Introduction: How to Make, Remove, and Chose Glue


Glue is one of the most useful things that you can pick up at a hardware store. The word glue comes from the 1400's Old French word gluer, which means to stick together. There is almost nothing that cant be done with the hundreds of varieties of glue that are available. They adhere, affix, annex, append, bind, connect, couple, fix, hitch on, hitch up, hook on, hook up, latch onto, link, make fast, prefix, rivet, secure, slap on, stick, tag on, tie, unite and bond.Whew, that was a mouthful; Lets get to the gluing, shall we?

Step 1: How to Make Glue


For those of you that need to have every part of your project DIY, Here's how to make glue from milk! You can get all of the information from the picture above(I'm too lazy to write it all down).

Step 2: How to Chose the Right Glue for the Job


For the rest of you who do not want to wast your time making glue that probable costs ten times more, but holds ten times worse, Here is how to chose the right glue. Firstly, i would like to recommend a site calledwww.thistothat.com. Just chose the materials that you want to stick together, and it will do the rest. If that site doesn't work, hen here is a list of comon surfaces and the glues that you should use with them:

Extra Strong Adhesives: Contact Cement , an instant permanent water resistant bond for tile, wood, metals, leather and rubber. Super Glue , Creates a clear permanent bond in seconds on non-porous material.E-6000® , One of the best multi-surfaces glues available.Goop Adhesive Glue , A strong adhesive and sealant that is waterproof. Good for use on rhinestones, ribbons, buttons, clothing, ceramics and fabric.
Extra Strong Adhesives
Contact Cement , an instant permanent water resistant bond for tile, wood, metals, leather and rubber.
Super Glue , Creates a clear permanent bond in seconds on non-porous material.
E-6000® , One of the best multi-surfaces glues available.
Goop Adhesive Glue , A strong adhesive and sealant that is waterproof. Good for use on rhinestones, ribbons, buttons, clothing, ceramics and fabric.

Glass and Bead Adhesives
Platinum Bond™ Glue , Has amazing bonding powers for gluing glass and beads to slick surfaces.
Jewel Glue , Non-toxic washable glue for glass beads, rhinestones and mirrors.

Paper Adhesives
Glue Stick , Easy to use. Ideal for school projects, papers and photographs. Dries clear.
Rubber Cement , Sticks paper together quickly without wrinkling. Papers can be pulled apart and repositioned.

Specialty Adhesives
Mod Podge™ - A water-based adhesive designed for decoupaging paper or fabric to many surfaces. Available in gloss or matte finish.

Fabric Glues
Basting Glue , Eliminates stitching and pinning. Dries clear and washes out.
Fabric Stiffener , A permanent pre-mixed and water-based glue that is easy to use in one application and humidity resistant. Dries quickly to a clear, non-yellowing finish.
Stop Fray™ or Fray Check™ - Use as a finish for fabric edges seams, ribbons and lace.

White Glues
Elmers Glue-All™ - A thin non-toxic all-purpose glue. Dries fast to a clear and strong finish.
Tacky Glue , A superior glue suitable for fabrics, paper and jewels.
Designer/Decorator Tacky Glue , super thick tacky glue that can be used in place of hot glue.
Wood Glue
A super strong aliphatic resin glue that sets fast leaving a natural stainable or paintable color. Use on both soft and hard wood surfaces.

Step 3: How to Remove Glue

After you have made, bought and used glue, you will need to clean up your work space.No matter how clean and careful you are (this includes you mom), you will at some point make a mistake with your adhesive product. Whether you spill the bottle, cover your shirt, or apply it to the wrong are, a mistake with glue sucks. You may need to redo your entire product, throw away your favorite shirt, or buy a new bottle. Here are a few things that may save you the the extra money, time, and effort.

For removing glue left behind by stickers, price tags, and other manufacturer or store applications, try simple rubbing alcohol. Moisten a cotton ball or soft cloth with rubbing alcohol and hold it over the area in question. Once the residue is thoroughly moistened, gently scrape the glue residue off and repeat the process until the glue is completely removed. Glass, plastic, and ceramic surfaces should not be damaged by rubbing alcohol, but test a small area if the surface is painted or made of fabric.
Removing glue from pictures, baseball cards, or other paper products may be more difficult. The general idea is to dissolve the adhesive bond without compromising the fibers of the object. Paper can generally be frozen without damage, so try placing the object in question into your freezer. You may be able to stiffen the glue to a point brittle enough that it can be scraped off with an Exacto knife or razor blade. Steam may also be effective at removing glue from paper.

To remove dried glue from fabric or carpet, try holding an ice cube in a plastic baggie over the spot. Your objective, similar to the above technique, is to make the glue brittle enough to be scraped away. The plastic bag will ensure that additional moisture does not re-activate the adhesive properties of the glue.

Removing glue from wooden surfaces can sometimes be accomplished with warm vinegar. Moisten a cloth with warm vinegar, and after some compression, try rubbing away the glue. Be cautious when scraping glue from wood if you are concerned with damaging the surface finish.

The best way of removing glue from wallpaper backing is to steam it. You can rent a portable steamer, and if you are working in a well-ventilated area, try combining the use of steam and commercial wallpaper adhesive removers. For older homes with older wall coverings, this will be a repetitive and labor-intensive process, but with persistence, it should work. You will also need a flat putty knife with a wide head to scrape the glue as you steam it.

The scientific process behind removing glue is simply the destruction of the adhesive bond through altering its moisture and temperature levels, without destroying the object to which the glue is bound. Commercial adhesive removers should be used with caution on surfaces that can be damaged unless you plan to cover the surface with something else.

If all else fails, try going through this list of things that remove glue to try to find one that you have or that might work for you(be careful with numbers 11 and 21):
  1. Nail Polish Remover
  2. Petroleum Jelly
  3. Toothpaste
  4. Hand Lotion
  5. Hair Spray
  6. Baby Oil (mineral oil)
  7. Vinegar (soak cloth, apply to goo then leave for awhile–even overnight)
  8. Rubbing Alcohol
  9. Windex
  10. Baking Soda & Water Paste (just rub gently into the goo, then wipe off with a warm wet cloth)
  11. Lighter Fluid
  12. Kerosene
  13. WD-40 (set for 5 minutes)
  14. Paint Thinner
  15. Rubber Cement Thinner
  16. Artgum Erasers / Pencil Erasers
  17. Peanut Butter
  18. Vegetable Oil / Olive Oil (set for about 2 hours)
  19. Margarine
  20. Cooking Spray
  21. Mayonnaise (leave set for a few hours or overnight)
  22. Goo Gone
  23. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
  24. Furniture Polish
  25. Eucalyptus Oil
  26. Tea Tree Oil
  27. Perfume / Aftershave
  28. PVC Pipe Cleaner
  29. For surfaces that you’re afraid to damage, try heating the sticky goo with a hair dryer then wiping off (firmly) with a wet warm & soapy cloth.
  30. Duct Tape (stick on goo firmly, life tape up quickly, repeat as needed
Make It Stick Contest 2

Participated in the
Make It Stick Contest 2

Halloween Decorations Challenge

Participated in the
Halloween Decorations Challenge

The Mad Science Fair

Participated in the
The Mad Science Fair