Undoing Hot Glue

[GregLaROCHE]

I haven’t had much experience with hot glue. I have recently bought a new gun and plan on using it when appropriate.

I have been wondering if I glue something together with hot glue, can I take it apart one day if needed, maybe using a heat gun?

Also, how does it compare to normal wood glue when gluing wood.

Thanks for all advice and input.

[bakerjw]

Hot glues are mostly temporary IMHO.
If you're gluing wood, use a good wood glue.

[tunnug]

It all depends on the application, 30 yrs of wood working/ Cabinet making experience speaking, anyone that has applied shelf edging veneer knows it goes on with hot glue, do it yourself counter top ends will go on with hot glue.
If you're putting together pieces of wood, glue will work best. I used to install Corian (Solid Surface Polymer) and on the seams I would glue on blocks with hot glue to clamp the seams, afterwards knock them off with a whack of my hammer, wouldn't use it for any structural support.

[Handloader109]

If small items, drop in freezer for 2 minutes, will fall apart. Yep, temporary, not really permanent glue.

[DDriller]

Heat will definitely make it come loose. Several years ago when we had little money to fix things we had an old VW Rabbit with a broken outlet on the radiator. The glue would hold for a quick trip to town and then come loose.

[bangerjim]

HMG (the stuff that is clear/milky/light yellowish) is for temporary use only. And craft work - gluing flowers & paper in place. The wife goes thru tons of the stuff in her Sunday School classes.

Now - - if you are talking INDUSTRIAL HMG - that stuff is PERMANENT and will stick as well as Titebond or other wood glues, and is even used to glue shoes together! YOU cannot buy it, except from industrial sources in very large quantities, so "forget about it". I was lucky to run across ~25# of the sticks (~1/2" diameter for special industrial guns...I have one) several years ago and it is amazing stuff.

Hobby HMG, the only thing you can buy in stores, is temporary and does not bond worth a tinker's darned for wood working uses. Titebond actually interacts with the chemical structure/lignin of wood and bonds permanently. I use Titebond (3 different types available for various uses) all the time and it is permanent.

Stick with REAL wood glues and use HMG for casting plastic plinking boolits or arranging flowers and sticking paper!

Heat will make it release. Very cold will make it release. Time will make it release!

If you want to take it apart someday and not have a pile of splinters, use the right mechanical fasteners and forget about any kind of glue! And.................NEVER EVER use Gorilla Glue!

banger - woodworking for over 45 years

[Texas by God]

Everything (crafts) that I've seen assembled with hot glue disassembled itself after a while. I'm sure that it's good for something but I'm not sure of what.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[1hole]

I've had good results on hobby products with hot glues on porous materials like fabric and wood.

I learned that flushing hot glued joints with inexpensive mineral spirits causes the glue to turn loose almost immediately and without damage to the wood.

I would not use hot glue on gun stocks.

[farmbif]

I got one of those hobby hot glue guns with the cheap clear like glue, its a toy compared to the commercial stuff, ive also got this orange commercial 3m glue gun, its been a few years since I even put my eyes on it but it takes I think, 1/2" or 5/8" glue sticks, I got these light brown colored ones. that stuff it about as strong as jb weld when it has a good clean surface to stick to. we used it in the boat yard to stick stuff together like trim pieces and seat frame wood. its great for setting stuff up cuz as soon as the stuff cools whatever it is on is stuck good. not as permanent as 5200 but it was pretty strong stuff.

[bangerjim]

I got one of those hobby hot glue guns with the cheap clear like glue, its a toy compared to the commercial stuff, ive also got this orange commercial 3m glue gun, its been a few years since I even put my eyes on it but it takes I think, 1/2" or 5/8" glue sticks, I got these light brown colored ones. that stuff it about as strong as jb weld when it has a good clean surface to stick to. we used it in the boat yard to stick stuff together like trim pieces and seat frame wood. its great for setting stuff up cuz as soon as the stuff cools whatever it is on is stuck good. not as permanent as 5200 but it was pretty strong stuff.

Now that's the HMG I am talking about! Brownish-yellow in large short sticks. Not those skinny long cheap sticks in Lowe's or Home Despot. Industrial glue not available to everyday home hobby people.

You might find some clown on evilbay that stole some from his workplace and is trying to sell it.

[jimlj]

................NEVER EVER use Gorilla Glue!

banger - woodworking for over 45 years
Perhaps a bit of a thread hijack here, but why never use Gorilla Glue? I'm not doubting you, and the couple times I have attempted to use it I've been less than impressed, but I always blamed it on the installer/user and not the glue. I love their duct tape.

[bangerjim]

Perhaps a bit of a thread hijack here, but why never use Gorilla Glue? I'm not doubting you, and the couple times I have attempted to use it I've been less than impressed, but I always blamed it on the installer/user and not the glue. I love their duct tape.

Your glue mess was not your fault! It was the glue.

The tape is amazing stuff! I use it on a regular basis.

The glue swells/foams up when exposed to water or moisture in the air, forcing the glued joint apart and oozing out in messy clumps. Never use it on fine woodworking projects. If you want to glue your house number to the wall, that's the stuff, as long as you put pressure on it until it is done expanding! You should NEVER glue ANY wood joint together without good strong clamping pressure. That is a solid rule with ANY type of glue. even contact cement. Let it cure/dry the listed times on the container B4 removing the clamps. I probably have over 120 different clamps and styles of them in my shops.

In my antique furniture/clock repair business, I run across all kinds of Rube Goldberg-types of glue joint attempted repairs. Even masking tape pulled REALLY TIGHT is better than no clamps at all. I use it regularly, as masking tape has a bit of stretch to it.

JB Weld 4 minute cure is another excellent glue I use on metal to metal joints that cannot stand the heat of soldering/welding/brazing. Strong machinable stuff that really gets the job done. I have machined it on the lathes, milling machines, and other tools just like metal with excellent results.

[BNE]

Your glue mess was not your fault! It was the glue.

The tape is amazing stuff! I use it on a regular basis.

The glue swells/foams up when exposed to water or moisture in the air, forcing the glued joint apart and oozing out in messy clumps. Never use it on fine woodworking projects. If you want to glue your house number to the wall, that's the stuff, as long as you put pressure on it until it is done expanding! You should NEVER glue ANY wood joint together without good strong clamping pressure. That is a solid rule with ANY type of glue. even contact cement. Let it cure/dry the listed times on the container B4 removing the clamps. I probably have over 120 different clamps and styles of them in my shops.

In my antique furniture/clock repair business, I run across all kinds of Rube Goldberg-types of glue joint attempted repairs. Even masking tape pulled REALLY TIGHT is better than no clamps at all. I use it regularly, as masking tape has a bit of stretch to it.

JB Weld 4 minute cure is another excellent glue I use on metal to metal joints that cannot stand the heat of soldering/welding/brazing. Strong machinable stuff that really gets the job done. I have machined it on the lathes, milling machines, and other tools just like metal with excellent results.

Agree with the foaming action being a problem. I used it successfully putting a brick back in place. It filled the gaps nicely. Still had to chisel the overflow off. It would be a mess on wood.

[Jim22]

Another who agrees about Gorilla glue. I hate the stuff for wood. Won't use it. They have a new clear Gorilla glue out but haven't tried it. If you are gluing two pieeces of wood togetther - a break or a miter - whatever - plain white Emers will make a joint that's stronger than the wood. If it's a break use a small brush and get it in deep. thin with water if necessary. Put glue on both sides and clamp together. As has been said it doesn't take fancy clamps. I have used strips of inner tube, spring clothespins, and weights. They all work. White glue should set overnight but you can take the clamps off in an hour or so.

[Mal Paso]

Titebond for wood, they have 3 levels now.

Gorilla glue may appear to fill gaps but has No Strength across gaps. That and WD40 are not allowed on the property.

Want to glue a metal number, 3M weatherstrip.

[Wayne Smith]

No gorilla glue here either for the listed reasons. But WD40 is routinely used - on the gardening tools! And yes, I sharpen my shovels.

[lksmith]

Perhaps a bit of a thread hijack here, but why never use Gorilla Glue? I'm not doubting you, and the couple times I have attempted to use it I've been less than impressed, but I always blamed it on the installer/user and not the glue. I love their duct tape.

in the right application, and used correctly, it's awesome stuff (same thing as sprayfoam). Used some on a drawer that kept coming loose. Glued, clamped and then trimmed once dried, no problems since.

Hot glue is generally temporary, unless some sort of specialty stuff (like industrial glue, or countertop glue). It has it's use and is great for holding something in place until you can use a permanent fastening method

[lksmith]

JB Weld 4 minute cure is another excellent glue I use on metal to metal joints that cannot stand the heat of soldering/welding/brazing. Strong machinable stuff that really gets the job done. I have machined it on the lathes, milling machines, and other tools just like metal with excellent results.

JB Weld and epoxy sticks (steelstik) are awesome! I have used it for tons of things, from repairing an 80% lower I boogered up and cut too deep on as well as taking the slack out of old break action shotguns

[GregLaROCHE]

Titebond for wood, they have 3 levels now.

Gorilla glue may appear to fill gaps but has No Strength across gaps. That and WD40 are not allowed on the property.

Want to glue a metal number, 3M weatherstrip.

It’s nice to meet another non lover of WD-40.

[bangerjim]

On a trip to Lowe's this PM for a new chainsaw, I discovered JB WELD Clear. Can't wait to try it in the appropriate applications. If anything like the standard gray stuff, it will be fantastic on glass, porcelain, and certain plastics. 5 minute set.