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Being a crafter who's retired and on SS, I'm always looking for ways to save. While I was working on a project for a Christmas craft fair, I was having a problem with those little Tombow glue runners (https://smile.amazon.com/Tombow-Perm...qid=1578921247) not doing the trick for me. Almost all of the little lip balm holders that I'd made had to be redone, because the two layers of cardstock that I'd used the Tombow to stick down, kept lifting up. So I reached for the Tombow liquid glue, which I love, and realized that I couldn't get into the tight space with the Tombow applicator, so I quickly ordered some precision glue applicators from Amazon. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
While waiting for them to arrive, I went on crafting another project, and ended up using all the Tombow glue I had, by the time the applicators arrived! I couldn't afford to waste any more time, so I took some of the Aleens Tacky Glue that I buy at Dollar Tree, added a little water because it's so thick I didn't think it would go through the needle tip of the applicator, and I started re-gluing the lip balm holders. Perfection! The result is, I don't think I"ll be buying Tombow glue any more. Will I discover some drawbacks in the future? Maybe. But until then, I've been perfectly happy with the Aleens in the precision applicators. I haven't yet found myself thinking "Gee, I wish I had some Tombow glue." So I thought I'd pass this along in case anyone out there might be interested.
Being a crafter who's retired and on SS, I'm always looking for ways to save. While I was working on a project for a Christmas craft fair, I was having a problem with those little Tombow glue runners (https://smile.amazon.com/Tombow-Perm...qid=1578921247) not doing the trick for me. Almost all of the little lip balm holders that I'd made had to be redone, because the two layers of cardstock that I'd used the Tombow to stick down, kept lifting up. So I reached for the Tombow liquid glue, which I love, and realized that I couldn't get into the tight space with the Tombow applicator, so I quickly ordered some precision glue applicators from Amazon. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
While waiting for them to arrive, I went on crafting another project, and ended up using all the Tombow glue I had, by the time the applicators arrived! I couldn't afford to waste any more time, so I took some of the Aleens Tacky Glue that I buy at Dollar Tree, added a little water because it's so thick I didn't think it would go through the needle tip of the applicator, and I started re-gluing the lip balm holders. Perfection! The result is, I don't think I"ll be buying Tombow glue any more. Will I discover some drawbacks in the future? Maybe. But until then, I've been perfectly happy with the Aleens in the precision applicators. I haven't yet found myself thinking "Gee, I wish I had some Tombow glue." So I thought I'd pass this along in case anyone out there might be interested.
I also use Aileens and love it. It gives me time to wiggle paper straight as I often put it down wonky! I buy the largest size bottle from Joann or Michaels and use a coupon and refill a small bottle.
Thanks for the tip on thinning it out to use in the precision bottle. I'm also retired so yes, saving money works for me. 😁
I bought a bottle at Tues morning last year and love it so much more than Tombow green because it is not sticky when dry and excess rubs off very easily. BTW, instead of cutting off the tip I poked a very small hole in my bottle and it works very well when I need to apply a thin line of glue. No need for a separate tip or water to thin it out. Love the reuse the smaller bottle idea.
I keep thinking I need to "do the math" and see if it"s cheaper at Tm or in a larger bottle with coupon @ a box store but haven't gotten around to it yet. Has anyone else done a price per ounce comparison?
For years my major irritation with the craft industry has been its marketing ordinary products while tricking us to believe what's old is new. Our capitalist culture --brag about inventiveness without doing any real work. Ranger is often guilty of this trickery. The OP is an intelligent detective! I'd love to see/learn about more of this kind of discovery.
I got the tip from Jen at Koala T Crafts to use matte Mod Podge for glue. She just puts hers in one of those little glue applicator bottles with the metal tip and adds a few drops of water to thin it up. I've been doing that, and I love it! Because it is matte, if some squeezes out of the side of the paper, embellishment, whatever, it doesn't shine and show up like the regular glues. HTH.
Thrifty crafting glue suggestion
