Glue guns

Anne Lane <alane [at] InfoAve__Net> writes

>Two questions: my glue gun, an el cheapo, died recently and I have
>borrowed a Sears cordless model from another department pending
>purchase of another for ours.  My concern is this--I am using a
>rheostatically controlled outlet, and with the old model I used the
>lowest heat I could get away with, since I am mostly working with
>ethafoam and Volara.  I used a higher heat for the Corrulite
>corrugated polyethylene I use to construct boxes and supports.  The
>new gun only functions at maximum heat, and it generates fumes
>enthusiastically.  I am in a basically airless workroom, with little
>venting and almost no air circulation.  I am using the hot melt glue
>sold by University Products.  Am I frying my brain?
>
>The other question is, when I do buy a new glue gun, what should I
>buy?

Your question primarily addressed working with Ethafoam and Volara.
I recently attended a demonstration given by east coast
packing/crating legend, "Blues" Farley where he demonstrated the use
of a heat gun, similar in appearance to a standard hair blow dryer
only this type is an industrial model which produces a heat much
higher than what you would want to direct at your head.  The model
he demonstrated came with a stand and appeared to be well made and
safe to use.  By directing the heated flow of air at the Ethafoam
for a few brief moments the surface was heated enough to produce a
tack that enabled the foam to be adhered to another block of
Ethafoam or, as he demonstrated, to Volara.  Volara could also be
heated, for a shorter period of time than Ethafoam, and bonded in a
similar fashion.  Fumes were not noticed by my senses during this
process.  When these bonds were tested the foam failed at areas
other than the recently bonded joint. I'm not a conservator and am
not aware of the risks, if any, associated with the heating of these
foams to a melting point and what that might release into the air,
especially if you are not working in an area isolated from
collections.

Mike Jusko
Collections Care Specialist
Walt Disney Imagineering
Glendale CA 91221-5020
818-544-4774
Fax: 818-544-7845

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:81
                  Distributed: Tuesday, April 7, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-81-004
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