Hot glue guns can be a useful tool in the shop. You can use hot glue to build temporary jigs, or to hold a template in place. It can act as a clamp to hold pieces together while another stronger and more permanent glue dries, or if you have high quality glue sticks and a high temperature glue gun, you can even use it as the primary adhesive.
Hot glue guns do take a while to get up to temperature, so you either need to leave them plugged in the whole time you’re in the shop and working, or plan well ahead when you know you’ll need one in advance. It’s also one more cord to drag all over the shop and trip over. One interesting solution that at least partially addresses these problems is the Surebonder 120 Hybrid-120 Hot Glue Gun.
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Weighing in at 1.5 lbs without the battery, this glue gun can either be plugged, in via a removable cord, or powered by Ryobi 18V batteries. Surebonder claims you can get approximately 1 hour of runtime with a Ryobi 18V compact Lithium+ battery (P102), or 4 hours with one of Ryobi’s high capacity Lithuim+ battery packs (P108).
The Hybrid-120 uses regular 0.43″ (7/16″) glue sticks and is considered a high temperature glue gun because it heats the glue to 380°F (or 193°C). The stock nozzle is insulated, but this isn’t a toy – you can still really burn yourself if you’re not careful. Surebonder also does sell a variety of specialty nozzles that are compatible with this hot glue gun.
If you already have Ryobi 18V batteries, you can purchase just the glue gun alone for $127 from Home Depot. You can’t actually buy this at a Home Depot retail location though – this is an online-only item. If you’re going to buy it online anyway, you could also try Amazon, who has it for the same price with free Prime shipping.
Buy Now (Bare glue gun via Home Depot)
Buy Now (Bare glue gun via Amazon)
If you want to buy a kit complete with the Ryobi P-128 Ryobi compact battery and charger, you’ll pay $255 at either Home Depot online or Amazon. If you ask me, this price seems a little excessive considering you can buy the same battery and charger for $60 at any Home Depot.
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Buy Now (Full kit via Home Depot)
Buy Now (Full kit via Amazon)
First Thoughts
I found this glue gun while I was researching cordless glue guns. I also learned that you really need to be careful when you buy a “cordless” glue gun, as there are some glue guns that are advertised as cordless, but they’re really no more than corded glue guns with a removable cord. (Remember the “cordless” Snap-on worklight? Same thing.)
These “cordless” glue guns rely on the built-up heat in the tip, and only last 2 or 3 minutes. One discontinued Black & Decker model can be used “with no cord” for up to 6 minutes. Using this logic, just about any corded glue gun can be used “cordlessly” for a short time.
I’m also very curious why the Surebonder only lists the P102 and P108, the Ryobi Lithium+ batteries, as compatible. It seems that, with a runtime of 1 hour even when paired with the lower capacity battery, the hot glue gun isn’t drawing too much current. It might be compatible with Ryobi’s older batteries, and even their NiCad batteries might be able to handle this load. I’m not sure what to make of this.
Surebonder seems to have solid reviews, and their products range from entry-level blue guns at under $10, to this cordless model and another high-powered (corded) glue gun that’s priced at $80.
Are there any cordless glue guns that you would recommend? Bosch came out with a cordless glue pen, but it’s not available in North America, and we’ve also seen a Bosch 7.2V pistol-grip model, also not available here.
Greg
I like the idea and functionality of this but 127 for a bare glue gun seems a bit steep for something I would not use all the time.
I think i paid $10 for the last glue gun I bought when I needed it
Dean
Now this is a fantastic idea. I frequently use hot glue guns in the woodshop for jointing wide boards in the planer (glue down wedges) I hate that it takes 5 mins for my glue gun to heat up. This battery powered glue gun is ingenious if its “INSTANT ON, INSTANT HEAT.” This would be a great tool for Milwaukee to put in their 12v lineup. HINT HINT!
Benjamen
Sorry it’s not instant on: the manual says: “Allow the tool to heat up for 5-8 minutes” I missed that when I was writing the post.
http://www.surebonder.com/upload/catalog/Hybrid-120Kit.pdf
I’m not sure why the Hybrid takes so long to heat up, the Surebonder Pro-120 is also a 120W model and it heats up in 2 minutes. I don’t know if its using a different type of heater. Another source claims the Hybrid-120 uses a PTC type heater. These are usually most efficient at a certain voltage range.
So I’m not sure how they are running one PTC of two different voltage sources, maybe they step down the AC voltage which is usually easier than stepping up an AC voltage. This could be a reason why it heats up so slowly compared to the strictly plug in Pro-120.
Noah
I have many friends in the theatre and set decoration crafts that have been begging for this for years.
SteveR
Greg–Yes, $127 for a bare glue gun is a lot. But then again, it’s not made for home projects (arts and crafts) or the odd repair job. This sounds like a manly man’s tool, for use at a jobsite where you move around a lot. That’s the reason for being cordless; you’re not tied to an outlet (or there isn’t one where you need to work). The differences between this and a $2.99 AC-powered glue gun is similar to the difference between a $12 blow dryer and an expensive heat gun used to thaw frozen pipes and do other high-powered jobs.
I can’t think of too many jobs a homeowner would need this for; it seems to be made for someone in the trades. Most of us (including me) are better off with an AC-powered glue gun that costs no more than about $20. That’s enough to spend for one that won’t burn you because of its small size, and should last the rest of your life given the number of times it will be used.
Matt E.
Hmm, I’ve been avoiding Hot Glue with my Foam based RC planes because my little $10 gun turned me off to the idea, but this might be worth a look. I’ve always hated having to plug the cord in, as its constantly needing to be dragged around the work area, and knocking the cord means knocking the (very hot!) tool over.
Seems like a great way to leverage the higher cap Lithium batts I have laying around.
I know Hobbyking.com offerend a LiPo (most common used batts in RC planes) a while back, but had ‘meh’ reviews IIRC.
Matt E.
Forgot to add to my last comment:
Also interesting that a non-ryobi tool is using Ryobi batteries. Makes sense for both sides of the equation; Ryobi has another use for it’s Batteries, and Surebond can tap into the Ryobi use base.
Are you aware of any other brands licensing tool batteries? I wasn’t even aware that was a thing!
fred
I have no way of knowing – but maybe FPC corporation (Surebonder) has a deal with TTI or uses an OEM that also produces the Ryobi batteries.
Rusty
They’re fan/misters that use ryobi batteries for sale at Home Depot. Although they come with a different color battery and a smaller slower charger
Stuart
Although uncommon, there are a bunch of specialty tool brand that make use of other brands’ cordless battery platforms. Some seem to be in an official capacity, where the batteries are customized to suit a brand’s needs and branding. In this case, it’s uncertain, and there’s no clear evidence of an official partnership, at least from what I’ve seen.
Anton
I was curious why more small companies aren’t taking advantage of Ryobis relatively cheap batteries. I’m thinking motors that could power go carts or bikes. Coolers with no ice. Beach carts to get through the sand and hills easier. By doubling or quadrupling, you can get 36v or 72v even, with 4 qty 4ah batteries that would be a pretty quick and long range bike. Etc.
Why are there no adapters to other brands outdated battery system either. I have a full set of Bosch tools that I would hate to spend $50 per battery for NiCads.
fred
Professional grade hot melt guns go for about this price or more. We had a 3M 89445 in the shop – that we paid $143 for in 2013 – and some of the 3M (Polygun EC) guns can sell for around $400.
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Applicators-watts-GL3MTCQ-Category/dp/B001HT14MQ
SawdustTX
Now that’s cool, would love it on Milwaukee M12 or M18 batts! That said, the “cordless” glue guns you mention above actually work very well for quick fixes (the majority of my glue gun jobs). Think about it, you spend the time setting up the parts, aligning, etc, then you only spend a few seconds putting down hot glue, then you spend time holding, clamping, and setting up the next joint. So the gun is only unplugged and gluing for short periods.
I have a Sears “removeable cord” glue gun that works great. Especially for those quick home repairs. I plug it in and let it heat up in the shop, then unplug, carry it in the house, glue the repair, and take it back to the shop. For quick fixes, it’s very convenient. For longer jobs in the shop, having a cord is not a problem.
Jerry
Is there anything cordless that Ryobi batteries don’t power?
Yes, I know there are plenty of specialty tools that you can’t get, but the sheer number of things you can power if you have Ryobi batteries is staggering. I was wondering why they chose to use Ryobi batteries over say DeWalt or Milwaukee batteries, as those brands would almost seem to be more commonly used by people who would pay $100+ for a cordless glue gun.
Maybe Ryobi is positioning itself to be a higher grade tool supplier (some of its newer release seem to be geared that way) and it definately seems to be a company that makes tools for the serious do it yourselfer that no one else does (cordless drain snake for example). Maybe it could be as simple as the Ryobi battery just was easier to get to fit, or didn’t charge a licensing fee for its use.
Oh, and I think I have a possible reason they only list the lithium+ batteries for its use. The lithium + batteries have a higher output current rating than the standard lithium or the NiCad batteries. I know there are certain tools that gain a bit of performance when using the + batteries. My guess is that the greater current the + batteries allow, would make for a shorter preheat time.
Drew McD
You asked about other cordless options. I have a butane powered one that I bought about 15 years. It uses a fuel cartridge called a ThemoCell. Besides the glue gun, it also powered curling irons. I can still find the cartridges. While it wasn’t industrial strength, it was great for working on my model railroad, where a cord could do damage if it got tangled with scenery. I did a test once between the cordless and the corded glue guns with the same glue sticks. The butane powered heated the stick to a melted state about in a minute less time.
Joe
This is great an all but I have been using a “cordless” glue gun for years. All it takes is this
http://www.harborfreight.com/micro-torch-42101.html
and this
http://www.amazon.com/Surebonder-725R510-10-Inch-Temperature-Sticks/dp/B001FWXXII (you can buy packs of 24 or less)
The torch melts the hot glue stick at an instant but you have to have a steady hand. You can also adjust the melt flow buy doing tap tap with the torch on the glue stick. Just thought I would share this trick 🙂 I would like to point out that I don’t require a cordless hot glue gun that often though. If I did, I would definitely look for a stand a lone tool.
Joe
Just thought I would make a .gif ’cause I’m more of a visual person to get the point across.
http://i.imgur.com/adRRhdM.gifv
Benjamen
Thanks for taking the time to make a graphic.
I’ve seen this from several different sources some using a torch and others using a Zippo. I’ve been meaning to give it a try, now you got me thinking about it again.
I’ve also seen people solder wires with a lighter and a roll of flux core solder. I need to try that too.
Doresoom
So I might have missed it in your recent posts, but it looks like Ryobi is finally answering with their own One+ glue gun!
https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/18v-one-hot-glue-gun