A glue or thermal gun is an indispensable thing for quickly gluing various parts in needlework and everyday life. For this device to serve you long years and pleased with excellent work, we will analyze in detail its design features and characteristics that will help amateurs and professionals choose the right tool. Separately, we will touch on the topic of varieties of glue sticks and the scope of their application.
Why choose thermoplastic adhesive - what is the feature and where is it used?
Needleworkers, radio technicians, builders, engineers and general users love this adhesive for its fast setting and high strength. Compared to superglue and liquid nails, which finally set to the surface and form a monolithic joint after a few hours, the bonding process is much faster. A thin layer of thermoplastic adhesive, applied in spots, fully cures in 1-3 minutes, and thicker layers in 10-15 minutes. Hot glue can be called universal. It fixes well with each other:
- tree;
- glass;
- skin;
- metal parts;
- paper and cardboard;
- ceramics;
- rubber;
- textile;
- plastic, PVC panels;
- Styrofoam.
And this is just the main list of materials. Hot melt adhesive interacts weakly with concrete and plaster. However, even this statement can be disputed. Numerous tests are direct confirmation of this. For example, a metal hook fixed to the wall with hot-melt adhesive can easily withstand not only coats, but also more massive objects (wooden frames, a bunch of logs and metal pendants). Hot glue is removed from the surface by melting. It is safest to use a household hair dryer. Thermoplastic glue is not recommended for gluing objects located near a fire or other heat sources close to the melting point of the glue (105–200 degrees). Once removed from the surface, the adhesive leaves no residue.
The hardened seam is not only elastic, but also has an increased resistance to moisture. Therefore, thermoplastic adhesive can be used as a sealant. The savings from using such a latch is also tangible. Thanks to the dosed supply from the glue gun, it is possible to regulate the amount and save up to 70% of the mass for gluing compared to conventional glues in tubes.
Hot glue is widely used in needlework. Here they can stick almost everything: buttons, paper, corrugated cardboard, flowers from polymer clay and foamiran, all kinds of accessories, etc. Thermoplastic adhesive serves as the base for making mesh coasters, where glassware can act as a base, decorative ornaments in the form of balls and beads for pendants and bracelets. The frozen mass is plastic, the workpiece is easily removed from the mold and, if desired, painted. Among the others original ideas using hot glue - creating a flexible phone case. To give a cover desired shape We place the phone in cling film, and then apply thermoplastic glue to the wrapped back of the phone and the sides in a chaotic manner or according to a pattern. After hardening, we remove the flexible cover, remove the film. The device in question is widely used in the assembly and repair of radio components. They can fix microcircuits, individual wiring and other electronic parts.
We disassemble the glue gun in parts and learn how to properly handle them
The gun consists of 6 six main parts: a heating unit (heating chamber), a guide sleeve, a trigger, a feed mechanism, a nozzle, a power cord. The heating chamber is the main part of the entire device. It is located inside the barrel, consists of a metal tube, near which there is one or more heating elements, depending on the configuration. In the presence of several heating elements, the heating of the rod takes place more evenly and faster. The size of the heating chamber affects the thickness of the rod. The larger it is, the thicker the rod. The quality indicators of the heating unit are affected by the power and speed of the heating element melt, which we will talk about a little later.
The guide sleeve is one of the most vulnerable parts of the gun. It is made of heat resistant rubber. One of its ends is connected to the heating chamber, and the rod is fixed in the other. To keep the part for a long time, do not allow the glue gun to overheat. The slightest overheating leads to abrasion of the rubber, the coupling begins to freely pass the dissolved glue, which disrupts the operation of moving parts, wire insulation and can lead to fire.
To replace the rod, we cut off the part that entered the coupling, insert the spare tire, and squeeze out the rest through the nozzle. Attempting to pull out the remainder of the rod with a tool or by hand may damage the coupling.
Next, we will analyze two parts in parallel - the trigger and the feed mechanism. The trigger is the part responsible for the amount of hot glue dispensed. There are two types of triggers - sliding and rotary. The second option is easier to handle. The wear resistance of the feed mechanism depends on the smoothness of the trigger. If the trigger is too tight, you are putting a lot of effort into squeezing required amount glue, the feed mechanism quickly becomes unusable. Therefore, before buying, be sure to check the smoothness of the trigger. To extend the service life of the feed mechanism, we also advise you to select the rods strictly according to the factory diameter. Even small deviations of a couple of millimeters can lead to difficulties during the application of hot glue. The spare can slip or clog the feed from an excess of glue in the nozzle.
The heated glue flows out of the glue gun through the nozzle. Cheaper models have one nozzle. We advise you to pay attention to the gun with short and long nozzles, designed for working in standard conditions and gluing in hard-to-reach places. Equally important is the "drip protection" function, for which the barrier ball is responsible, it does not allow the glue to flow out during interruption of work. It will not be possible to completely get rid of the flow of hot glue during a stoppage of work, a few drops will still leak out. Do not be upset, this is the norm, the leakage rate is negligible compared to models where the "drip protection" function is completely absent. Quality nozzles are made of brass. Therefore, pay attention to the material of the nozzle when choosing a tool. Remember, do not lay the glue gun on its side while interrupting gluing. So it quickly overheats and can damage the surface by excessive outflow of hot mass. To avoid negative consequences, a folding platform is provided on the body, which allows you to put the glue gun straight. Do not forget to put cardboard or paper under the gun, and also clean the nozzles after each use.
The body of the glue gun is made of hard plastic. The use of such material allows to reduce the overheating of the system and reduce the weight of the structure for more comfortable operation. However, do not give preference to too light models. The optimal indicator is 300 g. Such a thermal gun easily lies in the hand and it is more likely that hard rather than soft plastic was used for its production, which will become unusable after several cycles of operation.
Power, productivity, melt temperature and additional options
The main parameters that characterize the quality of the glue gun are power and speed. Here it is necessary to determine the scope and frequency of use of the equipment. If you are an amateur and you need a heat gun for one-time housework, it does not make sense to purchase expensive heat guns with a power of 300 W or more. For one-time work, thermal guns with a power of 20 to 100 watts are quite suitable.
Models with automatic power control are convenient to use. The device itself knows when and how much power to use in each case. For example, during the melting stage, it heats up to 200 watts, during operation it drops to an average power of 40 watts, and during a stop - up to 15 watts. This saves energy and glue stick consumption.
However, power is not a decisive indicator when choosing where performance plays a larger role. If you need a high rate of melt and flow of the mass, pay attention to this indicator. Usually it varies from 5 to 30 g of glue per minute. This indicator is especially important when performing volumetric repair work. For example, gluing plywood or PVC. Quickly apply glue to the entire area and press the material at low productivity will not work. At this time, part of the glue will already begin to dry out and it will not work to achieve good adhesion to the surface. Therefore, speed (high performance) is important here. When working with small parts, purchasing a glue gun with high performance is impractical.
The range of work with materials depends on the melt temperature of the glue gun. For example, paper, cardboard and textiles do not tolerate too high temperatures. To work with them, low-temperature rods and special guns with a melting point of 105 ° C are used. The average melting point for a thermal gun is 165–170°C. It is not recommended to purchase a device with a melting point above 200 ° C. This leads to an increase in pressure inside the barrel and rapid wear of parts.
The power supply of the electric heat gun also plays an important role. If you are a hobbyist and are purchasing a heat gun for a small amount of work, a conventional cord-operated machine will suit you. Professionals can pay attention to more expensive models with battery or semi-autonomous power supply. The accumulator allows the thermal gun to work autonomously from 45 minutes to 2 hours without being connected to the network. Semi-autonomous heat guns are disconnected from the cord and can work for 10–15 minutes without being connected to the mains, maintaining the original heating temperature. An improved version of the cordless glue gun is a model with a docking station that performs two functions at the same time - it heats up the stick autonomously and, together with an additional capacity, prevents drops from falling onto the surface during heating.
In the market of high-quality glue guns, the German company Steinel has proven itself well. Among its varieties, you can find all the listed power options for the device. The company is engaged in the production of both household and professional glue guns.
These were the main parameters. Additional options that may help you make your final choice include:
- temperature control, allows you to set the optimal level of heating for different materials;
- automatic temperature control, responsible for changing the three modes of the glue gun (warming up, working temperature, standby mode);
- heating indicator, the readiness of the device for operation is signaled by an LED that lights up when heated to operating temperature;
- a viewing window, provided in expensive and more budget series, allows you to control the degree of entry of the rod into the coupling and its length;
- backlight, a useful feature if you often have to work with a thermal gun in the dark and in a room with poor visibility;
- storage case, a set of spare rods, a heat-resistant mat for work.
Glue sticks - choice by diameter, color and working materials
Hot air gun sticks or stickers vary in diameter, length, color, melting point, and usage. Standard rod diameters for household glue guns are 7 and 11 mm. The diameter is selected according to the configuration of your glue gun. Professional models can be equipped with larger diameter rods of about 45 mm. When choosing thermal guns with non-standard diameters, be sure to ask about the availability and availability of spare parts. There are no strict parameters for the length of the rod. It affects the duration of use of one reserve of thermoplastic adhesive, varies from 4 to 20 cm.
The color of the rod characterizes not only the variety of shades, but also the purpose of the sticker. The transparent rod is considered universal and suitable for gluing various materials. Colored rods are used to mask the seams and create a uniform tone. They are also considered universal, with the exception of black, which is used for sealing and yellow for glass. If you need to use a black or transparent rod at the same time, we recommend purchasing two thermal guns. For decoration in needlework, colored rods with sparkles are used.
The rods also differ in melt temperature. Low-temperature stickers begin to melt at 105°C, and high-temperature ones at 150°C. When selecting suitable spares, consider the maximum melt temperature that your heat gun can handle.
Helpful Hints
Regular glue gun hot glue can be used not only for gluing various parts, but also for creating various patterns and crafts.
When working with hot glue, be careful and pay Special attention child safety as the glue gun gets hot and the glue comes out very hot.
Here are some very interesting and extraordinary ideashow else you can use a glue gun and hot glue:
Glue crafts. We use wax crayons.
You will need:
glue gun
Wax crayons
* It is possible that after using wax crayons, your glue gun will deteriorate, so it is advisable to use an old or inexpensive gun.
* If children are working on the project, then carefully monitor the work with a hot glue gun and hot melted crayons.
1. Remove the labels (papers) from the crayons.
2. Cover the workplace with an old towel.
3. Heat up the glue gun.
4. Gently insert the crayon into the glue gun and gradually push it through. The glue gun's trigger won't be able to push them through, so you'll have to do it by hand.
5. The wax will start to melt and you can use the colored drops of wax to create vibrant blobs.
Wax printing is another way to use wax crayons and a hot glue gun to create vibrant pictures.
Crafts from glue with your own hands. Decorate a vase or candlestick with hot glue.
You will need:
Inexpensive, round vase or candlestick
Heat up the glue and start gently applying it to the vase, layer by layer, until you end up with transparent lines on the walls of the vase.
If you want to do more straight lines, ask someone to help you - let them twist the vase, and you will apply glue.
Unusual crafts. Hot glue corals.
You will need:
thin wire
Glue gun with hot glue
acrylic paint
tassel
piece of plywood
Nails and hammer.
Making red coral
1. Cut the wire into several pieces different lengths. In this example, their length varies from 10 to 40 cm. Bend each piece in half.
2. Heat the glue and gently cover all the pieces of wire with it.
3. Choose the color you want to paint the coral in this case red. Use acrylic paint to paint the glue on the wires.
4. When the paint is dry, you can collect all the details into one coral. Take 2-3 pieces of wire with glue and connect them together with another thin clean wire (not covered with glue).
Add 2 more parts to the structure and connect them again with clean wire.
In order for the coral to stand on a flat surface, all ends of the clean wires must be twisted and bent into a stand shape (see image).
Making white coral
1. Cut 3 pieces of wire, each between 30 and 35 cm long, and twist the ends together.
2. Bend all the wires to your liking and lay them on a flat surface where hot glue won't stick - glass, for example.
3. Cover all wires with glue. After that, you can add additional branches of glue to your design.
4. Once you've made the coral the shape you want, let the glue dry and paint it with white acrylic paint.
5. To make the base for the craft, prepare a piece of plywood and attach the ends of the wires to it with nails.
6. Cover the ends with glue and paint with acrylic paint.
Unusual handicrafts. Hot glue snowflakes.
You will need:
Glue gun with hot glue
Nail polish or acrylic paint
Parchment paper (NOT wax paper)
Drawn snowflake shape (optional).
1. Print or draw a snowflake on a plain paper and place the drawing under parchment paper.
2. Using a glue gun and hot glue, trace around the snowflake pattern. Wait a minute for the glue to dry.
If necessary, after the glue has dried, you can slightly trim the shape with a hair dryer.
3. Carefully remove the snowflake from the paper. The paper can be used further to create more snowflakes.
4. Both sides of the glue snowflake can be painted with nail polish or acrylic paint.
Original DIY crafts . Rolling pin with a pattern.
You will need:
Any rolling pin
felt-tip pen
1. Draw any pattern on the rolling pin. It is advisable not to draw too many lines.
2. Heat the glue and start applying it to the lines drawn on the rolling pin. It is advisable to carry out the entire process on a flat surface covered with newspaper or cardboard.
3. When the glue is dry, you can use a rolling pin to trace the pattern on the clay by rolling it out.
The glue can be removed and a different pattern applied.
Original crafts. Candle glass holder.
You will need:
Small glass vase or glass
Glue gun with hot glue
Aerosol or acrylic paint
Spray oil or plain vegetable oil.
It is advisable to choose a wide vase so that the heat from the candle inside it does not heat up the glue, which can leak.
1. Wash and dry the vase, then wipe it with vegetable oil and paper napkin.
2. Start applying hot glue to reverse side the bottom of the vase, drawing patterns with them. The main thing is that all the lines are well intertwined so that it is easier to remove the glue from the vase.
Continue to paint patterns with glue on the sides of the vase.
It is advisable to wear goggles to protect your eyes, as the glue will heat up the glass.
3. When the glue is dry, gently begin to separate the pattern from the vase. You may need to use a screwdriver, knife, or other tool to make it easier to separate the pattern from the glass vase.
4. Clean the vase of glue residue. Use dishwashing liquid.
5. Paint the drawing with glue. If you are using spray paint, read the instructions carefully and follow them.
Now you can insert a glass or a vase into the candle holder and you will get an excellent interior decoration.
Interesting crafts for kids. Multicolored dots for various crafts.
You will need:
Glue gun with hot glue
Acrylic paint or nail polish
Tassel.
You will have to practice a little to get such smooth details, but in the end you will succeed, and all these details can be used to make various crafts and cards.
Each dot can be painted with acrylic paint or nail polish.
Crafts for children: do-it-yourself printing (video)
* First, cover the table surface with a special silicone board or silicone oilcloth.
Crafts for the home: making a vase of glue (video)
Interesting DIY crafts. Makeup brush cleaning board
A regular hot glue gun can be used not only for gluing various parts, but also for creating various patterns and crafts.
When working with hot glue, be careful and pay special attention to the safety of children, as the glue gun gets hot and the glue comes out very hot.
Here are some very interesting and unusual ideas on how else you can use a glue gun and hot glue:
Glue crafts. Using wax crayons
You will need:
glue gun
Wax crayons
* It is possible that after using wax crayons, your glue gun will deteriorate, so it is advisable to use an old or inexpensive gun.
* If children are working on the project, then carefully monitor the work with a hot glue gun and hot melted crayons.
1. Remove the labels (papers) from the crayons.
2. Cover the workplace with an old towel.
3. Heat up the glue gun.
4. Gently insert the crayon into the glue gun and gradually push it through. The glue gun's trigger won't be able to push them through, so you'll have to do it by hand.
5. The wax will start to melt and you can use the colored drops of wax to create vibrant blobs.
Decorate a vase or candlestick with hot glue.
You will need:
Inexpensive, round vase or candlestick
Heat up the glue and start gently applying it to the vase, layer by layer, until you end up with transparent lines on the walls of the vase.
If you want to make smoother lines, ask someone to help you - have the vase spin while you apply the glue.
Hot glue corals.
You will need:
thin wire
Glue gun with hot glue
acrylic paint
tassel
piece of plywood
Nails and hammer.
Making red coral
1. Cut the wire into several pieces of different lengths. In this example, their length varies from 10 to 40 cm. Bend each piece in half.
2. Heat the glue and gently cover all the pieces of wire with it.
3. Choose the color you want to paint the coral, in this case red. Use acrylic paint to paint the glue on the wires.
4. When the paint is dry, you can collect all the details into one coral. Take 2-3 pieces of wire with glue and connect them together with another thin clean wire (not covered with glue).
Add 2 more parts to the structure and connect them again with clean wire.
In order for the coral to stand on a flat surface, all ends of the clean wires must be twisted and bent into a stand shape (see image).
Making white coral
1. Cut 3 pieces of wire, each between 30 and 35 cm long and twist their ends together
2. Bend all the wires to your liking and lay them on a flat surface where hot glue won't stick - glass, for example.
3. Cover all wires with glue. After that, you can add additional branches of glue to your design.
4. Once you've made the coral the shape you want, let the glue dry and paint it with white acrylic paint.
5. To make the base for the craft, prepare a piece of plywood and attach the ends of the wires to it with nails.
6. Cover the ends with glue and paint with acrylic paint.
Hot glue snowflakes.
You will need:
Glue gun with hot glue
Nail polish or acrylic paint
Parchment paper (NOT wax paper)
Drawn snowflake shape (optional).
1. Print or draw a snowflake on a plain paper and place the drawing under parchment paper.
2. Using a glue gun and hot glue, trace around the snowflake pattern. Wait a minute for the glue to dry.
If necessary, after the glue has dried, you can slightly trim the shape with a hair dryer.
3. Carefully remove the snowflake from the paper. The paper can be used further to create more snowflakes.
4. Both sides of the glue snowflake can be painted with nail polish or acrylic paint.
Candle glass holder.
You will need:
Small glass vase or glass
Glue gun with hot glue
Aerosol or acrylic paint
Spray oil or plain vegetable oil. 
It is advisable to choose a wide vase so that the heat from the candle inside it does not heat up the glue, which can leak.
1. Wash and dry the vase, then wipe it with vegetable oil and a paper towel.
2. Start applying hot glue to the back of the bottom of the vase, drawing patterns with it. The main thing is that all the lines are well intertwined so that it is easier to remove the glue from the vase.
Continue to paint patterns with glue on the sides of the vase.
It is advisable to wear goggles to protect your eyes, as the glue will heat up the glass.
3. When the glue is dry, gently begin to separate the pattern from the vase. You may need to use a screwdriver, knife, or other tool to make it easier to separate the pattern from the glass vase.
4. Clean the vase of glue residue. Use dishwashing detergent.
5. Paint the drawing with glue. If you are using spray paint, read the instructions carefully and follow them.
Crafts for children: do-it-yourself printing
* First, cover the table surface with a special silicone board or silicone oilcloth.
Crafts for the home: making a vase from glue
Makeup brush cleaning board:
Crafts with a glue gun can be just an element of decor that pleases the eye and brings a bit of comfort and special charm to the house, or they can be truly functional. Things made with hot glue look original, and pride in the work done with my own hands elements of the interior - very legitimate. Consider some of the many existing examples of how to use a glue gun not only for its intended purpose.
Decoration of a vase or candlestick
There are quite a few options on how to decorate a vase with hot glue, and we will look at some of them.
For example, one of the simplest decorations for an inexpensive glass vase without any patterns is simply drawing lines on the walls of this utensil. It is necessary to twist the object and apply layers of glue evenly in a circle. For convenience, you can ask someone to help rotate the vase while you decorate it. And all you need for this is nothing: the candlestick itself or any other object and the glue gun directly refilled and plugged into the outlet. Below is a photo of crafts using a glue gun.
You can also make a cute holder for a glass, vase or candlestick. To do this, you will need to stock up on the item itself, which needs decor, filled with a glue gun, acrylic paint in a spray can or spray oil, but any vegetable will do. The vase must be washed and wiped dry, and then covered with a thin layer of oil on the outside. Then, in a chaotic manner, patterns should be applied. It is worth making sure that the lines of the drawing are well intertwined and clearly drawn. This is necessary so that you can easily remove the holder from the glass. You need to draw a pattern both on the sides and on the bottom. Now very carefully it is necessary to remove the hardened glue. An item of utensil that has been used should be thoroughly washed again. Next, paint the holder in desired color, wait for the paint to dry, and reinsert the glass, vase or candlestick into it. If necessary, they can be taken out.
Consider another version of crafts using a glue gun in this topic. You will need a container that needs to be decorated. Rather tightly transparent hemispheres should be glued to its walls. You can additionally paint them in different colors, or you can leave them transparent. Both options will look stylish. A minimum of accessories for such crafts: a glass, a jar or a vase, half-pearls and a hot glue gun.
Snowflakes
To create this, you need to have on hand a glue gun with glue, nail polish or regular acrylic paint, parchment paper and a snowflake stencil that you can either draw or print, but this item is optional for those who are sure that and so draw beautiful snowflake. A snowflake drawn on writing paper is placed under a parchment sheet, the drawing is circled with hot glue and waiting for it to dry. Next, you need to carefully separate almost finished craft from parchment and paint it on both sides. Such snowflakes are well suited for decorating the interior and New Year's costumes. And the same sheet of parchment paper can be used several times.
This is how these crafts made with a glue gun look like.
colorful dots
Hot glue can be used to create the cutest blanks that will come in handy for decorating other crafts in the future. One of them is multi-colored dots. To implement this idea, you must have a gun loaded with hot glue and acrylic paints or varnish. Everything is done very simply: the required number of dots of glue is applied to the oil-treated surface. After drying, they need to be painted. You can use such points to decorate a variety of crafts, postcards, etc. Such crafts using a glue gun are shown below in the photo.
Tire and twine pouffe
This is the most functional craft from our selection. It looks like a cool designer thing, but it will cost mere pennies. So, what do you need to make a pouffe? Tire, twine (or other rope), plywood, loaded hot glue gun, sandpaper, self-tapping screws, jigsaw, furniture stapler, knife, and drill.
With a jigsaw, you need to cut a circle with a diameter slightly larger than the size of the hole in the tire. If necessary, the edges should be sanded. Then, on a carefully cleaned pre-tire, which will become the basis for crafts with a glue gun, a plywood blank is applied and holes are made for self-tapping screws in both parts. Next, they are fastened. From the center of the circle, they begin to lay the rope with a “snail”, smearing each subsequent turn with glue. When gluing is completed, carefully cut off the excess twine with a knife and shoot its end to the tire using a furniture stapler. Now the rope needs to be well treated with moisture-proof impregnation or varnished. After drying, the pouf can be used.
The article presents different crafts what can be done. You can attach the legs to the pouffe with a glue gun.
Homemade bracelet
This decoration will appeal to both adults and children. Depends on how the bracelet will be made. Making it is pretty easy. On an aluminum can of soda, you need to draw several horizontal lines in a circle that will be in fairly tight contact with each other. The width of the bracelet will depend on the number of these lines. After the glue on the jar dries, it must be removed. In order for the blank to become a real bracelet, it can be painted and decorated with various rhinestones, stones, beads, and anything else, depending on the imagination and capabilities of the master.
magic wands
A variety of crafts will help create the atmosphere of the world of JK Rowling books. You can make magic wands with a glue gun. On wooden knitting needles or chopsticks for Chinese food, glue strips should be applied to indicate the handles, sometimes flowing onto the chopsticks themselves. The strips need to be painted in metallic colors that are in harmony with the colors of the sticks themselves and decorate them with beads or imitation pearls. So the fabulous paraphernalia for a stylized holiday, theatrical production or fan fiction is ready.
Precautions
Despite the kind of crafts that can be done with the glue gun you choose, you need to remember the safety rules:
First, do not give a plugged-in hot glue gun to children, as they can get severe burns.
Secondly, when working with glass and a glue gun in working order, you must always wear safety glasses, as the vessel may burst and injure you.
And thirdly, jars, glasses or vases intended to become candlesticks should be taken quite wide in order to avoid melting the pattern applied with glue, which can occur if the container is very hot.
When a woman appears in the tool department and asks for a thermal gun, it is immediately clear: this is a purchase for needlework. A beautiful lady wants to create. It doesn't matter what exactly luxurious bouquets from flowers, elegant decorations using the kanzashi technique or simple craft from cones to kindergarten. This will definitely be done with love and investing a piece of the soul. And in order not to make a mistake and make the right choice of a glue gun, as well as to understand how to use it skillfully, it is worth knowing some details.
What is glued with a thermal gun
The main function of the heat gun is a quick connection with hot glue. The final hardening occurs after 5 minutes, and not after 24 hours, as with most analogues in tubes. In comparison with the instant - the probability of "making friends" fingers is reduced to zero. You can glue almost any natural and synthetic materials:
- tree;
- metal;
- stone;
- cardboard;
- glass;
- ceramics;
- cork;
- skin;
- plastic.
How does this miracle work? The gun contains a thermal heater. A round glue stick - a rod - touches it through a feeder. Another name is a cartridge: after all, it is with them that pistols are loaded. When the device is connected to a network with a voltage of 220 W, a temperature of 105 ° -210 ° C is created in the thermal heater. The glue melts and, when the trigger is pressed, flows through the nozzle.
Components of a hot glue gun
What is the difference between glue sticks
The rods are available in different colors. It's not always just pretty - they have a difference in chemical composition and melting temperature. The color determines which material the adhesive is best suited for:
- transparent - glass, fabrics, PVC plastic, metal, cable, electrical equipment, any kind of paper. Ideal for needlework;
- white - tiles, ceramics, plastic, cable;
- black - leather and carpeting;
- yellow - wood, cardboard, paper, finishing materials.
Hot glue sticks come in different colors depending on their melting point
Table: color ratio of glue stick and material
Pink, blue, green, red are produced in the form of assorted sets of 10-12 pieces and are intended for needlework. Craftswomen use them when they want to hide traces on the working material as much as possible or for papier-mâché crafts. Less often they are used for gluing stamps and making seals.
But the rods, which are designed specifically for decoration, may contain interesting fillings, for example, shiny elements.
Hot glue sticks for decorating are filled with shiny elements
Round rods vary in size. More often used diameter 7 and 11 mm with a length of 40-200 mm. These data are indicated in technical specifications specific model.
Power when choosing an electric heat gun
An important value is the power of the device, which ranges from 15–500 watts. It depends on it how quickly the gun heats up and how many grams of glue per minute it gives out. If you use occasionally, a weak model up to 40 watts 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 on a device with a power of 300–500 W once, so as not to be nervous in the future due to low performance and quick breakdown. 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 pistol, 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 thermal gun.
To work with small parts, you need a thin nozzle. Otherwise, the drop of glue will be too large, the work will come out sloppy.
For accurate gluing of small elements, you need a heat gun with a thin nozzle
A good thermal gun reaches the operating temperature in 15–20 seconds and maintains it stably. It is desirable that there are several modes of operation. Then, by simply switching the regulator, you can switch to low- or high-temperature rods.
It is worth looking for a device with interchangeable nozzles to adjust the diameter of the drop. As a rule, there are three of them:
- Universal.
- Extra long.
- Wide slot.
Thanks to removable nozzles, it is easy to adjust the supply of glue in the thermal gun
There are mains-powered models with a cord 1.0–3.5 m long. Thermal guns that run on battery power are convenient, but so far their price is much higher than network ones.
A big plus of the glue gun is the cheapness and availability of consumables. The rods are sold in almost any hardware, craft and stationery store. They are much cheaper than good adhesives, and in the strength of the connection they are in no way inferior to them.
How to use: charge, warm up, replace the rod
The small device is made modern technologies and very easy to use. So that there are no interruptions in work, the points for applying glue are planned in advance and everything is prepared necessary materials. The viscous mass cools quickly, especially in low power models. The sooner you apply little things like beads, rhinestones or sequins, the stronger they hold. The order of work is this:
- Connect the device to the network. If there is a power button, put it in operation mode.
To start working with a thermal gun, plug the device into the network
- Insert the rod into the special rear hole until it stops. Leave to heat for the time indicated in the instructions, varies in the range of 2-10 minutes. The plastic housing of the heat gun also gets hot. By touching it, the operating condition of the device is checked if there is no power indicator.
The hole for inserting the glue stick is located at the back of the heat gun
- Press the feed control button. A droplet of hot substance will appear - the device is ready for operation.
If a drop of glue is released when the trigger is gently pressed, the thermal gun is ready for use.
- Apply glue to one of the parts and immediately press the surfaces to be glued together. Can be applied spot or spray. Glue is released as long as the trigger is pressed.
Glue is applied pointwise or in a trickle while the trigger of the thermal gun is pressed
- If there are any adhesive residues, after cooling, remove with a sharp knife. The place of hardening withstands mechanical loads after 5 minutes.
During a break in work, the gun is placed on a stand. The nozzle should look down, it is advisable to put some kind of substrate under it. Better silicone, because the glue does not stick to it. This ensures that hot residues do not get on the work surface.
A special stand for the thermal gun protects the work surface from hot drops and fixes the device
In the window of the gun, you can see when the rod ends. To continue work, insert the next one, which will push through the remnants of the old one.
Materials that cause the adhesive to cool quickly (eg metals) are preheated with a hair dryer before bonding. On flexible materials (for example, fabrics), the adhesive solution is applied in a “caterpillar way”.
Bonding points can be separated by heating.
How to use a glue gun - video
Safety instructions for work
In order for needlework to bring only joy, it is important to adhere to safety rules:
- carefully read the instructions that allowable time continuous work. In household models, this is usually 30 minutes. After that, turn off the device and let it cool down;
- do not heat the device without a glue stick;
- always keep the work cable behind the heat gun;
- The adhesive and nozzle tip become hot and cause burns on contact with the skin. You can't touch them;
- do not use the gun when wet or in a damp environment such as a bathroom. Wet hands during work are also unacceptable;
- during breaks between working phases, place the device with emphasis on the folding stand. You can’t lay it horizontally - the glue fills the insides, and the gun will soon have to be thrown away.
During working breaks, the thermal gun is placed with emphasis on the stand
Problems and solutions
The most common problem with a heat gun is that the glue flows uncontrollably without the trigger being pulled. There may be several reasons:
- too much heat for a specific rod. It is optimal when the thermal gun has a heating regulator to set the required degrees of melting. Otherwise, the rods will have to be replaced. In a good pistol, the nozzle has a ball valve - the so-called drip protection;
- the rod is inserted too tightly. Sometimes it helps to push it back a little;
- rod diameter mismatch. Some models require decimal size. For example, Sigma is 11.2 mm. If a 11 mm rod is placed in such a device, a pressure difference occurs inside the heater, the glue flows back. Using rods of the correct diameter resolves the issue;
- low quality gun. You can insert a toothpick into the nozzle during a pause in work. Or put up with it and try to finish the work as soon as possible: the contents flow out very quickly.
If the glue stops coming out, the gun may be clogged. It is taken apart and cleaned. To avoid this, glue must not be allowed to stick around the nozzle.
You can get an excellent result and joy from work only with a serviceable hot glue gun
On battery models, the adhesive sometimes becomes viscous and difficult to pass through the nozzle. You need to reheat the device in the charging station.
In cheap models, during a break in use for a few minutes, the pusher gets stuck in a soft rod and cannot advance it. You need to turn off the gun and let it cool.
If the glue stretches with a thread, and it is not possible to make a point, the craftswomen advise holding the rods in the refrigerator. Most likely they are of low quality.
How to change the color of the rod
To fill the gun, the rod is simply inserted into a special hole at the back. At the end of the work, you can not remove it. Then the next time you turn on the device will be immediately ready for use.
Little trick. Short glue sticks often have to be added in the process. Using a heat gun, glue 2-4 sticks together - you get one big one, which will last for a long time.
Sometimes it is required to change the color of the glue coming out, for example, blue to transparent. If the gun has cooled down, it is turned on for about 1 minute, then the rod is carefully unscrewed. Charge a new one, press the trigger to squeeze out the remnants of the old one until the desired color appears.
The new rod after insertion, by smooth pressing the trigger, completely pushes out the remnants of the old one.
How can you work with glue sticks without a gun
What if there is no hot-melt gun or it is broken, but you really want to use hot-melt adhesive because of its wonderful properties? Creative lovers find a way out of any situation. True, it is better not to count on the purity and accuracy of application:
- you can insert a piece of glue stick into the body ballpoint pen of a suitable diameter and melt the candles from the fire. This is quite inconvenient, because the fast-cooling glue needs to be constantly heated;
- lovers of travel will need a way that will require a minimum of preliminary effort. Using a gun, a hot drop of glue is applied to a match next to the sulfuric head. Or they put mugs several millimeters thick on it, which are cut off from the rod and cut to the middle. To melt the glue, just light a match. In emergency situations, the option works great.
A rod without a gun can be used as an eraser. For convenience, a piece of 0.5 cm is cut off and glued to the end of the pencil.
Video: how to use hot melt adhesive without a gun
Examples of needlework with hot glue in the photo
Coffee beans, hot melt adhesive and fantasy create a masterpiece 
Shells and stones are easy to glue with a heat gun 
Glue gun used in scrapbooking technique 
Hot glue gun works great with natural materials
For needlework, the real Renaissance has come. Materials and techniques have appeared that were not even dreamed of before. So many activities give an outlet for creative energy, relieve stress and bring income to craftsmen. To keep up with the latest in the world of craftswomen and stay in trend, you have to keep up. So a good tool is never superfluous here.
