Industrial glue guns are similar to craft glue guns, in that they are both a hand tool that uses glue sticks or hot metal adhesive beads. But an industrial glue gun is made for heavy duty jobs, such as repairing audio equipment and gluing metal. It can also be used a on a production line to glue pieces of products together.

A commercial hot glue gun is a simple tool to use, but because of the chance of injury, you should provide training to your employees. Industrial glue guns come in a range of sizes, from small hand held options to larger, high volume guns. Depending on the size of the gun and its applications, you can find industrial glue guns education and training through:

1. Product manuals from the manufacturers.

2. Adhesive guides to learn what types of glue to use.

3. Videos and tutorial instruction that show you how to use a professional hot glue gun.

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Find tutorials and other resources that show you how to use an industrial hot glue gun

Most hot glue guns are easy to use. But if you have questions or application inquiries, many manufacturers offer tutorial guides and experts to help your company. Tutorials and other educational resources can help you choose the right type of glue for the gun and the products you're applying it to.

I recommend: Glue Machinery provides videos on YouTube that guide you through operating different models of industrial glue machines, including glue guns. Ellsworth Adhesives offers expert advice for industrial glues and glue guns through the "Ask the Glue Doctor" section of its website.

Learn what types of glue to use in commercial hot glue guns

To keep employees safe on the job, it's important that your company uses the right glue for your guns. Employees must know what type of glue is appropriate for which glue gun, and safety issues regarding certain adhesives. Manufacturers and distributors often issue material safety data sheets so employees know what to do if glue gets on their skin or other surfaces.

I recommend: Ad-Tech offers an adhesives guide to help determine what type of glue and industrial glue gun is needed for a particular material. Gluefast offers Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for its adhesive products used in industrial glue guns.

Explore user manuals provided by glue gun manufacturers

Manufacturers usually provide user manuals for their glue gun models, which you can use when training employees. You can use manuals as part of your training program, and also as a reference guide when questions come up later on.

I recommend: Nordson provides a library of e-manuals for its line of industrial glue guns and other adhesive products. Owner IQ provides manuals for all types of industrial glue guns, listed by manufacturer.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Commercial glue guns are often cordless, though some are not. If your company's glue guns are tethered to an electrical outlet, employees should have additional safety training to help them keep the cord from the gluing area.

Industrial hot glue guns provide reliability, quickness and ease of use in commercial and industrial applications. Professional hot glue guns typically have dual heaters with automatic shut-offs. Industrial models find use in the automotive industry, package sealing and other areas of high demand.

Hot glue guns often have three temperature ratings: low, high and dual. Low temperature models use low temperature glue sticks; high works well with high temperature sticks; and dual temperature models give good results with either high or low glue sticks. Nozzle size varies according to the amount of adhesive needed and glue sticks come in different sizes. Higher wattage models produce more power and higher temperatures while lower wattage provides lower temperatures. Pneumatic models supply more power with higher PSI. When choosing industrial or professional glue guns consider the following:

1. Industrial glue guns come in light to heavy-duty models based on intended usage.

2. Cordless models use butane offering longer periods of use.

3. Pneumatic models offer the flexibility of movement without sacrificing performance.

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Choose light to heavy-duty industrial hot melt glue guns for big jobs

Control the flow, heating temperatures and nozzle size with these glue guns.

I recommend: Order 40 to 260 watt hand-held applicator guns with 7/16 to 1/2 inch diameter hot melt sticks at Glubie Glue. Compare heavy-duty or industrial hot melt glue guns at Glufast.com. Get a professional hot glue gun, contractor grade for woodworking at Rockler Companies. Go to A & M Sales for a wide selection of commercial hot glue guns. Scroll down the page and select an industrial hot glue gun for high volume or safer low temperature industrial glue gun by clicking on a specific type.

Get mobility with a cordless hot melt glue gun

These cordless models provide mobility with refillable butane tanks and a piezo ignition button. Use regular butane that hardware and drugstores carry. Heat up time takes about 4 minutes and a single butane fill lasts several hours. A cordless industrial or commercial glue gun finds use in many markets.

I recommend: Compare glue guns at W.W. Grainger, or go to Commercial Hot Glue for a butane commercial hot glue gun with an extra large melt chamber for larger jobs. Choose an industrial hot glue gun from FPC Corporation.

Locate a pneumatic glue gun for high volume jobs

These pneumatic industrial glue guns provide performance for high volume applications. High wattage and adjustable temperature controls ensure many different types of applications.

I recommend: Get a pneumatic dual heater design stick fed glue gun requiring 30 to 100 psi air pressure at Adhesive Solutions. Select a 40 to 60 psi industrial glue gun that accepts 10-inch glue sticks at Glu-Stix. Pick a 3 or 5 oz. melt tank pneumatic industrial glue gun at Glue Machinery Corporation. Or check out On-Hand Adhesives for industrial grade glue guns.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some websites list discount pricing when ordering more than 1 commercial hot glue gun. Prices for the guns have a wide range from under a hundred to several hundred dollars per unit.

Glue guns are handheld devices that are useful to apply adhesives on various surfaces. You can use glue guns for various industrial and commercial applications, such as wood work, carpentry and construction. There are various kinds of electric, battery and manual glue guns available in the market.

While interacting with the suppliers of industrial glue you will come across various technical terms that indicate the types and specifications for these guns. This guide will explain the technical terms relating to industrial glue guns such as ethylene-vinyl acetate, burn in sticks and curing.

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EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate)

Many industrial glue guns use EVA glue sticks as glue material. EVA is a co-polymer from the polyolefin family that has adhesive properties. This co-polymer has higher flexibility, elongation and impact resistance.

I recommend: You can read through the adhesive glossary at Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratories. In addition, you can also read through the description at Vision Plastics, a reputable company in the plastic film industry.

Burn-in sticks

A burn-in stick is an effective tool for repairing scratches or dents in wooden articles and furniture. Hot glue guns are handy for dispensing burn-in sticks. The color of the stick used should match with the surface color.

I recommend: To learn more about burn-in sticks and their applications, you can read through an informative article at Glue Machinery Corporation, a provider of adhesives and glue machinery.

Hot melt glue adhesives

Most glue guns use hot melt glue as raw materials, which are special types of adhesives that melt upon heating and form a strong bond on cooling and solidifying.

I recommend: For more information about hot melt adhesives, their composition and applications, read through the description at Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC), a non-profit organization for pollution prevention.

Curing

Curing is the second step in an adhesive process that involves cooling of hot adhesives. The adhesive bond becomes stronger during the curing process.

I recommend: You can read through the information at Ameritherm Inc., an induction heating instrument provider.

Viscosity

Viscosity is the resistance of the liquid to flow. In other words, it is the thickness of the fluid. You should check the required adhesive viscosity for your application before buying a glue gun.

I recommend: ASTM International, a standardization organization, provides you with the guidelines and test methods to check the viscosity of the adhesives.

Thermoplastic or thermosetting adhesives

Thermoplastic and thermosetting are the main types of adhesives used in industrial applications. Before buying a glue gun you should check the type of adhesives you will be using.

I recommend: Find the definition of thermoplastic and thermosetting adhesives at Geoff's Woodwork, a knowledge resource for wood workers.

Industrial glue guns can be used by a variety of industries for a variety of jobs. When assessing industrial glue guns pricing and costs, it is important to set a budget that is appropriate for how important industrial glue guns are to your business. The more you will use your industrial glue gun, and the more employees require them, the more it makes sense to have a higher budget.

Take all the costs of owning an industrial glue gun into consideration including the glue sticks and any other accessories that you may need to use your commercial glue gun. Consider industrial glue guns pricing and costs as well as the following information when calculating your commercial hot glue guns budget:

1. Industrial glue guns come in a variety of qualities and have a wide spectrum of capabilities.

2. An industrial cordless glue gun may cost the same, but may make you more efficient which may help you to make more money in the end.

3. Glue sticks are a large part of your industrial glue gun budget.

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Decide how many industrial glue guns you need and research industrial glue guns pricing and costs

With the choice of light to heavy-weight, industrial glue guns range in price from the simplest, least number of settings version that is priced at less than $30. However, the more powerful guns that have a variety of power and heat settings can cost upwards of $200 to $300. It is important to weigh how much you will use your industrial hot glue guns and how important they are to your business. If you need to just have one handy for occasional fixes, it may not be worth a large investment. But, if you will rely heavily on the power of your industrial hot glue gun then you will definitely get return on investing more money upfront.

I recommend: Glubie Glue shows a variety of industrial glue gun options. Rockler details a middle-of-the-road professional hot glue gun.

Purchase a cordless hot melt glue gun to help you work more quickly cordless hot melt glue gun

An industrial cordless glue gun is not necessarily any more expensive than a model that needs to be plugged in. You can find cordless options that average between $75 and $200 again, depending on the number of heat settings and how much power you need from your commercial hot glue gun. A cordless hot melt glue gun may be more convenient for you depending on what type of jobs it covers. If a cordless industrial glue gun will make you more efficient, it may be worth getting a nicer style that is also cordless to maximize your time and money.

I recommend: Commercial Hot Glue outlines a butane, cordless commercial hot glue gun. They also have an opportunity for saving money if you buy a package complete with accessories for your commercial glue guns. Surebonder explains the various commercial hot glue guns choices.

Factor in the cost of glue sticks for industrial hot melt glue guns

It is important to factor in the cost of glue sticks for your industrial precision glue guns to the overall price of your commercial glue gun. Glue sticks can range in price from around $3 a pound to nearly $15 per pound depending on the durability and quality of glue you need for each job. In order to have the strongest, highest quality glue that you can be assured will last, you will need to budget in the cost of glue. If you are using the glue for small jobs, the glue sticks may not be a big part of your budget, but if you'll need large amounts of glue, it is important to allow for room in your budget to cover the glue.

I recommend: Adhesive Solutions discusses a high quality glue for industrial glue guns. They do offer a discount if you order in bulk. Glu Stix offers many varieties of glue sticks including a fast-drying industrial glue stick for around $5 per pound.