How to use a hot melt glue gun.

This guide is for industrial hot melt guns that take granulate, pillows, 43 mm sticks or cartridges, such as Reka. Small craft stick guns work differently.

Before you start

• Wear heat-resistant gloves and safety goggles.
• Check the gun for damage. Do not use a gun with a cracked or damaged casing.
• Know your adhesive’s working temperature. It is on the adhesive’s datasheet.
• Air-driven guns: compressed air at 2 to 6 bar, from a compressor with an oil and water separator.
• Make sure a clean nozzle is fitted. Never work without a nozzle.
• Lay the cable and air hose so nobody trips on them.

Step by step

1. Switch on. MS 80 heats as soon as it is plugged in. MS 200 has a lit switch (MS 200.E shows a green light). LCD models: press the button to switch the temperature control on; the display shows three dashes when it is off. A little glue may seep out while the gun warms up. That is normal: the glue expands.
2. Set the temperature. Use the adhesive’s working temperature and never go above it. MS 200: turn the screw with a screwdriver; the right-hand stop is 200 °C, never force it. MS 200.E: the dial on the foot. LCD models: set it with the buttons and confirm; the digits flash until it is hot. The display is not calibrated, so use a thermometer if you need an exact figure.
3. Wait for the heat-up. About 5 minutes for the MS 200, 10 for the MS 80, and about 10 for the air-driven guns.
4. Load the glue. Open the lid only when the gun is warm: turn the star grip anticlockwise. Fill to about 1.5 cm below the rim (MS 80: just under the feed opening). Close the lid fully without over-tightening. Never load dirty glue. MS guns take non-reactive hot melt only, and the MS 80 takes no sticks.
   • Cartridge guns (TR 700, TR 70 LCD, TR 80 LCD): pierce the cartridge outlet, screw on the nozzle adapter and nozzle, and insert it once the gun is warm. Allow about 20 minutes, less if the cartridge was preheated.
5. Let it melt. 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the glue and the amount. Do not force the trigger on half-melted glue: it damages the gun.
6. Practise first. Try dots and lines on a piece of cardboard.
7. Apply. The more you press the trigger, the more glue comes out. On air-driven guns the amount also depends on the air pressure and the nozzle size; on the TR 60 LCD and TR 80 LCD, set glue and spray air at the stand.
8. Park it between jobs. On its stand, wire stand or magnetic plate, nozzle down. Never on its side, never nozzle-up, and no overhead work. Do not leave it unattended. Turn the temperature down during long breaks, or the glue chars.
9. Changing a nozzle. Unplug, and change it only when the gun is warm and empty (about 60 to 80 °C on air-driven guns). See changing a nozzle.
10. After work. Switch off and unplug by the plug, not the cord. Normal hot melt left inside remelts next time, so the gun needs no cleaning. With PUR, flush the nozzle and adapter with a cleaner cartridge. See cartridges and refills.

If hot glue touches skin or eyes

Cool the skin with cold water at once and do not peel the glue off; see a doctor if needed. For eyes, rinse under running water for about 15 minutes and see a doctor at once. Never point the gun at anyone.