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adhesives adhesives-Tombow vs. HermaFix vs. ATC vs. ?
I have found that Tombow monoadhesive works great pretty much all the time but it is expensive. But I have tried HermaFix and it does not always work as well and is expensive too. What about an ATC gun?
Can you guys help me out on advice for cutting the expense of adhesives in stamping?
I don't like the Hermafix, either (so many people LOVE them) because they don't stick very well especially on textured CS. For scrapbooking I am more careful, but for cards I will use whatever's cheap -- the Duck or Scotch brand double sided tape, or Alene's tacky glue. I do use other things as needed (like CM tape for holding ribbon wrapped around the back of a piece) but more often than not I find myself using Alene's, it is so quick and easy (but then it's not movable so if I'm not sure about something I may use the Hermafix after all).
Clear as mud, right?
__________________ Lynn
"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right�--Lincoln
I absolutely LOVE kokuyo tape n roller plus permanent. It is worth every cent. miserart has it for a great price....and it sticks MUCH better than mono.
I've just started using Kokuyo Dot'n'Roller.
I really like it. It took my favorite parts of the snail monoadhesive and the hermafix in one. It's the dots like the hermafix so it works great with odd shapes or ornate things that have holes, but it doesn't clog like the Hermafix always does for me. It comes in an applicator like the snail.
I like using the Herma Dotto. Its not cheap, but you can get it with a coupon at M's or Joann and I'm sure the other chain store across the country. I also have been using the Xyron dotto like tape runner. The pluses are that its cheaper and works just the same and the used up refillable insert can be recycled once you remove the tape. The downside is that there isn't as much in each refill, but for the price its just fine. You can get a two pack refill for $4.49 an Joann's. I hold out for their 40% off sale and stock up on that and Dotto.
I have found that Tombow monoadhesive works great pretty much all the time but it is expensive. But I have tried HermaFix and it does not always work as well and is expensive too. What about an ATC gun?
Can you guys help me out on advice for cutting the expense of adhesives in stamping?
I use the ATG gun and spend less on adhesive than I used to. The refills I purchase are less than 3.00 each and they have 60 feet of adhesive on each roll. I buy 6 at a time and it lasts a long time for me. Also, all other adhesives I ever tried didn't stay sticky and my projects would fall apart. When I spend a lot of my time on a project, I want to know that it is going to stay together. I've never had a problem with the adhesive for the ATG gun. Good luck on your quest.
i know it's spendy, but i use sticky strip a lot. i get tired of having my cards fall apart, and it seems like mono adhesive doesn't always hold well, or for long periods of time......
Alene's is a THICK liquid, a quick dry "tacky" glue, so I haven't noticed any wrinkling or warping. I just put a dot on each corner and maybe in the middle of a side, like I would put tape...I dont' know if you'd like it but I find myself reaching for it more often than not, it is so easy to use with the little tip (not as little as a pen but still quite easy to squirt under a piece that's misbehaving). Works quickly so I love it for ribbon and things like that, too.
As for the Dotto, I HATE it! Sorry to disagree with Melissa, but it clogs up halfway through and it's a pain. I do like the Kokuyo for scrappin but it's too expensive for cards.
My SU demo friend just uses 2 sided tape. Generic. Works fine unless you have something extra heavy.
__________________ Lynn
"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right�--Lincoln
The 1/4" ATG gun is what most ATG owners use. It will definitely replace almost all your other adhesives. It lasts a long time, and I like the convenience of being able to turn 90 degree corners with the tape and not having to pick the gun up from the picture. Visually the gun is quite big, but it's light and doesn't take long to get used to.
I have tried a lot of different tapes and found that the overall best was my ATG 1/4 (Big Red) with the regular tape (Not the gold). Never cared for Hermafix and Towbow will eventualy loose its grip. I've used up all my odds and ends and now I "stick" with the ATG, 3M double stick scotch tape, and the red super sticky tape. Oh, and I love the 1/4 tape that I get at conventions. Viva Las Vegas also sells it. Its great, but it doesn't fit any applicators.
I doubt if I will ever give up my Mono Multi liquid glue by Tombow. It is everything I want in an adhesive:
small and portable
a little goes a long way
cheap
doesn't warp
drys fast but not too fast leaving about 3 seconds of wiggle time
to straighten up crooked layers
erases cleanly if I get it too close to the edge
holds solid (like you have to pry it apart with a crowbar solid) once
it drys
I absolutely LOVE kokuyo tape n roller plus permanent. It is worth every cent. miserart has it for a great price....and it sticks MUCH better than mono.
I love that one too....my ACM has stopped selling it the refills. It's good but not forgiving one bit. No wiggle room...when it's down, it's down.
I like to use the green top Tombow glue, it doesn't curl most of my CS or paper if I don't use a lot. I keep two on my desk..one down for the brush side and one down for the tip. Get a piece of flower styro and cut the shape and stick inside.
And believe it or not...I like the Ross glue stik...it's softer/smoother. They are an off-shoot of another major glue company...cant remember which one but it's usually 3/$1.
I gave up on Tombow mono. the layers lift.
But most paper crafters have an adhesive for everything!
__________________ "I drive way too fast to worry about my cholesterol".
River City Rubber Works
Last edited by AddictedtoStamps; 06-07-2008 at 11:05 AM..
I have tried a lot of different tapes and found that the overall best was my ATG 1/4 (Big Red) with the regular tape (Not the gold). Never cared for Hermafix and Towbow will eventualy loose its grip. I've used up all my odds and ends and now I "stick" with the ATG, 3M double stick scotch tape, and the red super sticky tape. Oh, and I love the 1/4 tape that I get at conventions. Viva Las Vegas also sells it. Its great, but it doesn't fit any applicators.
So where do you purchase your regular tape for the ATG 1/4?
I use the 987 tape in my ATG. It's not guaranteed acid-free, but I love it. It's repositionable for a few minutes (unless I really burnish it immediately) but then sticks really well. I think the 60 yard rolls are just under $3. :-)
Check out www.cropandstick.com for ATG tape applicators and refills. Their prices are about the same as framing supplies, but they offer priority mail and are so nice and helpful. (They also have brads and ribbon and other crafting supplies...) I also prefer the 987 for making cards etc (it's not acid free, which you don't need for cards and it's less expensive than the 908 gold which is acid free). Here's a link to the adhesive page
My new ATG 1/4" arrived yesterday. It is a seriously overwhelming looking tool!
Now all I have to do is figure out how to load & use it. [And I thought the saving up for it would be the hard part. :lol: ]
okay-I got it loaded-but is there a special trick to getting the sticky stuff to stay on the cardstock [and not bunching up on the gadget] when you are done and pulling the gun away?
When you get to the end of where you want your adhesive, let go of the trigger but continue to draw the gun *back* (not up!) toward you. The adhesive will (should) break cleanly and not bunch up. It may take a few practice runs, but you'll get it!
Gotta second www.cropandstick.com - they have great customer service- if you have any questions you can email them and they will get right back to you- and their other scrapbooking stuff is very cute and cordnates...
I love my ATG gun. But it did have a huge learning curve for me. I had to practice loading it and it took some time getting used to how it works. But I love it so much I could never give it up now!
My new ATG 1/4" arrived yesterday. It is a seriously overwhelming looking tool!
Now all I have to do is figure out how to load & use it. [And I thought the saving up for it would be the hard part. :lol: ]
Nothing works as well in my experience as the various ATG adhesives.
you could drop a scrapbook out of a moving car and nothing would come loose with this stuff.
Its permanent in a way nothing else I have found. Duck, Tombow, I have found over time it all works its way loose especially if you live in a humid climate or the item is going to be handled a lot.
Juls.16 Thank you so much for the link to Crop and Stick. I wanted the 908 because I will be doing a lot of scrapbooking with it, but it was the cheapest I have found.
Just realized now that I never returned here to give my report on this "new" tool. [Someone else asked what to do when monoadhesive did not work so well and reminded me that I had asked this very question in a thread.]
I am never going back!!!
Once I got used to using it---which became easy fast since I made up 400 wedding invitations with it---it has become the adhesive I reach for 98% of the time.
Everything sticks, and sticks good! It is also nice that you don't have to change the roll so often.
adhesives adhesives-Tombow vs. HermaFix vs. ATC vs. ?
