Customer Reviews

3M Scotch-Weld AE II Hot Melt Applicator

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have yet to work with a 3M product that wasn't thoughtfully designed and executed with top notch quality - this glue gun is a perfect example of how small details add up to make a big difference.

I use this glue gun several times a week and can go through 20 10" glue sticks in one sitting while doing small production runs. That's not enough work for me to justify the cost of 3M's high end "factory" glue guns, but enough work that the cheap hobby glue guns found at craft stores weren't able to keep up. This gun is perfect for someone in my situation.

The biggest improvement you'll enjoy over hobby guns is the heating element - it gets up to temp faster and holds more melted glue. Hobby guns couldn't keep up with me - I'd run out of glue and have to wait for more to melt before I could proceed. With this gun, you never have to wait - even if you're working in an unheated garage in the dead of winter.

The glue gun is about 50% larger than a hobby/craft style. That extra length comes in handy when you need to reach into tight spots. The larger trigger gives fine control over how much glue is applied and also allows you to shoot a larger quantity of glue in one squeeze. The "filling" end of the gun is also longer, allowing you to add another glue stick earlier, so you're less likely to run out of glue in the middle of application.

Two final reasons why I enjoy using this glue gun: It drips less hot glue while sitting idle than any other gun I've used and it's more stable while sitting on my workbench than any other gun I've used - most of the hobby guns end up falling over and leaving a puddle of glue to clean up.

As a book publisher (JamesRussellPublishing.com) we pack and ship a lot of books sealing our corrugated boxes with this 3M Hot Melt Applicator Gun. It does not drip and it has a nice stand to keep it upright, heats up quickly in about three minutes and is reliable. If you are looking for a nice glue gun for your production, get this model, you'll be glad you did. The 3M Glue Sticks brand also has low to no solvent odors so odors is not going to be a problem and it can be used in the home (I tried it in my home. A slight odor on initial first-time start up, but there was no odor after using it after this). You pay a bit more, but the quality, performance and longevity is well worth it. This glue gun performs as well as very expensive brands that costs hundreds of dollars. I was pleasantly surprised by this 3M product.

For those who want a long review, look elsewhere.

Simple, does what it is supposed to do and unlike the cheap ones is constant in it's delivery. Suggest you make sure you get the long glue sticks, they work better so you don't have to keep putting in more sicks half way through a job.

I went through a number of craft store glue guns before I chose this one. It's almost twice the size of the craft store guns, but handles easily. It's stable on the workbench and doesn't drip. The trigger grip fits your whole hand and glue delivery is smooth and controllable. The brass nozzle is a bit longer than craft store guns, so even with the larger barrel/heating chamber, the reach into tight spaces is good.

Some notable features: A pilot light when it's plugged in, a silicone gasket at the back of the heating chamber to prevent melted glue from escaping into the feed area (a problem with cheap guns), a positive "tooth" grip on the glue stick feed mechanism eliminates slippage. The fold-down front foot is wide, heavy, and stable. The included wide-stance rear wire foot clips on, but is unnecessary. It would get in the way for many of my tasks. The line cord is grounded, 3-wire, industrial strength, with a strain relief at the gun end.

I recommend this gun to anyone who doesn't like disposable tools. It heats quickly and works exactly the way you would want it to.

This is a very affordable hot melt glue gun. I had been using guns from Sears but they would only last a short time before something inside would break. Most often it was the glue transport.
This gun is twice the price of the sears unit but I have used it more often than I was expecting and it is a pleasure to use. Worth the money, I will be very pleased if it lasts a long time and it feels like it will.

This was my first attempt at using (or buying!) a glue gun. Based upon the reviews that it doesn't drip and all the other issues that the cheaper brands seem to have, I opted to pay a little more and get this one. How simple and FUN! No dripping whatsoever, even distribution. Made me want to find other projects to use it on. Would definitely purchase this again!

I bought this because most of the reviews said it didn't drip. I must be doing something wrong or my applicator is defective. At least a third of the glue stick ends up on the mat. My other, least expensive glue gun, dripped less. Bought this one because the glue kept clogging the other one. Not the problem with this one, the glue runs freely onto the mat, better than onto my project.

Compared to the Craftsman glue gun I've been swearing at for a long time this 3M gun is a dream come true. Long, skinny snout fits into tight places, heats quickly and does not leak or drip once in use. I forgot to unplug it overnight and I was surprised there was no mess in the morning. Somehow it prevents glue from melting unless you pull the feed trigger. Comes with 2 removable bench stands to pick from. I removed the rear one as the front one supports it fine plus folds back when it might be in the way. The rear stand is more stable but I found it got in my way too often. The large, long feed trigger allows precise feed control for small glue jobs. I would not recommend using cheap glue sticks however as I suspect they are what causes the leaking problems posted in other reviews. I ordered the Surebonder 725R510 sticks with the gun and no probs. This is a very well engineered tool & I highly recommend it.

We are a security company and use this gun for cable installation,
Over the years we have tested many different brands, and this one is the best.

rather large, but totally light and manageable. i know other reviews have stated it drips. i have not had that problem. heats up fast. gets what i need done. and easy to use!