[apensa]

I'm new here and just stumbled on to the site while doing a search. I was searching for sources, if any, for hot melt glue that is suitable for woodworking. I've used a glue gun for craft type work but never in my wood joinery. It seems that this glue sets up pretty fast and it is hard to get a tight, no gap, joint. Anyway, any experience you may have had would be helpful.

 

[Fred Hargis]

I use hot melt fairly often, but not as a glue for my projects. Instead, it serves a utility purpose, like tacking a template to a work piece or putting glue clamping blocks on an oddly angled piece.

 

[woodnthings]

You pretty much covered it

It leaves a gap, is messy, hard to clean off, sticks to everything, sets up fast, ...lessee did I miss anything? I use it for "tacking" parts together that will come apart later, not for general wood joints.

WELCOME TO YA! :smile:

 

[Dave Paine]

Perhaps the best is also the most expensive, HiPURformer by Titebond.

Different lengths of working time.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2004007/9041/HiPURformer-Glue-Gun-Kit.aspx

I have this, and to be honest I have rarely used it.

If you are doing woodwork, yellow PVA glues are the most common. Examples Titebond I, II and III. Different working time, I the shortest, III the longest.

Why do you think you need hot glue?

 

[Steve Neul]

The hot melt glue that uses the clear or yellow sticks you see in the hobby stores I think are alright for hobby work but not for woodworking. It works alright for things non-structural but I would stay with conventional adhesives for structural purposes. In the 1970's I worked for a company that used a hot melt glue gun that used a brown stick about 3/4" in diameter to glue panel molding to the panels. This glue would stick as well as any glue a person could use. I didn't work in that department so I didn't pay much attention to what the glue was. Ever since then I've been looking for that glue and haven't seen it anywhere. I think it worked at a hotter temperature and perhaps OSHA banned it.

 

[minuteman62-64]

When I first started, back in the 70's, I didn't know any better and used hot melt glue for woodworking joints - not a great success story.

I have used it successfully for gluing seams in that poly tarp material. Also, used it for putting grids together for torsion box units - for me, a lot easier than trying to use staples.

 

[bzguy]

Great for temporarily attaching drawer fronts, slides around a bit before it sets and lets you locate them perfectly.
BEFORE you attach them permanently with screws.

 

[FrankC]

The feature of hot melt glue is that it sets almost instantly and unless it is used in an automated situation you likely will not get satisfactory results.

I have applied literally thousands of pounds of remoistenable hot melt to envelopes, it is not a pleasant substance to work with, everything connected with it is to hot to touch, the hot glue sticks to your skin and burns while you try to peel it off.

It would be a last resort, even if I could afford the equipment to apply it properly.

 

[Ron Swanson]

Another use for hot melt glue would be "Burn In" sticks.

http://www.gluemachinery.com/burn-sticks-woodworking/

Although it may take some time to pay itself off. I use hot glue to repair minor flaws in the wood before sanding. I found a guide that helped me out more than once in the past.

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/repair-wood-dings-dents-flaws-knots/