# Hot melt glue to hold small parts for pattern routing?



## rstermer (Apr 22, 2008)

I need to duplicate a small oak part (size approx. 7" x 2" x 0.5"). I will only need to make 1 copy. Will this work ok? Glue the original part (the one being duplicated) to a 2' long board with a couple of spots of hot melt glue. Glue the blank for the part to be duplicated to the the original part with 2 more drops of hot melt glue. Clamp the board to the bench, then pattern route. Are their other/better ways to do it? 

Thanks,
rstermer

edited to add part thickness


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

im sure someone can give you a better answer than me, but i would try double stick tape or if its thin enough, pin nails. i use a lot of pin nails and really like them. im not sure if the 2' is wide or thick?


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## rstermer (Apr 22, 2008)

levon said:


> im sure someone can give you a better answer than me, but i would try double stick tape or if its thin enough, pin nails. i use a lot of pin nails and really like them. im not sure if the 2' is wide or thick?


Thanks, the part is 1/2" thick. I don't have a pin nailer. . . although I'd sure like to have one. I don't think carpet tape will work because of the part's shape, it has a long, thin "tail" which is too small to use carpet tape. Thanks again for your thoughts.

rstermer


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

the tape i use isnt carpet tape and you can cut it to any size, but not knowing just how your piece looks it may not work. the manco tape is very sticky.

the hot melt glue will probably work, i just havent had that great of success with it. can you predrill and put in 2 screw or do you think it would split? then the holes may present a problem.

like i said, someone more experienced will be able to help you more. i just was trying to help if i could.

btw, i bought a pin nailer from amazon for about 30 bucks and love it.


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## rstermer (Apr 22, 2008)

levon said:


> the tape i use isnt carpet tape and you can cut it to any size, but not knowing just how your piece looks it may not work. the manco tape is very sticky.
> 
> the hot melt glue will probably work, i just havent had that great of success with it. can you predrill and put in 2 screw or do you think it would split? then the holes may present a problem.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your thoughts. What brand/model pin nailer did you get? $30 sounds like a steal!
RAS


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

its not a big brand name but it works, and its looks like it was 39 dollars.


Amazon.com: Grip 23 Gauge Pin Air Nailer Gun: Home Improvement


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Guys

I agree with levon,pin nails work very well,but if you don't have one right now find some very small nails you have in the hardware box,,,2 or 3 will do the job,they only need to go in about 1/4" deep in the stock, a pair of needle vise grips work well to hold them to put in place.. sure saves the black and blue finger nails if you miss...


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I've tried and don't like hot melt glue for this purpose, I use small panel pins, they cost next to nothing and are available in many lengths, these are the most common sizes that I use, the smallest is 5/8" and the longest is 1.5".


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## rstermer (Apr 22, 2008)

Harry, Bob & Levon- Thanks for your replies. Pins seem to be universally preferred, so that is how I will go.

rstermer


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

I always use hot melt glue when pattern routing on the table, a few spots is enough and will hold under all circumstances, can be a bit difficult to separate, but with a flat knife blade it will come apart, any glue left behind can be removed cleanly with Methylated Spirit, this method I have used in preference to tape for about 15 years.


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

I use hot melt when template routing using polycarbonate templates. Double sided tape for everything else.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Wouldn't it be a dull world if we all did things the same way! The important thing is that we feel comfortable in all the things we do in life.


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## rstermer (Apr 22, 2008)

harrysin said:


> I've tried and don't like hot melt glue for this purpose, I use small panel pins, they cost next to nothing and are available in many lengths, these are the most common sizes that I use, the smallest is 5/8" and the longest is 1.5".


You would think, maybe not...I would think that with the recent popularity of pin nailers, the pins for them would be readily available. Not so, I tried Lowes and Sears yesterday, no luck. I'll try Home Depot this morning. If I don't have any luck,I'll use brads from my brad nailer and clip off the heads. This part will not be receiving a high level of finish, so a small hole won't be a problem. I was surprised the pins were not generally available.
Regards,
rstermer


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Harry,
That's a world wide quote, I agreee, we all do it our own way, in fact I've been using hot melt today for exactly that same reason.


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## BlondeWood (Oct 11, 2004)

*pin nails*



rstermer said:


> You would think, maybe not...I would think that with the recent popularity of pin nailers, the pins for them would be readily available. Not so, I tried Lowes and Sears yesterday, no luck. I'll try Home Depot this morning. If I don't have any luck,I'll use brads from my brad nailer and clip off the heads. This part will not be receiving a high level of finish, so a small hole won't be a problem. I was surprised the pins were not generally available.
> Regards,
> rstermer


I found pin nails at Harbor Frieght. Also, at my Lowes when I couldn't find nails I asked and they were in a back area called "contractors section" and sometimes I find stuff like that in the Arrow staple section.
Vicki


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Guys

I love the pin nailer,,,I don't know how anyone could be without one in the wood shop,,I started doing alot on template work as of late but they work so well for many other jobs as well 

I'm always amazed how the little pin nailer can put in a 1" long pin in hardwood molding and not spit the stock..like so many of the brad nailers can do easy..

I still use tape when the nailer will not do the job and I have also use hot glue that stuff sucks,,,it "leaves" a spot on the wood and seals the wood so the stain/finish can't go on. 

Not to say anything waiting for the glue to get hot...

Once you have pin nailer it will be the one you pickup to use alll the time and the nails are cheap unlike the tape..  or glue sticks...

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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

"so a small hole won't be a problem."

There shouldn't be any pin holes if the template is on top and a bottom bearing cutter is used.


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## garycurtis (Sep 17, 2007)

I use hot glue gun all the time with my router. To glue down little fence and patterns for hand routing. The good thing is, you can just pry the stuff up and discard when done. 

An English guy gave a router class and showed this method. Works fast and is easy. It helps to have a relatively slick and clean work surface. My wife just retired from the movie studios as costume designer. On Oscar night, how do you think they make emergency fittings to those $8000 dresses? Cut, snip, glue gun. 

Gary Curtis
Northern California


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## rstermer (Apr 22, 2008)

harrysin said:


> "so a small hole won't be a problem."
> 
> There shouldn't be any pin holes if the template is on top and a bottom bearing cutter is used.


Harry- Maybe I'm not understanding how it is done. Here is my thought as to how I would set up to make the cut. I would first stick some pins (3 or 4) into the bottom side of my pattern, since it is made of red oak and is very hard. Then I'd press my pattern down onto a board made of a softer wood, such as pine, which would be clamped to the bench. Next, I'd stick some more pins into the top side of my pattern and would then press the blank to be profile routed onto those pins. At that point I'd have a sandwich consisting of my soft base board, on top of that would be the pattern and on top of that would be the blank for the piece to be duplicated, all of it held together by the pins. I'd probably also set up some support pieces around the sandwich so the router wouldn't tip. Then I'd route away using a cutter with a bottom bearing. 

Alternatively, I could put the piece to be routed in the middle, put the pattern on the top and use a cutter with a top bearing to make the cut (which as I think of it would probably be my preference as I would be able to see the pattern as I worked).

Have I got it right, or am I missing something important? Thanks for your thoughts.
rstermer


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

May I offer my sincere apologies and ask you to ignore that post of mine. Had I not posted it late at night, I would have pleaded that I was DAY dreaming. Possibly what I was meaning was that if the Oak template is on the top of the new material and pinned from below, then there would be no pin holes in the face of the template.
In spite of all this I personally use pins believing that there is no chance of movement between the pieces, bearing in mind that here in Western Australia the temperatures reach into the 40+*C


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

I also use the pins, but they are the number 23g,,they are about the same size as your desk stapler or to say the staple that they put out, I don't use the same size you do,,they are so small you can cut the off with the router bit if you have a error with one of them and is real hard to see the hole when I pull them out,,I put them in from the bottom or the top it just comes down how I'm using the template...

Pop a staple out your desk stapler and look how small they are...but they will hold any template in place...

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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

harrysin said:


> May I offer my sincere apologies and ask you to ignore that post of mine. Had I not posted it late at night, I would have pleaded that I was DAY dreaming. Possibly what I was meaning was that if the Oak template is on the top of the new material and pinned from below, then there would be no pin holes in the face of the template.
> In spite of all this I personally use pins believing that there is no chance of movement between the pieces, bearing in mind that here in Western Australia the temperatures reach into the 40+*C


At long last I've learnt the one advantage of living in the UK. I can reliably use hot melt!:haha:


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Brian, don't let the thought of pins put you off the wonderful lifestyle with weather to match here in Western Australia, I realise that it's no longer possible to migrate here for ten pounds but air fares are pretty low at the moment!


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