Hot melt adhesive for a gun - types and advantages

Introduction

At the moment, if there is a need to glue some things “tightly”, then you can hardly find a better hot melt glue on the market. This universal tool appeared relatively recently, but has already gained great popularity in a variety of fields, from construction to design and historical restoration.

However, for some, choosing hot glue for a glue gun is not the easiest task. And all because the market is overflowing with all sorts of types, both in color and in functional features. But this minor problem can be forgiven for its truly miraculous properties of gluing things together.

Examples of handicrafts with hot glue in the photo

A real Renaissance has come for handicrafts. Materials and techniques have appeared that were never even dreamed of before. So many activities provide an outlet for creative energy, relieve stress and bring income to craftsmen. To keep up with the latest trends in the world of craftswomen and stay in trend, you have to keep up. So a good tool is never superfluous here.

Which hot melt adhesive is better - the answer to this question depends on what purposes you are going to use it for; to decide, follow the link.

Which grade of hot melt adhesive is better ? Hot melt adhesive does not have a grade; in other words, if you are offered a second grade adhesive, then it is not a hot melt adhesive.

Which hot melt adhesive to choose - to choose, you need to clearly understand what you want to glue with it, and taking this into account, select it in accordance with the specified parameters: operating temperature, adhesion, cohesion, glue viscosity, open time.

What temperature hot-melt glue can withstand depends on the type of glue. Some have a heat resistance of 60 ºС, some can withstand temperatures greater than 150 ºС.

What is good about hot melt adhesive - it has the following advantages: fast gluing speed, no drying equipment required, resistant to water, non-toxic, long shelf life.

How to remove old hot melt adhesive – use Sanywax cleaner to remove hot melt adhesive. It is a clear liquid with a slight citrus odor. Density 0.834-0.85 g/cmᵌ, boiling point (a 5mmHg): 176°C.

How to remove hot-melt adhesive - use Sanywax cleaner to remove hot-melt adhesive.

What hot glue glues - this type of glue perfectly connects paper, cardboard, metal, wood, ceramics, foam rubber, polystyrene foam, polypropylene, polyethylene and other materials.

What is hot melt adhesive used for ? It is used to join various materials where quick and economical gluing is required.

What can be glued with hot-melt adhesive - it can effectively glue cardboard, paper, metal, wood, ceramics, foam rubber, polypropylene, polystyrene foam, polyethylene and other materials.

How to use hot-melt adhesive - in order to use this type of glue, you need equipment for melting hot-melt adhesive. To do this I use glue guns or glue stations.

How to apply hot-melt adhesive correctly - hot-melt adhesive is applied using hot-melt guns using nozzles that prevent glue from leaking and makes application convenient and practical, or using glue stations in automatic mode.

How to glue hot-melt adhesive – use glue sticks and a hot-melt gun to glue surfaces.

How many degrees of hot melt glue depends on the glue; the softening temperature can range from 65 ºС to over 150 ºС.

How durable hot-melt adhesive is - the answer to this question depends on the surfaces being glued and operating conditions, but in any case it needs to be tested.

How much does hot-melt adhesive cost? The price of hot-melt adhesive depends on the type of glue and volume of purchase, and since the product is imported, it also depends on the exchange rate.

How long does it take for hot-melt adhesive to dry – the bonding time can vary from 1 to 300 seconds.

How long does hot-melt glue harden - the glue hardens time is from 1 to 300 seconds.

How long does hot melt adhesive last ? The shelf life is from two to three years.

Where hot melt adhesive is used - this type of glue has found its application in the manufacture of packaging, gluing labels, making air filters, diapers, handicrafts, and repair work.

Why hot melt adhesive does not glue - perhaps you are applying hot melt adhesive to a silicone surface, or it is not selected correctly and is not intended for gluing this type of surface.

Read also: Connecting video cameras to a computer

Why hot-melt glue runs on its own - this could be the result of an incorrectly selected nozzle or it is of poor quality and does not protect against glue leakage.

Why hot melt adhesive does not hold - most likely it was chosen incorrectly; to avoid such situations, it is necessary to carry out preliminary testing. Contact us, we will help you choose the right hot melt adhesive.

Why hot melt glue stretches - very often when working with a hot melt gun you can observe stretching threads, this is due to the fact that hot melt glue consists of polymers. Let these threads cool and then simply remove.

Do I need to change hot melt adhesive ? If you are satisfied with it, then there is no need to replace it.

What is hot melt adhesive - it is a solvent-free special fusible composition based on synthetic rubbers (polymers).

At what degrees to melt hot melt glue depends on the glue, usually from 110 to 140 ºС.

If you have any questions, please contact us .

Together we will find the best solution for your company.

Perhaps the biggest problem for needlewomen (and not only) working with a hot-melt gun is the danger of the tool exploding and the constant leakage of glue.

Today we want to talk about how to protect yourself from such troubles.

First of all, the danger of explosion arises from improper handling of the gun. Check to see if the heat gun is lying on its side, if there is any damage at the connections between the plug and the power cord, and if the glue stick is dirty. For uninterrupted operation of the heat gun, it is enough to follow the following rules.

Rules for working with a hot glue gun

Load the hot melt glue sticks into the hot melt gun.
Wait until the hot melt glue warms up well in the body of the glue gun. This will take from 2 to 10 minutes. Attention! Do not start working with a glue gun until the glue stick has melted (i.e. flows out of the gun easily). This may cause damage to the glue feed mechanism.
Once the glue flows out easily from the nozzle of the hot glue gun, you can begin working. The glue is applied to the surface to be glued by pressing the trigger of the heat gun. You can easily dose the amount of hot melt adhesive that flows out by adjusting the pressure on the trigger.
When working with a hot glue gun, do not place it on its side; the nozzle of the gun should always face down. This will allow the tool to last a long time. Also, before starting work, take care to clean the surfaces to be bonded from dust, grease and moisture.
After finishing work, the glue gun must be unplugged and allowed to cool. The glue stick does not need to be removed from the gun.
When working, certain care should be taken to avoid the risk of burns.

The second common problem that can cause a heat gun to break (and even explode) is the purchase of an initially low-quality tool. Well, you must admit, can a heat gun for 47 rubles serve you faithfully? Even a normal tee costs much more.

Thermal gun Fix Price

Since quality is always our top priority, we have made every effort to find you a reliable tool at a reasonable price. And today we present a new product on the market, which our experts have already tested in practice - the Kleyman heat gun.

The Kleyman heat gun is a high quality tool. For those who don't want to pay twice.

Lightweight and ergonomic, comfortable to hold.
Designed for hot-melt adhesive in rods with a diameter of 7 – 7.5 mm. For the best effect, you must use high-quality glue sticks.
It has high performance and reliability in its class.
It has a convenient metal stand that allows you to fix it in the correct position.
Equipped with a modern glue heating and supply system, which allows you to supply glue evenly and in predictable portions.
It has a thin spout and delivers glue in a thin stream, which is very convenient when working with small parts.
Can work up to 12 hours without glue leaking, without having an on/off switch! Tested by market experts!
Works 8 times longer than Chinese ones.
20-30% cheaper than European ones.
Beautiful and stylish design.

Power 20 W.
Voltage 220-240 V.
Operating temperature 165 °C.
Powered by network.
Packaging: blister. The set includes 2 rods of 10 cm each.

We advise you to choose only reliable and high-quality tools so that you can enjoy the process and not be distracted by unpleasant moments!

And, of course, if you follow the above rules, the tool will last you much longer!

What is hot melt adhesive

Hot melt adhesive or thermoplastic substance is a special chemical compound that can repeatedly change from solid to liquid form. For the reaction to occur, a certain temperature is needed, from 80 to 150 degrees, depending on the chemical composition of the glue. It is supplied to the market in the form of elongated flexible rods that are inserted into a special tool, a glue gun.

The gun heats up when the required temperature is reached, the glue becomes liquid, ready for use. And after use, after a while it hardens. Typically, the rods contain polyamide or ethylene vinyl acetate; in addition, they may contain other polymers and polyolefins.

The substance owes its popularity to its connecting properties, as well as its convenient principle of use. Hot-melt adhesive can be used to connect almost anything, namely, parts from:

wood;

glass;

skin;

metal;

paper, cardboard;

ceramics;

rubber;

textiles;

plastic, PVC;

polystyrene foam

Video about a glue gun and the rules for choosing a good hot melt glue

Power when choosing an electric heat gun

An important quantity is the power of the device, which ranges from 15–500 W. It determines how quickly the gun heats up and how many grams of glue it dispenses per minute. If you use it occasionally, a weak model up to 40 W is enough. The same power is chosen for very small jobs like kanzashi or gluing rhinestones. Small models are compact, heat up quickly and have a thin nozzle for tiny drops. For those who work with a pistol a lot, it is better to spend money once on a device with a power of 300–500 W, so as not to be nervous about low performance and rapid breakdown in the future. In addition, such models accept any rods. If universal transparent ones begin to melt at a temperature of 80 0 C and are suitable for any gun, then black and yellow ones require a minimum of 150 0 C. Miniature devices simply cannot handle such loads. The heating temperature must be indicated on the packaging of the heat gun.

To work with small parts you need a thin nozzle. Otherwise, the drop of glue will be too large, and the work will turn out sloppy.

For precise gluing of small elements you need a heat gun with a thin nozzle

A good heat gun reaches operating temperature in 15–20 seconds and maintains it stably. It is desirable to have several operating modes. Then, by simply switching the regulator, you can switch to low or high temperature rods.

It is worth looking for a device with replaceable nozzles to adjust the diameter of the drop . As a rule, there are three of them:

Universal.
Extra long.
Wide slot.

There are mains-powered models with a cord 1.0–3.5 m long. Battery-powered heat guns are convenient, but so far their price is much higher than network ones.

What are the types

The biggest problem people have is the wide variety of hot glue gun refills that vary in color and chemical properties . Here is a list of the most common types of rods:

White translucent, the most common type, can be used for any work;

Colored, the properties are the same as white, and the color serves for aesthetic purposes;

White ones are opaque; rods for gluing glass are used under this marking;

Yellow transparent, for paper, wood and cardboard;

Gray or black, not glue, but a sealant for wiring, cracks and seams.

If you come across any other color or type, it is better to check its intended purpose with the seller, because it may have a special chemical composition for certain jobs.

Range

There are many types of hot-melt adhesive, differing in sticker shape, color, and transparency.

Translucent white glue is considered universal. Equally effective at home and at work.
Multi-colored opaque glue sticks are needed for gluing colored materials and products. For example, by connecting green, red or blue parts with a sticker of the same shade, you can get completely invisible seams.
White matte hot melt adhesive is available in two versions. One glues white elements, the other is used to work with glass. Therefore, when purchasing a product, pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendations. They will tell you what a particular brand of hot melt adhesive is.

For paper, cardboard, wood, choose transparent yellow rods. The opaque yellowish rods, as well as the gray and black ones, are not glue, they are sealants. They are used to fill seams and insulate cables because they have dielectric properties.

Based on their composition, adhesives are divided into:

ethylene vinyl acetate - the most widely used, used for gluing a wide range of materials and elements;
metallocene-based polyolefins - usually used where extremely high or low temperatures are expected;
alpha-polyolefins begin to polymerize 6 minutes after application, therefore they are used for working with large areas and products with elevated temperatures;
The use of PSA hot melt adhesive is ideal when working with difficult-to-glue materials.

Advantages

In addition to its excellent connecting function, the adhesive has a number of advantages and features:

The chemical compound, when cured, provides high strength. To break the integrity and break the connection, an applied force of 150 kg is required.

Instant hardening. Not every instant adhesive can match the speed of gluing, hardening, from 5 to 10 seconds, depending on the temperature conditions of the environment.

Another advantage is the long service life. The fact is that hot-melt adhesive for a gun is impervious to weather changes, moisture and other factors. The connection will remain in its original condition for many years.

Convenient format of use if you use a glue gun. Such treatment completely isolates the possibility of contact with the substance, and also makes it as simple as possible.

Cost and range. Considering the fairly cheap and simple production process, hot melt adhesive is more accessible, and also significantly expands the choice of different models.

Problems and their solutions

The most common problem when working with a heat gun is that the glue flows uncontrollably, without pressing the trigger. There may be several reasons:

The temperature is too high for a particular rod. It is optimal when the heat gun has a heating regulator to set the required melting degrees. Otherwise you will have to replace the rods. In a good gun, the nozzle has a ball valve - the so-called drip protection;
The rod is inserted too tightly. Sometimes it helps to move it back a little;
rod diameter mismatch. Some models require decimal sizes. For example, Sigma - 11.2 mm. If you put an 11 mm rod into such a device, a pressure difference occurs inside the heater, and the glue flows back. Using rods of the correct diameter solves the issue;
low quality pistol. You can insert a toothpick into the nozzle during a pause in work. Or accept it and try to finish the work as quickly as possible: the contents flow out very quickly.

If the glue stops coming out, the gun may be clogged. It is disassembled and cleaned. To avoid this, do not allow glue to stick around the nozzle.

You can get excellent results and joy from work only with a working hot glue gun

For battery-powered models, the glue sometimes becomes viscous and has difficulty passing through the nozzle. You need to reheat the device in the charging station.

In cheap models, when there is a break in use for several minutes, the pusher gets stuck in the soft rod and cannot move it. You need to turn off the gun and let it cool.

If the glue stretches like a thread and you can’t apply a dot, craftswomen advise keeping the rods in the refrigerator. Most likely they are of low quality.

How to change the color of the rod correctly

To prime the gun, the rod is simply inserted into a special hole at the back. After finishing work, you don’t have to remove it. Then the next time you turn on the device will be immediately ready for use.

A little trick. Short glue sticks have to be added frequently during the process. Using a heat gun, glue 2-4 sticks together - you will get one large one, which will last for a long time.

Sometimes it is necessary to change the color of the coming out glue, for example, blue to transparent. If the gun has cooled down, turn it on for about 1 minute, then carefully unscrew the rod. Charge a new one, press the trigger to squeeze out the remnants of the old one until the desired color appears.

Rules for using hot glue gun

In order for the connection to be truly strong and reliable, you need to follow a number of simple rules. The rules imply preparation steps and a model of behavior in handling the substance:

Before joining, the surface of the gluing objects must be clean, without excess moisture. Otherwise, there is a high probability that the result will be of worse quality than expected, and the service life of the connection between parts will also be reduced.

To increase the reliability of the connection, you can treat the surface with sandpaper, if the material allows it. This texture will stick together better, unlike smooth surfaces.

If hot glue gun is used on cold objects, then it is better to warm them up, if possible, so that the substance does not harden before gluing.

When applying glue, the parts must be quickly connected to obtain the most reliable connection.

During the work process, protect yourself as much as possible from the possibility of contact with heated glue, because it is very hot and can cause harm to the skin and other parts of the body.

Glue gun and hot glue sticks

You need to select a gun depending on the amount of work you need to do. Let's say a compact device with low power is ideal for small handicrafts (gluing rhinestones, beads, etc.). If you plan to use the device constantly, it is better to spend money once, but choose a powerful gun up to about 500 W. Its advantage is the ability to use any rods (yellow and black are not suitable for a weak pistol - they simply will not melt).

Hot melt glue stick colors

A wide variety of hot melt adhesive refills are available. Some colored rods are designed specifically for decoration. They may also have glitter inside. However, not all hot melt adhesive has its own color just for beauty. This may often be a designation of the material for which the substance is intended.

The most versatile rod is transparent . It is used for gluing fabrics, metals, glass, cardboard, plastic and various cables.
The black rod is specific and is suitable exclusively for carpets and leather.
White for plastic surfaces, ceramic products, tiles.
Yellow is intended for wooden products, finishing materials, paper.

When working, do not forget to monitor the size of the nozzle. The thinner the tip, the more accurate the decorative work will be.

As an advertisement.

Application

Considering its variety of advantages, low price, as well as the fact that anyone without special skills can use a glue gun , this device quickly spread across various fields of activity. This miracle polymer is found in almost every home as a replacement for previously popular superglues, but besides this it is used in:

modeling;

repair and installation work;

creating clothes, furniture, household appliances and so on;

restoration of historical, vintage objects and objects.

This is not the entire list of tasks that this miracle assistant can do. Taking into account its recent appearance, we can say that its full potential has not yet been fully realized. Therefore, in the near future, more and more new tasks will appear, which will be thrown at with hot glue.

How to change the rod in a gun after it has cooled down

When work is completed with a glue gun, it is not necessary to remove the rod from it. The next time you need to use the device, you need to connect it to the network, and wait until it warms up, continue working. But what about the situation when the next time you need to insert a new rod of a different color? Removing the old one without preheating is strictly contraindicated, since the melted glue has frozen in the chamber, and attempts to remove it will lead to breakdown of the mechanism.

To change the glue stick, you will need to first turn on the device and, after waiting for the installed stick to warm up, you can remove it and install another one. It is not difficult to find out that you can remove an installed glue stick, since to do this you need to pull it towards you with a slight force.

This is interesting!
In order not to buy long rods, you can glue 3-4 sticks together and use the resulting structure as an elongated adhesive base.