Mike the Beacon Glue Guy has been writing a glue tip every day. There are so many misconceptions about glue and how to use it. When glue doesn't do the job, there is usually a reason. Here are the first 30 tips.
1. Glue is like a hammer, we all know how to use one, but we’ll still bend a few nails. Always test the glue before you use it, even if it’s just to get the hang of it.
2. Pressing down on TAPE, may help the bond; pressing down with GLUE, may hurt the bond! Why? Tape does not move, Glue does.
Example: Glue between two pieces of wood, press down and it comes out the sides, between two pieces of fabric, press down it soaks through to stain and stiffen.
3. Choosing a glue? First, it’s all about the surfaces!
What type of surface are you bonding together? Is it Porous, Non Porous, or Semi Porous or a combination of these?
Example, Finding a glue that says it works great on fabric and you use it to bond rhinestones to fabric, wash it and all you have is glue on the fabric!
Yup, worked great on fabric, but not on the rhinestone. Fabric is porous, rhinestones are non porous, Better to find a glue that works on both.
4.Once you have found the the correct glue for your surfaces, then it becomes about what you want the glue to be: permanent, acid free, non yellowing, removable, re-positionable, super strong etc.
5. Read the instructions!
6. Opening a brand new glue bottle? Puncture the tip with a large paper clip. Don’t cut it with a scissor. You can always make a larger hole if you need to.
7. When applying glue to a surface, always hold the bottle at a 45 degree angle. When you hold it upside down, the glue goes to the tip and a big air bubble goes to the bottom. When you turn the bottle right side up, the air flows back up to the tip and forces the glue out the top… Very messy!
8. To avoid strings when pulling the bottle away from the surface, lightly coat the tip with Vaseline. Notice I said LIGHTLY. 2. When pulling the bottle from the surface, press the tip down and snap the bottle away. This takes practice… so practice!
9. Keep glue covered when not in use. Simple but effective-it keeps the glue from drying out.
10. We get a lot of calls about whether our glue will stand up to microwave ovens, dishwashing, cooking etc. The average glue you buy in a store will stand up to about 140-150 degrees. Some of ours will stand up to 300, but consider a microwave gets up to the equivalent of 500 degrees.
11. Why wash a fabric before gluing it? To remove sizing. Sizing is generally starch. Starch prevents the glue from seeing the fibers. The glue sticks to the starch. Starch gets washed away, guess what happens to the glue… yup, you’re right!
12. Never, ever use a varnished surface as a work surface. Most glues dry because of the liquid evaporating.The liquid in the glue is called the solvent. When a solvent evaporates, it usually goes down as they are heavier than air. Most solvents, including water, have negative effects on varnished surfaces, even if you have it covered with news paper cloth etc.
13. Keep glued projects off varnished surfaces for at least 48 hours just in case the glue is still in the drying process.
14. Use Vaseline to keep glue caps un-stuck. Glue always seems to build up around the threads of a metal tube. Before using the glue, apply a little Vaseline to the threads. The glue won’t stick to it and it makes the cap easy to get on and off.
15. Applying Rhinestones? Do a few at a time. You can’t put down 100 dots of glue and not expect them to start to dry. Drying Glue = weak bond. A weak bond means some will come off in the wash.
16. Speaking of Rhinestones, ALWAYS wipe the back clean before applying glue. Cover the back with glue and GENTLY place it where you want it. Gem-Tac is the best of its kind. It’s great to bond small stones to cell phones and other items that need bling.
17. Got your fingers stuck together with Super Glue? Drip a little nail polish remover on the area and gently move your fingers. Next time use Beacon's Quick Grip Glue!
18. Roughing up some surfaces creates a stronger bond. This happens because the process of roughening up a surface gives the glue more surface area to bond to. More surface area, Stronger bond.
19. How come glue doesn’t stick to the plastic bottles? Generally all plastics have a component called plasticizer. This eventually leaches out of plastics and creates an “Oil Slick” . The glue on labels eventually comes off too.
20. Glue Bonds and temperature changes: Heat expands, Cold contracts. Heat also softens. Unless the glue is a high temp version, a typical glue can’t stand more that 130-140 degrees F without softening. Be careful where you put bonded items.
21. Lost your glue cap? Cover the opening with several layers of plastic wrap and wrap a rubberband around the bottle’s neck.
22. Please give good glue a chance! All glue needs time to dry, some more than others. There is a difference between a glue’s "grab" and its dry time. Grab is how well glue immediately holds onto a surface, while dry time is actually how long it takes to permanently bond surfaces together. Even though a glue may grab quickly,it may need many more hours to dry thoroughly.
23. Most of the glues on the shelf today are either water-based,acrylic-based, or solvent-based.
SOLVENT-BASED glues are by far the strongest, have a noticeable odor, are flammable, permanent and can be used for both indoor and outdoor applications.
ACRYLIC-BASED glues contain acrylic polymers, are pretty flexible, dry clear, are rarely affected by heat or humidity,but are not suitable for outdoor use.
WATER-BASED glues are popular crafting staples but are limited in strength, can be removed with water while wet,and cannot hold heavy objects.
24. Watch out for old glue! Glue that has been sitting around for a while can easily lose its potency. Most glues have a limited shelf life—the period of time during which they will remain strong.
25. Humidity greatly affects drying time of adhesives. What takes 2 hours to dry in Arizona might take 12 hours in Mississippi.
26. Think about where your project is going to go during the drying and curing period. Plan ahead so you don't have to disturb it and weaken the bond.
27. Why do some glues wrinkle paper? Water based glues will wrinkle paper because the paper absorbs the water and becomes soggy, making it weaker and subject to pressures the chemical make-up of water can exert on it. That can re-shape or wrinkle the paper.
28. If you don’t know, ask! Better for you if you call or email me a question before using the glue than for you to call and get mad at me. Hey I’m a nice guy! I’m happy to help you out! (800) 865-7238 or mikethebeaconglueguy@gmail.com
29. Old Glue, New Glue, Bad Glue, Good Glue! When buying glue, if you can see into the bottle, avoid the ones that appear separated. No matter how much you mix or shake, they will keep separating. If the bottle is not clear but appears sucked in, that’s another sign that the glue could be past it’s prime.
30.What glues are safe for kids? That’s a loaded question, because it depends upon the child’s age, the project they are undertaking, the maturity level of the child and whether or not parental supervision is present.
For younger children, water based are often best as they are typically non- toxic. Older kids can use more sophisticated solvent based glues, but parental supervision is always recommended so misuse does not occur. Preventative, protective measures like rubber gloves are a good idea when using super glues so fingers can’t get stuck together.
