Hot glue gun
Subtleties of operation of the hot glue gun
A device for gluing with hot glue is an indispensable thing, which is always useful in everyday life. However, not everyone knows how to properly use this device and why in some cases the result is satisfactory, and in others it is necessary to glue, and even redo the work.
Design
A hot glue device is called a “thermogun” or a “hot glue gun.” The device is obliged to the name to appearance as externally it looks as the children's gun. The body of the product of all models is made of refractory plastic. This lightens the weight of the device and simplifies working with it. The hot melt glue gun is designed to glue various materials through the use of a special type of glue in the form of cartridges. More often, the device is powered by electricity: to work it is enough to plug it into a 220-watt outlet.
However, today there are other varieties that operate at the expense of batteries or gas. Mobility adds advantages to their work, but the lack of a fixed connection also has disadvantages. This is due to the rapid discharge, as well as insufficient heating of the adhesive.
Key design elements are:
- housing;
- viewing window;
- nozzle;
- nozzle;
- stand;
- trigger trigger;
- Temperature regulator;
- glue dispenser;
- power button.
Inside the case is a special camera for glue. In addition, the internal components of the device are fuses and heating elements. A viewing window allows you to see the remaining amount of glue. The usual diameter of the nozzle is 3 mm for models with 11 mm rods and 1.5 mm for variants with a rods diameter of 7 mm. Professional models may have removable nozzles to change the nozzle size.
The heating element melts the adhesive rods, and glue under pressure on the trigger is fed from the nozzle to the outside. To ensure user safety, the nozzle has a silicone casing.
Features
Despite the fact that the gun has a single purpose, it has 2 varieties. The device can be domestic or professional. The second items are automatic. They are used mainly on conveyors. In fact, it is low-power and high-power appliances. Home appliances differ in mechanical supply of glue and can be different depending on the criteria applicable to them.
For example, they differ in diameter of the cartridge. In stores you can buy devices designed for rods 7 and 11 mm. Less commonly on the shelves there are variants of thermal pistols for glue rods with a diameter of 8 and 12 mm. Usually for domestic use try to choose a product with a cartridge diameter of 7 mm.
Analogues with a large diameter are characterized by a higher glue feed rate, therefore they are convenient when working in need of a large bonding area.
However, the size of the nozzle is important for needlework. The smaller the diameter at the outlet, the more accurately the melted adhesive mass is fed. For needlewomen, this factor is one of the most important when purchasing.
Instructions for use step by step
Before you turn on the device in the network, you need to prepare a workplace. It is necessary to pre-cover the work surface, warning the ingress of glue on it. You can use a silicone mat or regular cardboard for this. It is important to collect loose hair, to protect the workplace from children and pets. In addition, it is necessary to provide ventilation in the room where it is planned to work with hot glue.
When all the preparations have been made and the workplace is hidden, take a pistol and put it on the available stand in such a way that the nozzle tip is looking down. It is important that at the location of the spout the working surface is necessarily covered from glue, because when heated, some part of the glue (approximately 1 cm) will go outside and can damage it. After the hot melt glue gun is turned on and the power button is pressed, if it exists (the indicator will light up). Take the glue cartridge and insert it into the hole located at the end of the case.
Glue smoothly forward until it rests. No foreign objects, in addition to glue, can be placed in the hole. In addition, it is necessary to use only glue sticks with a suitable diameter for a specific diameter. It is worth knowing that the molten and subsequently frozen glue is put back into the hole and cannot be reused.
After the glue is placed in the hole, you need to wait for the device to heat up. On average, it’s enough for the composition to melt in 5-7 minutes from the moment of switching on, provided that the glue is already inside the device. You should not press the trigger at this time, checking how well the glue has warmed up and melted. This may cause damage to the glue gun itself.
If the device has a temperature control of heating, set the operating temperature in the range of 105-200 degrees. At a lower rate, the glue will melt for a long time, with a larger one, it will begin to form threads. If the model is equipped with adjustment of the stroke of the trigger, you need to tighten the screw to set the approximate amount of adhesive at the exit.
When the glue is heated, it is applied to one of the surfaces that you plan to glue. This is done by gradually pressing the trigger, dispensing the melted mass. Its amount will depend on the force of pressure on the trigger. After the composition is applied to one of the surfaces, the gun is put in its original position and the two materials are joined.
When the rod comes to an end, insert another cartridge. This is necessary in order for it to fall into a fascinating mechanism and push through the ending piece of glue. At the end of work, the device is turned off and wait until it cools down. Then you can remove it before the next use.
It is easy to use a thermogun: usually there is no difficulty in working, be it handicrafts or using the device in construction.
Safety
When working with a hot glue gun, you need to follow safety precautions. It is important to protect not only the workplace, but also clothing, since glue can be applied to it. If you need to melt the glue or make any needlework with it, this is done right away. When the device is not needed, it is immediately turned off, even if a break in work is planned for about 15-20 minutes.
It is important every time before work to check the integrity of the housing and the network cable. If any malfunction is detected, as well as the smell of smoke, you must immediately disconnect the device and stop using it. This tool should not be unattended. In addition, its incorrect position can lead to the fact that the heated glue will fall into the electrical circuit, which will cause damage to the device.
You can not overheat the hot melt glue gun, because of this glue inside it boils. In addition, you can not touch the molten composition, because it will leave burns on the skin at the points of contact. It is necessary to work with the device extremely carefully and carefully. Avoid touching metal parts. Do not take out the rod from the gun when it is heated.
Only remove the storage device when it has cooled completely. In order to avoid short circuits, it is impossible to buy cheap products without proper documentation, as they may cause a fire. In case of a burn, the skin is treated with a special ointment, the work is stopped.
What else do you need to know?
Many do not know that the glue used for the thermogun is different. The grip strength depends on this. They differ in the degree of transparency, they are colored and even black. The composition of the glue rod and determines the type of material used. In other words, one type of glue is not universal even when fully heated.
Transparent glue is considered more versatile because it is suitable for bonding various materials., including paper, glass, cloth, plastic, PVC, metal, cable, electrical equipment. White analogue is used in working with tiles, ceramics and plastic. Color rods perfectly mask the seams and create a uniform tone. Black is suitable for leather and carpet, and yellow is used for cardboard and wood.
In addition, rods differ in melting point. They are standard (105 degrees) and high-temperature (150 degrees).
The reserve should be chosen correctly, because if the rod needs high temperature, and the gun is not designed for it, good adhesion and proper melting will not work.
Reviews
The heat gun is sold in specialized stores and is used for different purposes, as indicated by customer reviews left on the World Wide Web forums. A lot of comments are devoted to home appliances that users like for the convenience and ease of operation. With their help, you can create unique creative compositions, decorative bouquets of toys, decorate candies, make flower hairpins and a variety of jewelry. In this case, needlewomen note that the thermoguns allow you to work neatly, without waste of glue.
See below for how to make flowers with a glue gun.