You may be familiar with hot glue guns from your high school home-economics class. You may remember weird, cylindrical, solid-but-flexible, sticks of translucent glue that you placed into a small hot glue gun. The gun would heat the glue, and you could use the hot glue to adhere pieces of fabric together (or to make other craft projects).
Hot glue also has the name of hot melt adhesives, which is the term typically used in industrial settings (or just “hot melt” for short). Indeed, what you may not know is that hot glue has many more uses than craft projects. Many industries use hot melt as part of the manufacturing and assembly process.
In industrial settings, you are doing a lot more than sticking fabric together. Industrial hot glue is used for many different and sometimes precision jobs for various industries. For these bigger jobs, companies require industrial glue guns and products. These are not your little, home-economics-style, glue guns. These are bigger, with more power and more capability.
Let’s learn more about the industries that use hot melt, how it is used and which types of hot melt are best for each job.
Hot melt or hot glue
Hot melt or hot glue is designed to be melted with a glue gun. This glue is sometimes called thermoplastic adhesive. Hot glue guns use continuous heating elements to melt the adhesive.
In industrial settings, industrial hot glue and industrial hot glue guns give many advantages over solvent-based adhesives or other fasteners. Industrial hot glue can dry strong and quickly, reducing the time delay before the product is ready. Hot melt also cures quickly. Industrial hot melt has a long shelf-life, and after use, it can be disposed of without any special precautions.
Hot melt also has the advantage of not losing any thickness when drying. This makes it especially helpful in some commercial projects (such as woodworking). There are many types of industrial hot melt and industrial hot melt guns to match different needs in various industries. There are even hot melt adhesives that can be applied by dipping or spraying.
Industrial hot melt has properties that should be considered for the specific job you intend it for. One of these is the bond formation temperature, which is the minimum temperature at which the adhesive can create bonds. In industrial settings, it is also important to consider the potential life stability, because the hot melt is often molten for longer time periods when working in industry.
The term tack refers to the stickiness of the hot melt. When you are working with industrial hot glue, you have a certain amount of time during which the hot melt is tacky before it sets. The open time tells you how long you can work to set a bond. The set time tells you how long it takes for the bond to form to an acceptable strength.
Hot melt adhesives and electronics
From the server that keeps your business website up and running to the smartphone that keeps you connected when you’re on the go to the handheld gaming device that keeps the kids entertained, electronics are a huge part of our everyday lives. And adhesives play a big role in helping ensure that the electronics we count on every day are long-lasting and ready to stand up to real-world demands we place on them.
In many industries — such as labeling and packaging — the job of an adhesive is to simply bond one material to another. But the electronics industry counts on adhesives to do much more than provide a strong seal between two substrates.
For example, one common consideration in the world of electronics adhesives is choosing an adhesive that can stand up to vibration. When affixing extremely delicate wiring to a motherboard or in other fragile circuit board situations, we would recommend using a hot glue adhesive to hold the component tightly in place without jeopardizing the overall quality or health of the electronics themselves — a process also known as potting or overmolding.
After using a hot melt adhesive to hold the electronic component in place, many electronics manufacturers opt to follow up with a neutral cure silicon rubber to create a long-term bond. While the hot melt glue creates a great short-term solution for holding the component in place and resisting vibration for month or years, silicon rubber provides a bond intended to last decades when applied correctly.
Unlike other industries where manually applying adhesives with glue bottles or glue sticks may be an option, the electronics industry requires more automated solutions for more consistent application. Commonly used industrial glue machines for electronics, including hot glue guns, can help make quick work of the process. Additionally, professional-quality glue guns offer a precise application with fewer drips and strings that can easily damage sensitive electronic equipment.
Choosing the right hot melt glue
Glue guns are an effective and convenient tool for fastening various materials. Before selecting a glue gun, you need to know what type of hot melt glue you will need for your project. Rapid glue sticks are grouped according to the three most common applications.
Arts and crafts
These types of glue are perfect for people who like crafting and creating things themselves. You can choose between universal glue, which is suitable for bonding most materials, and coloured glue for decoration. There are two different dimensions glue stick:
7 mm diameter glue sticks provide a low glue flow and a thin glue jet for extra precision. They are good for decorating and when working with small parts, such as model building.
Oval glue sticks are for heat-sensitive materials such as polystyrene, silk, balloons and glass.These glue sticks have a lower temperature, up to 130 degrees.
Glue for creating and decorating
Fix and repair
These glue types are suitable for various home projects. For example, you can use them to fasten cables or mend shoes and china.
White, black and transparent universal adhesive are available, as well as special adhesives for specific materials, such as textiles, wood and plastic cable. Special adhesives give stronger adhesion between the components being bonded together.
The glue sticks are always 12 mm in diameter. Both short and long variants are available. Short glue sticks are good if you need a small amount of glue for your project, or if you need to change glue type while working.
Glue for fix and repair
Installation
These glue types are the right choice for those who have major projects that require a lot of glue. For example, you can glue skirting boards, panelling and architrave, install cables and seal cardboard boxes.
White and transparent universal adhesive are available, as well as special adhesives for specific uses, such as textiles, wood and plastic cable. Special adhesives give stronger adhesion between the components being bonded together. The glue sticks always have a diameter of 12 mm and are sold in a large package.
How to Use Jumper Cables
What could be worse than walking out to your car after a long day of work only to have a dead battery. Maybe you left an interior light on or your battery has simply reached the end of its life. Either way, car batteries don't typically give you signs of trouble until it's too late, and then your car just won't start.
So no matter how old (or new) your car is, owning a working set of jumper cables — and knowing how to use them — is a must. First you need the right pair of cables. When you really need them, any set is better than none at all, but if you're buying new jumper cables, Popular Mechanics suggests ones that are 4 to 6 gauge and at least 20 feet (6 meters) long. Those extra-long cables will come in handy and make connecting batteries easier if you can't put two cars directly next to each other. Also look for jumpers with thicker cables and heavy clamps. They'll be more durable and last longer.
Of course, when it comes time to jump your battery, it's very important to handle the cables properly. Always keep the red and black clamps from touching, and be sure the cables stay apart when you're getting set up — especially once you have the clamps connected to a live battery. If the clamps touch when they're "hot," it could short out one or both cars and will definitely create some sparks.
Since using jumper cables incorrectly can be dangerous, follow every step precisely. Most jumper cables have an instruction card or label so you can make sure you're connecting them the right way.
Connect the Cables
Begin by parking the vehicle with the good battery next to the car with the dead battery.
Open the hoods of both cars and locate their batteries. If the batteries are covered by plastic hoods, remove the hoods so the battery posts are exposed.
Locate the positive (+) and negative (-) posts. The positive post may be red, but it's not always, so it's best to look for the plus or minus sign to determine the post's polarity. (Before you attach the clamps, be sure to remove any dirt from the posts.)
Next, get out your jumper cables and connect one of the red clamps to the positive (+) post of the dead battery. Make sure that the clamp is firmly connected. Clamp the matching end of the same cable to the positive (+) post on the working battery.
Connect one of the black clamps to the negative (-) post of the good battery. Make sure the clamp is firmly connected. But instead of connecting the other end of the cable to the negative post of the dead battery, clamp it to a bare, metal surface on the engine of the dead car — like a bolt or a screw. This will provide grounding for the jump start.
Car Dent Pullers: Do DIY Dent Removal Kits Really Work?
Little dents in your car are frustrating. Sometimes, a ding in a car park can cause noticeable damage to the bodywork. Many car owners are turning to car dent pullers to try and repair the damage themselves.
Dent removal kits pull dents from the outside of the car, unlike Paintless Dent Removal techniques, which push dents out from the inside. Car dent pullers are widely available and cheap to buy, but do they work?
Before you attempt a DIY dent removal, read our advice on the types of car dent pullers available and when to choose a professional dent repair service.
Car dent pullers lift dents out of car bodywork and straighten the metal out. There are two main types of pullers: suction and glue kits.
Suction dent pullers work like plungers, you attach it to the dent and pull it up towards you to remove the dent.
Glue dent puller kits involve gluing a flat pulling tab directly onto the dent. The pulling tab has a screw function, so you twist the handle to pull the tab up and away from the car.
Other kits attach the pulling tab to a pole. Then you slide a weight along the pole, like a bicycle pump, to provide the upward pressure.
Please note: We do not advise you to use any dent puller kit that requires you to drill holes into the dent. Dent pullers only work on shallow dents that are positioned on a flat, flexible surface. They can improve the appearance of car dents but are unlikely to create a perfect finish. Unfortunately, DIY dent pullers will not work on deep, angular dents or damage along the edges of bodywork. Dents in areas of thick metal are very difficult to remove at home.
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