Surprisingly we get asked on so many occasions: Will non Tecbond Glue Sticks fit in a Tec Glue Gun & will Tecbond Glue Sticks fit in a non- Tec Glue Gun?
To answer this question, I must state that we only recommend that Tecbond glue sticks are used in Tec glue guns. With this said, customers do use Tecbond glue sticks with non- Tec glue guns and non Tecbond glue sticks with Tec glue guns!
Let’s take a look at the 11mm – 12mm glue sticks that are available in the UK.
Tecbond 12mm glue sticks like many European glue sticks are made within a tolerance of 11.3mm to 11.7mm diameter and work well in most glue guns aimed at 11mm, 12mm glue sticks and especially within the Tec 12mm range of glue guns. We have tested the Tecbond 132-12 glue sticks for example, in the Bosch PKP18E, Bostik TG4 and several of the Taiwanese Homeease K range of tools which appear in the UK under many different disguises, as many suppliers own brand these tools, the Tecbond glue sticks performed well.
We tested several Chinese/Taiwan imported 12mm glue sticks and found that they operated within 10.8mm to 11.3mm diameter range slightly smaller than the Tecbond glue sticks and most European equivalents. We tested these grades through the Tec 810-12 and they seem to run reasonably well, glue sticks from the Far East that were tested were very high in viscosity, so the risk of “glue back up” was not too much of a problem. Please note: there is always a risk of “glue melt back” or “glue back up” with all glue sticks falling below 11.3mm diameter, not all glue sticks from the Far East are high in viscosity.
Glue sticks from the USA, we found the 12mm glue sticks specification range to be within 11.5mm -12.3mm i.e. closer to ½” mark although a lot of US glue sticks we looked at have been sourced from the Far East. With the US glue sticks, anything much over 11.8mm starts to get increasingly difficult to feed through a Tec glue gun, so some US glue sticks at the top of their specifications were a problem.
What we can say to conclude, Tecbond 12mm glue sticks (like all Tecbond glue sticks, 15 mm-43 mm) are made in the UK to a very high specification and work exceptionally well through the range of Tec glue guns. All Tec glue guns come with a 12-month warranty from the date of purchase.
Some FAQs:
Can Tecbond Glue Sticks be used in non-Tec Glue Guns and vice versa?
Yes, but we always recommend that you use Tecbond glue sticks with Tec glue guns, however, they will often be compatible with other brands and vice versa.
What are the size ranges for Tecbond 12mm glue sticks?
Tecbond 12mm glue sticks are typically within 11.3mm to 11.7mm in diameter, fitting well in most 11mm and 12mm glue guns.
How do glue stick sizes vary between different regions?
There are slight variations: Chinese/Taiwanese glue sticks tend to be slightly smaller than European standards, while U.S. glue sticks can range up to 12.3mm, closer to the ½ inch mark.
What issues can arise with using different-sized glue sticks?
Using glue sticks smaller than 11.3mm in diameter can risk glue meltback, and U.S. sticks over 11.8mm may have feeding issues in Tec glue guns.
What is the quality assurance for Tecbond glue sticks?
Tecbond glue sticks, ranging from 15mm to 43mm, are made in the UK to high specifications and work exceptionally well with Tec glue guns.
