In praise of Hot glue.

alchemysa · May 22, 2012

Hot glue is becoming my new favorite fixer (rivaling duct tape and cable ties). If you haven't tried the stuff you should. Its fast, dirt cheap, and very strong. The guns and glue sticks can be bought for a few dollars from 'cheap as chips' type discount stores. Today I repaired 3 pairs of shoes. (Not pretty but they are just work shoes). Unlike contact cement it doesn't require much 'overlap' to make a strong joint. Last week I repaired some wear and tear spots on the catcher bag of my ride on lawnmower. (Some large shadecloth patches 'welded' on and sprayed black - it looks as good as new). A little while ago I even repaired some cracks in the plastic bumper of my 4WD Mitsubushi. (Filled the cracks with hot glue then shaved them reasonably smooth with a knife before painting).

Give it a go.

Danno1 · May 22, 2012

alchemysa said:
... repaired some cracks in the plastic bumper of my 4WD Mitsubushi.

Better not park in the sun now! :laughing:

.

chucko · May 22, 2012

Your mileage may vary but it has never seemed to last for me....I would not count on it much more than tape.....

crash325 · May 22, 2012

alchemysa said:
Hot glue is becoming my new favorite fixer (rivaling duct tape and cable ties). If you haven't tried the stuff you should. Its fast, dirt cheap, and very strong. The guns and glue sticks can be bought for a few dollars from 'cheap as chips' type discount stores. Today I repaired 3 pairs of shoes. (Not pretty but they are just work shoes). Unlike contact cement it doesn't require much 'overlap' to make a strong joint. Last week I repaired some wear and tear spots on the catcher bag of my ride on lawnmower. (Some large shadecloth patches 'welded' on and sprayed black - it looks as good as new). A little while ago I even repaired some cracks in the plastic bumper of my 4WD Mitsubushi. (Filled the cracks with hot glue then shaved them reasonably smooth with a knife before painting).

Give it a go.

It's comforting to know that "Red neck" repairs are moving along and branching out from just Duck Tape. :laughing: :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Now tell us what you have tried to fix with Instant Glue.

Instant glue was actually developed as a wound dressing, was used in Vet Nam and it worked. Could not pass the Fed & Drug system.

30+ years ago I started gluing myself back to gather. It works well, pulls out soreness and promotes healing.

MistyBlue · May 22, 2012

I always loved duct tape until I discovered Gorilla tape. Holds a *lot* better.

I use hot glue on fabrics, works well there. Never lasts for me on much else though.

Scooby074 · May 22, 2012

Im sure its out there, but Ive never found a truly STRONG hot glue. Tried several brands but they never really "stick" to both substrates.

Bird · May 22, 2012

My wife used to have a couple of glue guns to use hot glue for some of her craft stuff, but I'm not sure I ever used any of it.

alchemysa · May 22, 2012

Scooby074 said:
Im sure its out there, but Ive never found a truly STRONG hot glue. Tried several brands but they never really "stick" to both substrates.

I agree its not the best for making strong bonds on smooth surfaces. Its too thick to really get a grip. But it seems to work a treat and makes a very strong bond between any rough surfaces. And the bumper bar repair still looks fine after 12 months.

What I love about it is the speed. No waiting for it to dry.

Before my original post I did a TBN search for hot glue. I was surprised to find just a single reference.