Glue Gun

ras66

Junior Member
Wondering which specific Adtech product works best with scratch build foam board?

There is a choice of two temperatures and the higher temperature seems very high.

Would like a recommendation for the glue stick type (if there are differences) and stick diameter as well.
Any other suggestions is appreciated as well.
Thanks!
 

aiidanwings

Senior Member
I prefer the larger size low temp glue sticks. Less adding new sticks and not so much melting of the foam. And of course a low temp glue gun. The high temp does seem to be stronger, but I'm working with foam so it's no big deal.
 

MrGravey

Senior Member
Only one opinion listed so far so even with the thread being about a month old I feel the need to share an opinion that is a little different for the sake of argument.

I use high temp acrylic hot glue. There really only seem to be 2 diameters for hot glue sticks out there so I just the larger most of the time. That said I do have a high temp mini glue gun with normal high temp glue for smaller project needs.

I use the acrylic hot glue because it cools into plastic for the most part. You can use the tricks shown in build videos to squeegee excess glue down corners and end up with VERY strong bonds. It is HOT and it will burn the crap right out of you if you let it. I thought I was going to the hospital one night from a burn from these large sticks, but it works great. Just be careful. I have tried a lot of glue and this is the best I have seen hands down.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/cordless-glue-gun-328484/

My large glue gun. You can remove it from the base and it holds heat very nice for a while. Maybe 15 min. More than enough time to make a few glue joints before putting it back on the base to heat up.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/portfolio-board-and-sketch-pad-682120/

The glue I use most of the time. All my main joints or large areas get glued with this. Very strong.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/high-temp-detail-mini-glue-gun-265157/

Smaller for the smaller needs. I have found that this gun is perfect for putting glue on the edge of the foam board. It doesn't get used a lot anymore, but it is still very nice to have. This is now the field glue gun for the most part, and for that it is very handy indeed.

Hope all that helps someone somehow.
 

MrGravey

Senior Member
I do wish I could find a large glue gun with a smaller tip on it. So far all the guns I have seen that size have a pretty wide tip and it can make it hard to lay down a controlled line of glue. About half of the large white guns tip would be great.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
It might be that the hot glue gun tip could be solder filled and then drilled out to whatever size you require. Just a thought.

Thurmond
 

Sonicg

Junior Member
I have a dual temp glue gun 60 w/100w but at oath settings my foam board melts. The glue guns mentioned in this thread are also 60 watt. I don't use Adams board so I was wondering if it might be the board that melts easier?
 

MrGravey

Senior Member
I have a dual temp glue gun 60 w/100w but at oath settings my foam board melts. The glue guns mentioned in this thread are also 60 watt. I don't use Adams board so I was wondering if it might be the board that melts easier?

The glue never melts Adams foam when I use it. I would guess that the foam you are using isn't as happy with the heat as the Adams stuff.

I do often let the tip of my gun melt back the foam a bit as I apply glue on the edges of the foam board though. The glue wont do it, but the tip of the gun will. This creates a little grove for the glue to sit in and I find creates a stronger bond for things like the fire wall on the pod by increasing the surface area glued a little.
 

Craftydan

Hostage Taker of Quads
Staff member
Moderator
Mentor
HG,

Picked this one up at a local Michaels's Crafts a while back for another project:

http://www.michaels.com/Aleene%E2%80%99s-Ultimate-Glue-Gun/gc0268,default,pd.html

Come with 4 tips. Smallest is ~1/16", largest gushes glue. Downside is you have to swap them out when hot.

Dual temp and has GOOD thermal momentum -- unplug it and you've got a couple of minutes to use before it's cooled too much to flow.

Also pricy, but you can get coupons online for the store. picked it up for cheap that way, otherwise I wouldn't have given it a second look.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
High Temp works with foamboard but NEVER try it on blue core as the foam begins to dissolve if the gun is on high very long IMHE.

Thurmond
 

DDSFlyer

Senior Member
HG,

Picked this one up at a local Michaels's Crafts a while back for another project:

http://www.michaels.com/Aleene%E2%80%99s-Ultimate-Glue-Gun/gc0268,default,pd.html

Come with 4 tips. Smallest is ~1/16", largest gushes glue. Downside is you have to swap them out when hot.

Dual temp and has GOOD thermal momentum -- unplug it and you've got a couple of minutes to use before it's cooled too much to flow.

Also pricy, but you can get coupons online for the store. picked it up for cheap that way, otherwise I wouldn't have given it a second look.

Saw that glue gun at Michael's as well but decided to go with one of their other dual temp ones, still $25 bux, but I also have one I found at Fry's Electronics that is high temp only for $15. Trying to figure out which one I should return! Do I really need the low temp? I have a small cheapo glue gun for the small glue sticks I guess I could use for low temp stuff...just worried about building these scratch builds with long glue lines with that little sucker that I had to get a better glue gun
 

Craftydan

Hostage Taker of Quads
Staff member
Moderator
Mentor
Saw that glue gun at Michael's as well but decided to go with one of their other dual temp ones, still $25 bux, but I also have one I found at Fry's Electronics that is high temp only for $15. Trying to figure out which one I should return! Do I really need the low temp? I have a small cheapo glue gun for the small glue sticks I guess I could use for low temp stuff...just worried about building these scratch builds with long glue lines with that little sucker that I had to get a better glue gun

In all fairness, I never use hot glue on airplanes. Lots of other projects, but nothing that flys outdoors. Just don't trust it in the hot Georgia sun, and moreso low temp glue.

I have heard chatter that DT fpam is a hair more heat resistant than other foams, and can tollerate light beads of high temp, but haven't confirmed this myself.
 

DDSFlyer

Senior Member
In all fairness, I never use hot glue on airplanes. Lots of other projects, but nothing that flys outdoors. Just don't trust it in the hot Georgia sun, and moreso low temp glue.

I have heard chatter that DT fpam is a hair more heat resistant than other foams, and can tollerate light beads of high temp, but haven't confirmed this myself.

What is DT foam? Sorry I'm a noob at this, but if you don't use hot glue what do you build your FT planes with? Epoxy?gorilla glue? Like I said its my first build so I'm just going with whats been done before. I've used low temp glue gun to patch up my busted floater jet and other than weight issues its holding up better than my first epoxy fix but who knows...lot I.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
What is DT foam? Sorry I'm a noob at this, but if you don't use hot glue what do you build your FT planes with? Epoxy?gorilla glue? Like I said its my first build so I'm just going with whats been done before. I've used low temp glue gun to patch up my busted floater jet and other than weight issues its holding up better than my first epoxy fix but who knows...lot I.
DT=Dollar Tree or Adams foam board. Just a shorthand way of saying it. I've been using High temp hot glue on my scratch builds and it holds up well in the south Texas heat, but I haven't tried leaving them in the car yet. There's a high probability of rekitting if left in the car! If heat is an issue where you live or store the planes, like the back seat of the car on a sunny day, try the Gorilla glue. I believe it's recommended to peel the paper away from the glue joint with it though...
 

Craftydan

Hostage Taker of Quads
Staff member
Moderator
Mentor
What is DT foam? Sorry I'm a noob at this, but if you don't use hot glue what do you build your FT planes with? Epoxy?gorilla glue? Like I said its my first build so I'm just going with whats been done before. I've used low temp glue gun to patch up my busted floater jet and other than weight issues its holding up better than my first epoxy fix but who knows...lot I.
Sorry about the shorthand - easy to forget what's jargon.

Usually use white gorilla glue. I'll be the first to admit, it's a pain waiting for it to set, but if you cut the paper away from the seams or buld using stripped boards, a tiny smear of g- glue will make a joint stronger than the foam around it.

A lot of the locals in my parts use hot glue without planes falling apart in the air, but the re-kitting is the real danger. As long as you're aware, and don't pick up a few things from walmart on the way to the field, you can safely enjoy hot glue's convince.