Ask Us & Wet Adhesives

You asked us...

ATGs – are they worth it? - Katie

Lisa-Jane:  My main go-to is my ATG gun which works out really cost effective when you consider that the rolls last for ages!

Susan:  My trusty old pink ATG gun travels everywhere with me, making me a little unpopular at crops as it’s recently begun to complain loudly sounding like a strangled seagull!  I will buy a new one if it gets too much; I couldn’t be without it.  The downside of ATG guns is the cost of the refill tapes.  I have found Viking Tapes www.vikingtapes.co.uk to be good value and they have a speedy service.

Roxy:  I have tried out the ATG gun, but personally found it bulky to hold, and tricky to use.  Safe to say I don't have one now!

Jackie:  I used a yellow ATG gun, had it for years and even though others complain about theirs, I love mine.  It does have its problems when re-loading a new roll of tape, sometimes it's straight forward, other times I could gladly through it throw the nearest window, but like I said, I wouldn't be without it.  As mentioned above I buy the tape from Viking and do a bulk order with a few friends, so it brings the cost of the tapes down per roll and also saves us on postage.

Laura:  I have a 3L EZ runner grand, which a similar to the ATG but smaller and more compact.  I like it and have never had any issues with it gunking up, nor have I had a problem putting a new cartridge in.  (And I’ve never wanted to throw it out the window!!)

Fine line bottles – what should I fill it with? - Antonia

Roxy:  For smaller embellishments, I decant "Martha Stewart" glue into small fine line bottles (the ones that come in a 3 pack).  However, for wood veneer, I love "Glossy Accents", it is easy to put on, stays put and dries clear!

Jackie:  For wet glue, I’m currently using Cosmic Shimmer Specialist Acrylic Glue, I buy a large bottle from a local market stall, about £6.99 and decant into a small fine-line tip bottle, that I first saw on a Youtube video; you get two empty bottles in a pack.  They have two sizes of nibs and I use the yellow one.  The lid has a spike in that stops the glue nozzle from clogging, so when I come back to using it, it's straightforward, remove the lid and squeeze the bottle, no more messing around with a needle to get the nozzle un-glued.

Pol:  For intricate or fiddly die cuts I use Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue.  It dries quickly, is very strong once dry, and has a fine tip nozzle.

Sarah R:  For very small embellishments I use either Tombow mono glue or glossy accents as both have a fine point to apply the glue to a small area and you only need a tiny dot of it.

Laura R: The gauge of the fine liner bottles can easily confuse – 18 (yellow) is wider than 20 (blue).  A 20 nib takes more strength to squeeze the glue through.  The key is to replace the lid after each use so the nib doesn’t clog.

Wet Adhesives

Susan:  My tip for fiddly sticking is to use a glue pen.  I’ve tried loads and the best for me by far is the Zig Squeeze and Roll 2-way pen.

Pol:  The adhesive I use most of is clear 3D gel.  I use it on anything and everything, it doesn’t smell, it gives a wonderful dimension, and it’s very strong once dry.  For small intricate things like wood veneer words, I apply it with the end of a cocktail stick for precision.  I’ve started using a lots more foam tape and foam dots recently, although I do find them a pain if I’m covering a larger area as there’s loads of backing to take off.  Not a problem with 3D gel! For intricate or fiddly die cuts I use Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue.  It dries quickly, is very strong once dry, and has a fine tip nozzle.  To stick down vellum I tend to use tiny glue dots in places I know will be covered by embellishments.

Emma C:  For things like sequins or wood veneer or glittery things, I will use a liquid glue.  Again, it’s one I have had for well over a year and it's just a super affordable one from The Range.  It’s called Anita’s Tacky Glue (kind of like the Scotch Quick Dry), it dries quickly, it’s really surprisingly strong and ... wait for it ... only £.179 for 120ml which is what I have and it hasn't run out yet!  I do have a bottle of Glossy Accents too, which I bought when I first started scrapping and thought I needed all the ‘proper’ things.  To be honest, though, I rarely use it and when I do it usually for metal embellishments or I use it for what it’s actually intended - to make things glossy!

Laura Jane:  For chipboard or wooden ephemera and embellishments my all time go-to adhesive is Cosmic Shimmer Specialist Acrylic Glue - I love this as it has a strong bond when dry and also dries clear.  If I am looking to add dimension to a small piece of ephemera or embellishment then I will attach this to my layout using DoCrafts Stick It! silicone glue which I apply through a syringe which gives me more control and finer application.

Laura:  I’m a big fan of Tombow Mono Multi glue. You can use it wet as a regular adhesive or let it dry and use it as a temporary adhesive - similar to the stick on a sticker or Washi tape.  My other go-to is Pinflair glue gel.  It is silicon free and odourless and brilliant for adding dimension.

Lisa-Jane:  I’m a bit clumsy so I tend to get in a sticky mess if I’m not careful.  I try to avoid wet glue where I can but I do use a Stampin-Up syringe tip for my intricate die cuts.

We'll be back tomorrow with a post on 'dry adhesives'