Never point a Shrink wrap heat gun / heat tool toward yourself or anyone else.
Always wear shrink wrap safety gloves, long sleeves, long pants and safety glasses.
Do not use the shrink wrap heat gun while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Standard shrink wrap is NOT flame retardant unless it was specifically ordered as such. Shrink wrap can burn. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby at all time. If desired, you can order Flame retardant shrink wrap.

Always follow the shrink wrap heat gun / tool manufacturer instructions.

Logical steps in shrink wrapping

Walk around the object you are going to cover to look for problem areas - it’s much better to do it now rather than when you are shrink wrapping. Ascertain what sharp areas may need to be padded to keep the shrink wrap from tearing, or areas that need to protected against excessive heat (electrical panels, hoses, etc.). Also decide how far down the object your shrink wrap cover will go, and how you will attach the shrink wrap.
Pad the areas you previously discovered and measure the object to see what size shrink wrap will work well for you.
Bring the shrink wrap over the object (put the shrink wrap on a shrink wrap dispenser and do not let it drag on the floor or ground as it will pick up dirt).
Form pleats at the corners, and where excess shrink wrap is apparent (watch the shrink wrap training video to view how pleats are made) and tape in position until you can heat weld them.
Run strapping around base of the object to be covered, making sure that 6” of shrink wrap lies below the strap, for use in making a weld-able hem (trim excess so that there is no more than 6”). Tighten the shrink wrap strapping with buckles, using the tension tool, until the strapping is extremely tight.
Now heat-weld the shrink wrap around the base of the object being shrink wrapped. This is accomplished by flipping upward the shrink wrap that is below the perimeter strapping, creating a hem, and applying heat to form a heat weld (watch the shrink wrap training video for techniques).
As you are heat welding the base, also seal the pleats with the Shrink wrap heat gun (also shown on the training video).
Once the heat weld around the base and the pleats are sealed, the entire project may be shrunk. Begin above the bottom heat weld, and shrink upward. Use strokes similar to spray painting, letting off the trigger at the end of each stroke. Try to heat each area of the shrink wrap only one time. Hit it hard and move on (do not use a small amount of heat so that the heat tool must be moved over the wrap several times to get it shrunk, as that would thin the shrink wrap rather than shrinking it).
After you have shrunk the entire project, inspect the unit and check for holes and pleats that have come apart. Use shrink wrap tape to repair small holes and to seal the loose pleats. To repair larger holes, take a piece of scrap shrink wrap that is 2” to 3" larger than the hole, and tape it over the hole. Lightly shrink it using the shrink wrap heat gun to tighten it.