Glue Gun Recommendation

[wobblycogs]

I wonder if anyone could recommend a decent (hot melt) glue gun. I've not used one since I was at school which was a long time ago go so I'm sure they've come on since then. Any things to look out for would be good e.g. don't buy x brand because the glues impossible to find and that sort of thing.

Thanks

 

[CHJ]

I've had a Bosch PKP 18E for some years now and no problems such as back leaks etc. which I had with a couple of cheapies I had before.
Used on a weekly, sometimes daily basis it has had sticks from all over put through it from cheap market stall versions to the latest batch which was a bulk buy from Axminster.
Never had any problems with lack of flow rate etc.

 

[munkypuzel]

Hi, I purchased a Stanley one about 5 years ago from B&Q and it has been superb, works well every single time. I have got through around 20 glue sticks over that time, so I guess not over used, but I am very happy,

 

[wcndave]

I have a dremmel non drip gun, which drips constantly and is complete rubbish imho.

The glue sticks seem to be mostly universal.

 

[Mark A]

Don't go to Glue Guns Direct unless you want to be ripped off

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

They all either use 7mm or 11mm glue sticks but it seems the 7mm sticks are stocked in a wider range of stores but 11mm is still widely available it better stores. My personal experience with 7mm guns namely the bostik brand is they take to long to warm up and never get quite hot enough.

I have an 11mm Arrow professional. The manufacture named it professional but I have never knowingly used a pro one to compare but its a good one and not that expensive.

 

[wobblycogs]

Thanks guys, I've just gone for an Arrow TR550 as the price was right and the reviews looked ok.

Thanks for the heads up on glue guns direct. I'd come across their site and was wondering why they were so expensive compared to everyone else.

 

[shipbadger]

I know wobblycogs has now bought his gun but there was one thing not mentioned in the thread that anyone else purchasing a glue gun may want to consider; spare parts. I've had the Bosch PKP gun for many years and must have put several hundreds of sticks through it by now. Unfortunately a few years ago I dropped it and broke the nozzle off. Happily I was able to order a spare at a fraction of the cost of a new gun. Something else that didn't get mentioned, check that the gun can be left on for a long period of time if you think this may be important, some require a 'cooling off' period every so often and also if you shop around you will find different grades of glue. Axminster used to stock four or five different types but now seem to have slimmed their range down.

Tony Comber

 

[gidon]

I know a little late but I've got a Tec bond gun from I think Glue Guns Direct - I'm interested to know what the problem is with them? They sell a good range of Tecbond glue which really does work pretty well.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[GrahamRounce]

I bought a cheap unbranded Chinese one, followed by the Parkside PHP 500 B2.

The first didn't last five minutes before the stick-pushing mechanism broke - just plastic, not surprising.

I was disappointed by the Parkside one, as I've always found their tools to be good, for non-industrial use at least.
I soon got fed up with the waste of glue which continues oozing out for a while after the trigger is released. You can't do anything neat.

Don't ask me how to change sticks once the one being used is past halfway. I used the second one (different colour, fyi) to push the first all the way through, basically wasting the remainder of the first.

The pushing mechanism broke after not much use, so that's another one down the drain. I don't know, but it sounded and felt as plastic as the rest of it.

That mechanism has to take a lot of use, and abuse as it's warming up and you want to see if it's usable yet, so making that the weakest plastic link verges on cowboy manufacturing, imho.

I'll have a look at those recomnended above, with my pocket in mind.
Sigh! Does anyone else think it might not be worth bothering at all?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you go the https://www.gluegunsdirect.com/ route if you've spare cash there are deals on cheap sticks that if you get up to £50 for free delivery you'd probably have enough glue for the rest of your life. They take 12mm sticks, though, so you can't use the commonest size (11mm).
I have the kit and I've been well pleased with it. Hardly a drip.

 

[Turnr77]

Ummm, this is a thread from 2012, think the OP is probably sorted now

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The post I replied to was eight minutes old.

 

[wobblycogs]

Op here, yeah, I'm sorted thanks

As I mentioned in an earlier post I went for an Arrow TR550. I've put a few bags of glue sticks though it over the years and it's held up fine with no sign it's going to break anytime soon. I'd probably buy another if it broke.