Tecbond glue sticks are Europe’s leading shaped hot melt adhesive. Tecbond offers the largest range of high-quality, competitively priced hot melt glue sticks and glue guns in the world. Marketed under the tried, tested and proven brand names TECBOND adhesives and TEC glue guns. Made in Basildon, stocked in Oldham, delivery when you need it – what can we GLUE for you?

Glossary:

12mm glue stick: Available in hot melt and low melt covering a wide range of formulations for packaging, product assembly, electronics, filters and rosettes.

15mm glue stick: 15mm glue sticks offer an increased output of 30% more molten glue per trigger pull, and with the glue gun holding up to 60% more glue means you do not need to reload as often as you would with a standard 12mm glue stick.

43mm slug: As known as 43mm cartridge adhesive used in Tec 43mm glue guns. The solid adhesive is pushed into a heated chamber where it melts, and can be extruded from the nozzle by gently squeezing the trigger

Adhesive Failure: Loss of adhesion between the adhesive and substrate. The adhesive pulls cleanly away from the substrate.

Adhesive Tensile Strength: The tensile strength of a bond is the maximum tensile load per unit area, required to break the bond expressed in pounds per square inch. The load is applied at a right angle to the plane of the adhesive.

Bond Strength: The unit load that is required to break an adhesive assembly with failure occurring in or near the plane of the bond. This can be affected differently depending on the speed and direction of the load applied.

Brand: Tecbond glue sticks are sold under market-leading brand names, Tecbond, SprayTec, OverTec, FoundryTec, CastTec, KnotTec, VacTac, GroovTec, Tackfix, CableTec

Cohesion: The molecular attraction that holds the body of an adhesive together. The internal strength of an adhesive.

Cohesive Failure: Loss of adhesion as a result of the adhesive splitting apart, leaving adhesive on both substrates involved in the bond.

Cohesive strength: The ability of the adhesive to stick within itself during the wet stage. The term cohesive strength also applies to the internal strength of the dried adhesive.

Compression time: The amount of time required to hold the bond while the Tecbond hot melt adhesive cures. Compression is very important in achieving good bonds with hot melt adhesives.

Ethylene vinyl acetate: (also known as EVA) is the copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate. The weight percent vinyl acetate usually varies from 10 to 40%, with the remainder being ethylene.

Glue Backup: Occurs when an operator attempts to extrude adhesive from a glue gun before it has reached the correct molten temperature. The adhesive which has cooled in the nozzle has not reached molten temperature. Consequently, the adhesive is forced back along the barrel through the gap between the adhesive and the barrel wall by trigger pressure. Can cause serious burns!

Glue line: The layer of adhesive that bonds two substrates.

Glue stick: Tecbond glue sticks provide instant, permanent bonding on a vast range of materials without the use of harmful solvents. They are ideal for fast repetitive gluing applications.

Heat resistance: The temperature at which a bond subjected to a load fails. Tecbond glue sticks are measured to BS5350 Part H3.

Hot Tack: See Molten tack the holding power of hot-melt adhesives while in the liquid hot state.

Hot melt adhesive: see glue stick.

Low-temperature flexibility (tg): The lowest point where a Tecbond glue stick will stay bonded in cold rooms and freezers without failing.

Melt-Back: This occurs when glue has been over-softened and is forced back along the barrel of the applicator by trigger pressure. If your glue gun is left on for more than 30 minutes without being used either turn the tool off or dispense a small amount of adhesive, this will help prevent melt-back. Melt-back can cause serious burns!

Molten tack: materials can be bonded with hot melt adhesives providing the parts can be assembled while the adhesive is still molten. The molten adhesive is applied to one of the surfaces to be bonded. When the parts are pressed together the heat quickly dissipates into the substrates, which solidifies the adhesive, and a bond or seal is made instantly.

Nylon: A generic name for a specific family of thermoplastic polyamides invented by DuPont. See Polyamides

Polyamide (PA): A higher performance polymer that is used to formulate adhesives with better resistance to temperature extremes. Typically -60C to 130C. These adhesives are more chemical resistant but tend to be slightly less sticky than adhesives based on EVA.

Polypropylene (PP): Used to formulate adhesives with specific adhesion properties and delayed setting time. Often used for spray formulations. Service temperatures -30C to 110C depending upon formulation.

Ring & ball softening point (ASTM E28): A method of measuring the temperature at which the adhesive softens, quoted in degrees. Not to be confused with Heat Resistance

SDS: Material Safety Data Sheet (formally MSDS). Always read the SDS before using any adhesive!

Shelf life:  Unlike many other forms of adhesives, Tecbond hot melts are very clean to handle and have an almost indefinite shelf life. They provide a clean bond with none of the problems or hazards posed by other sealing methods.

Solid adhesive: Tecbond adhesive is supplied in a solid format and when fed into the glue gun heated chamber it melts and can be extruded from the nozzle by gently squeezing the trigger.

Stringiness: The formation of threads when adhesive transferred between surfaces is pulled apart.

Storage life: The period of time that an unopened container of adhesive can be stored under specified temperature conditions and remain suitable for use. Same as shelf life.

Tack: See Molten tack. The property of a Tecbond glue stick allows it to form a bond of measurable strength immediately after adhesive and substrate are brought into contact.

Tackifiers: Are added to glue sticks to increase the tack of the adhesive. It works by forming cross-linking bonds across the Polymer chains. Tecbond glue sticks use tackifiers that are formulated using raw materials harvested from sustainably managed forests.

Thermoplastic: Tecbond glue sticks are a material capable of being repeatedly softened by heat and hardened by cooling. Not to be confused with Thermosetting having the property of undergoing a chemical reaction by the action of heat, catalysts etc, which cannot be reversed.

Tamper–proof: Tecbond glue sticks provide a very strong, tamper-proof seal that adds extra security to your packaging as well as improving the rigidity of the carton.

Working time:  Tecbond glue sticks open times vary from just a few seconds to several minutes: the actual time will depend on adhesive formulation, ambient temperature, substrate temperature, and the amount and configuration of the adhesive applied.

Viscosity: The measure of the resistance of a fluid to flow usually expressed in centipoises or milli-Pascals per second (mPas-1). A higher reading indicates a thicker material. Tecbond glue sticks are measured by Brookfield viscosity (POW-12-VISC) spindle 27

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC): Any organic molecules that evaporate easily. Tecbond hot melts are 100% solid, non-toxic adhesives containing no solvents (no VOCs) or water. Users do not have to worry about odours or mould in finished products, or about paying for a solvent that just evaporates. Tecbond hot melt adhesives are safe and easy to store and have a virtually unlimited shelf life.