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So I bought the bullet and got the pink ATG gun at Mike's. It was a whole fiasco - the last one, box had been opened & extra tape stolen, manager was located & refill tape was comped, etc. I was irked that it took nearly an hour to get a 5 minute shopping trip done, but not their fault!
Anyway, I got it home & figured out how to load it.
Or did I?:confused:
I doesn't line up on the right side of the rollers (the right side when you're using it) which is ok since I can't see that side when in use (I'm right handed.). If it stayed in one area of the roller I could get used to it, but it's sliding all over & making me miserable! Not to mention the cussing when it slides off the roller completely. I keep thinking that I must be putting too much pressure on one side as I roll, but I haven't figured out how to fix it yet.
Help!!
__________________ All inked up... and somewhere to go. My gallery, small but mighty... or maybe just mighty small! Come see my almost new blog... M'ija Stamps!
Now I'm wondering if I got rid of mine too soon. I didn't like that as a lefty I couldn't see where the tape was being laid down at. However, you are saying you are having the same problem and you are right handed. I wonder if I loaded mine wrong or something. I'm gonna watch this thread to see if someone can explain it. I'm glad you asked.
I'm not sure what the problem is, but here is a helpful video on how to load the tape in the ATG. Check and make sure it is loaded correctly. If it is, then I'm sorry, I can't help! Hope this fixes your problem!!
I have the solution- it just happened to me. Get a new box of tape and try that. After several hours and web searches of trying to keep the tape on the roller I found the problem.
The tape included in my box was warped and loosely wrapped from being stuffed in the ATG original gun package. Luckily I live no where near a Michaels or such store, and I had bought an extra pkg of refills to have on hand. I opened the new pkg of tape and right away I knew that the tape included in the box was crap. The new tape was level and very tightly coiled.
I put the new tape in and my gun works awesome! Not a problem since.
In short: if your tape slides off the gun rollers, get a new pkg of tape. I can send you pictures of what I mean (showing the warped tape and fine new tape). if I haven't explained correctly.
Another thing; make sure the full roll of tape is clicked all the way down on the spool it fits on; and make sure the cover is on the take-up reel and clicked in tight. When I had a problem with mine sliding off the roller, it turned out that I didn't have the full roll of tape pushed down all the way.
I see what your talking about, I got a ATG for Christmas, the pink one, and I just looked at the tape rolls that came along with the package and they are looser wrapped than the separate packages my family got me as well,
I did have a heck of a time figuring out how to wind the tape into the holder and have to admit I wasted a few yards because it seemed to just unwind its self, but I do have one of the loosely wrapped ones in my holder and it seems to be working fine, I just never realized that that might have been the problem until now.
There is something I'm wondering, I brought a couple of spare packages on a shopping trip on sale and I just realized that they were general purpose, (I didn't realize the difference till I started reading these discussions,) I've noticed that they seem to recommend the gold for scrapbooking, Is there any reason I can't use the general purpose for scrapbooking? any help?
Yep Karee that is the problem!-if the rolls aren't coiled tight and level. I took my warped rolls to Mike's and they replaced them.
I did the same thing too..grabbed the general purpose (they were cheaper). I would think they would hold, but wouldn't use them on top of things...maybe just use it for underneath gluing work?
I see what your talking about, I got a ATG for Christmas, the pink one, and I just looked at the tape rolls that came along with the package and they are looser wrapped than the separate packages my family got me as well,
I did have a heck of a time figuring out how to wind the tape into the holder and have to admit I wasted a few yards because it seemed to just unwind its self, but I do have one of the loosely wrapped ones in my holder and it seems to be working fine, I just never realized that that might have been the problem until now.
There is something I'm wondering, I brought a couple of spare packages on a shopping trip on sale and I just realized that they were general purpose, (I didn't realize the difference till I started reading these discussions,) I've noticed that they seem to recommend the gold for scrapbooking, Is there any reason I can't use the general purpose for scrapbooking? any help?
I believe the gold is acid free and that it why it is recommended for scrapbooking. The general purpose would be good for card making or anything else that the longevity of the project wasn't an issue. HTH.
Now I'm wondering if I got rid of mine too soon. I didn't like that as a lefty I couldn't see where the tape was being laid down at. However, you are saying you are having the same problem and you are right handed. I wonder if I loaded mine wrong or something. I'm gonna watch this thread to see if someone can explain it. I'm glad you asked.
I'm right handed and I can see where being left handed would be an issue with this product because the tape sits on the edge of the roller. It might be worth contacting 3M and seeing if they plan to make a left handed roller - I know many lefthanded people just adapt to right handed tools however I'm sure there are many people like yourself that can't get on with it because of sight lines being blocked by the rollers.
About the tape moving around on the spool - make sure you have the piece that goes over the uptake/used tape liner spool. It helps keep the tape in place on the front roller.
As to being left handed: I bought a generic ATG (Can be bought from various places so have a different name at the various locations. Bought mine at The Tape Depot online.) when 3M was having problems with their 714 and had to send my back. I am right handed so my problem was the opposite of yours. On the generic ATG, the tape sits on the right side of the front roller. Maybe purchase one of those and see if it is easier for you to see where the tape is bing applied. If the generic ATG works better for you, then sell/give your 3M ATG to someone else.
I love my ATG because it is so much more economical than the little tape runner/dispenser. The tape refills for the ATG have yards of tape not inches. I use mine for cards so look for acid free but not necessarily archival rolls. For the little scrapbooking I do, I use archival. I have the little tape runner/dispenser in my workshop tote to use when I take a class since it is much easier to transport. I do use the little tape runner/dispenser if the area needing the tape is really small.
After you have used an ATG awhile, the size of the dispenser is not cumbersome becaue it is so well engineered. My 714 is red so I used Krylon spray paint for plastic, changed the color and added some vinyl stickers. (Put the stickers on the color side and left the opaque one plain so I could see the tape to check the amount left on the spool.)
Ok I have a confession to make. I bought it, used it a few times, had the same problem with the tape coming off the roller. So, I had my husband fix the tape problem because I'm not good with that kind of thing. He was not happy - lol. It worked ok but I don't know why everyone loves this thing! So now I have a $30 ATG, an extra refill, and although I use it, I don't think it's any better than the little cheapie ones you can buy. I like my Glue Glider Pro much better. Nothing slips off, it does the job and although the refills are $9.00, it's a lot less aggravating.
Ok I have a confession to make. I bought it, used it a few times, had the same problem with the tape coming off the roller. So, I had my husband fix the tape problem because I'm not good with that kind of thing. He was not happy - lol. It worked ok but I don't know why everyone loves this thing! So now I have a $30 ATG, an extra refill, and although I use it, I don't think it's any better than the little cheapie ones you can buy. I like my Glue Glider Pro much better. Nothing slips off, it does the job and although the refills are $9.00, it's a lot less aggravating.
I love mine but I did have a bit of trouble at first reloading the rolls but now it is easy as pie. I'm also a lefty and you get to a point where you can figure out just where the gun needs to go without having to see it. I encourage you to try again before ditching it completely ... or sell it and make it someone else's "problem" :-)
On another note, I did a group order from Tape Depot and one of the participants said her tape was all wound backwards and she couldn't get it to load properly on the gun, that the glue was on the wrong side of the strip. Of the people that ordered, she was the only one that had an issue. To be truthful, I wondered if she might have been a tad crazy or just didn't know how to load the gun properly. Then I opened a roll that seemed to have the same problem but I figured out what made it seem that way. I've loaded a few more rolls as compared to the "crazy person" so it was just a learning curve. I'm going to send a video to her if I can get it to record properly to show her how to fix the issue.
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
I love mine but I did have a bit of trouble at first reloading the rolls but now it is easy as pie. I'm also a lefty and you get to a point where you can figure out just where the gun needs to go without having to see it. I encourage you to try again before ditching it completely ... or sell it and make it someone else's "problem" :-)
On another note, I did a group order from Tape Depot and one of the participants said her tape was all wound backwards and she couldn't get it to load properly on the gun, that the glue was on the wrong side of the strip. Of the people that ordered, she was the only one that had an issue. To be truthful, I wondered if she might have been a tad crazy or just didn't know how to load the gun properly. Then I opened a roll that seemed to have the same problem but I figured out what made it seem that way. I've loaded a few more rolls as compared to the "crazy person" so it was just a learning curve. I'm going to send a video to her if I can get it to record properly to show her how to fix the issue.
This made me laugh. The same thing happened to me a while back. I'd loaded the tape several times with no problem, and then I think I got overconfident and so smart that I didn't really pay attention properly when I loaded it. I was so irritated that the "tape was wound inside out." It really wasn't, but I had accidentally done something wrong.
I put another roll in, properly, and when I had calmed down went back and fooled with the "wrongly wound roll" and got it to work. User error again.:mrgreen:
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Thanks Leslie. I'll use it more. So far the tape hasn't come off the roller since my husband reloaded it so maybe that was the problem, incorrect installation.
Well, I reloaded it. I guess I'll have to wait and see. I did look at the tape to make sure it was tightly wound - it looked good to me, but what do I know?
Thanks ladies!
__________________ All inked up... and somewhere to go. My gallery, small but mighty... or maybe just mighty small! Come see my almost new blog... M'ija Stamps!
Help me love this ATG gun...
