Review on Economical Supply of Solidbonder Melting Sticks by Carlos Long

When I opened the box my first instinct was to send these glue sticks back immediately. Despite the promised transparency, they were white - not even transparent. Since I bought them primarily for jewelry and artwork (I mix CLEAR glue with cast acrylic) they were not fit for purpose. But I've tried them and the bond quality and overall performance of this adhesive is so superior to the ad tech brands it's almost a different product. I can usually get the hot glue to stay clear or nearly clear by projecting it into the freezer just before the glue has set. Doesn't work with these sticks - at best I become milky transparent. But they are so good that I found another use for them. For example, as a silicone replacement for small molds, they work out of the box and are hard enough to set up so you don't need a "mother" mold. (Yes I know you can do this with any glue stick but Ad-tech didn't satisfy me. The detailing was much better with it but be aware that unless you use mold release or a little dish soap coating, it will be very difficult for you to separate them from the product you are modeling). There were also virtually NO bubbles when I squeezed the glue vertically - they're hot enough for gravity to force air out. In my opinion, it's better than silicone if the material being cast doesn't get too hot. I also found that since they are stiff, they are easier to color with dry pigments. You can spray the object with hairspray and roll it in your hands with some kind of pigment with a power Ad-Tech can't withstand and then spray it with varnish or polyurethane. Also, I fixed quite a few things that I would never try to fix with a glue stick. Solidbonder really holds! It's not nice that I still have to buy clear glue sticks in bulk - I've read a thousand reviews looking for a brand that's not only better than adtech, but cleaner - but GLUE STICKS are it, after all seemed unfair to deduct stars from a product that sticks so well. I don't count mine but I weighed them and they weighed 6 pounds exactly as advertised. Each stick is slightly larger than Ad-Tech sticks, so rest assured you'll get your money's worth. Also, you don't have to re-stick items repaired with inferior products when the connection inevitably fails.