Glue guns are the mainstay of the crafting world

Glue Gun

Where would a crafter be without a glue gun? Glue guns are the mainstay of the crafting world, making thousands of projects possible. They work with materials ranging from paper and lace to wood and metal. It’s inexpensive to get started, and with glue sticks readily available, using a glue gun could not be easier to use.

Hot melt adhesive (HMA), or hot glue, is a form of thermoplastic adhesive that is commonly supplied in solid cylindrical sticks of various diameters, designed to be melted in an electric hot glue gun. The gun uses a continuous-duty heating element to melt the plastic glue, which may be pushed through the gun by a mechanical trigger mechanism, or directly by the user. The glue squeezed out of the heated nozzle is initially hot enough to burn and blister skin. The glue is tacky when hot, and solidifies in a few seconds to one minute. Hot melt adhesives can also be applied by dipping or spraying. This was invented by Miles Kent in 1894. In industrial use, hot melt adhesives (HMA) provide several advantages over solvent-based adhesives. Volatile organic compounds are reduced or eliminated, and the drying or curing step is eliminated. Hot melt adhesives have long shelf life and usually can be disposed of without special precautions. Some of the disadvantages involve thermal load of the substrate, limiting use to substrates not sensitive to higher temperatures, and loss of bond strength at higher temperatures, up to complete melting of the adhesive. This can be reduced by using a reactive adhesive that after solidifying undergoes further curing e.g., by moisture, or is cured by ultraviolet radiation. Some HMAs may not be resistant to chemical attacks and weathering. HMAs do not lose thickness during solidifying; solvent-based adhesives may lose up to 50-70% of layer thickness during drying.

How Glue Guns Work ?

The glue gun is a hand held tool into which you feed a solid glue stick. A heating element in the body of the gun melts the glue, and the adhesive flows out the glue gun’s metal, cone-shaped tip. 

High Temperature or Low?

If you’re working with children or on delicate materials, choose a low-temperature gun, which melts the glue sticks at about 250 degrees. High-temperature guns, suited for bonding more substantial materials like wood, operate at around 380 degrees — a significant difference. Dual-temperature guns offer both options and usually cost just slightly more.

Trigger Feed or Manual Feed?

Another feature to consider is whether you want a trigger-fed gun or a push-fed model. With the trigger feed, you slip the glue stick into the hole at the back of the gun, and each pull of the trigger advances the stick into the heater and out through the nozzle. Trigger-free models are even simpler: You simply push the glue stick with your thumb.
Glue guns come in all sizes, from a mini-gun just a few inches long to industrial pistol-grip models. While some manufacturers offer battery-powered glue guns, most models operate off of standard home power outlets.

Advantages

Part of the glue gun’s appeal is its price: You can pick one up for literally a buck or two, and a large pack of glue sticks costs just a few dollars. A glue gun has almost infinite uses and comes in handy not only for crafting but also for home repair jobs. Using one is as easy as pointing and squeezing.
The glue is surprisingly strong and has great staying power, even out in the elements. It bonds immediately and cools to the touch relatively quickly. For people bored with the usual clear glue, the sticks come in different colors and even impregnated with glitter.

Glue gun specifications and usage

Glue guns come in low-temperature and high-temperature (hot-melt) versions. Low-temperature glue guns operate at approximately 250 °F (121 °C) and are well suited when high temperatures are undesirable, such as gluing lace and cloth. High-temperature guns operate at approximately 380 °F (193 °C) and produce a stronger bond. Dual guns have a switch for both low- and high-temperature use. In addition to bonding surfaces together, hot-melt glue can be used to fill gaps, but the properties that allow gap-filling (high viscosity, high toughness, and so on) keep it from forming an adhesive film as thin and smooth as is possible with other adhesives. (For example, a wood joint properly made with hide glue may be invisible, marked only by a difference in grain at the seam line.) Bonds must be made quickly before the glue has time to harden. Usually it must be applied accurately with the glue gun, as it can not easily be spread, but it is always possible at any time to melt and spread the glue with a heat gun or a household clothes iron, which helps when bonding larger areas. Surprisingly, hot-melt glue can be used to assemble and repair foam models as an alternative to foam-safe Cyanoacrylate or UHU POR adhesive. Due to the insulating properties of the foam the hot-melt glue remains sticky for much longer than when used on wood, metal or plastics. Another development of glue gun technology allows the user to 'spray' an area with a semi-pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive. Using compressed air to force the adhesive at a controlled rate through a specially developed glue gun nozzle, a spiral pattern of adhesive is applied. The tackiness of the adhesive / open time is limited to just a few minutes, after which the adhesive will lose its tack, so coverage is limited.

How to Use a Glue Gun ?

Using a glue guns can be simple if a few basic safety rules are followed. Anyone who is new to crafting or creating projects of any kind should know how to use a glue guns .

Steps to Use a Glue Gun

1. Inspect the glue gun for cracks in the handle and body. Make sure there isn't old glue clogging the nozzle. If you find any type of damage to the glue gun or to the cord, do not use it! 
2. Take the plug and insert it into an electrical outlet or wall socket. 
3. Place the glue gun on a secure surface such as a table. 
4. Place a sheet of paper underneath it to protect the surface area. 
5. Place a piece of aluminum foil under the nozzle of the glue gun to catch the over-flow of glue that will run out of the nozzle. Be sure to keep your glue gun away from open flames. 
6. Insert glue stick into the back of the glue gun. If there is already a glue stick in the glue gun, wait until the glue gun warms up and then gently squeeze the trigger. 
7. Once the glue gun has been plugged in for a few minutes, gently squeeze the trigger to see if the glue is hot enough to flow out of the nozzle. 
8. Now it's time to try it out. Have all of your materials ready when starting a project. Try gluing a shape (heart) from paper to a piece of card stock. Put a small amount of glue on the back of the heart and place the heart on the card stock and press firmly.

Tips to Use a Glue Gun

• The more pressure applied to the nozzle, the more glue comes out. 
• Try to purchase long glue sticks, they work best.