I see it as a valuable addition to the toolbox that will be used on other jobs too. I have the 1500W version but there is a 1080W version on ebay for the price of a Clover iron, though you need to get the 20mm nozzle separately. Anyone who’s done any gas welding will find this a natural tool to use, though you need to develop some specific skills to get good results.
On the positive side the heat is consistent – unlike an iron which loses heat as you work. Though you have to be careful to keep the speed consistent – if you inadvertently pause while fiddling with the roller it can burn holes clean through the nylon. The air flow is very focused and stays at the nozzle width until it hits something. I flattened the 7mm round nozzle to about 10mm wide, and that proves useful for welding baffles onto a seat cushion. All the heat goes into the tpu coating and almost nothing is transferred to the other side of the nylon, so you could easily weld fabric coated on both sides. Or weld one side without affecting glue on the other side, and so on.
On the negative side it blows a large volume of air – think leaf blower – and anything not gaffer-taped down will blow away. The end of a seam tape will get twisted and welded to itself due to the air flow, so you need to extend the ends enough that you can hold them straight and then trim to size. The heating element looks very fragile, so it’s important to let it cool on fan only before switching off.
I’ve only practised with it so far, but when the new green fabric arrives I’ll make both boats together and try to make a video of the gun working.