Warning: Adtech Glue Dot Runner users!

So, this past weekend I looked into my tin box that I keep some of my pre-made cards in and, much to my horror, discovered that some of my cards were falling apart. That immediately sent me to my scrapbooks and, sure enough, some of my layouts are falling apart, too. I have been using the Adtech Glue Dot Runner from Walmart for the last year or so, and it is NOT holding!! What's weird, though, and what I can't figure out, is that some things are holding fine but others are falling apart. At first I thought maybe it was because some were older than others and that eventually they'd all fall apart. But then some are two page layouts, so you know they were done at the same time and with the same type of materials (paper, etc) and one page will be fine but the other falling apart. I just don't get it. At any rate, I can't trust the adhesive now, so now I'm back to square one on finding an adhesive to use (and back to redoing some of my pages, too). It really aggravates me because I thought I had found the answer to the adhesive question. It wasn't overly expensive, easily found without any special trip anywhere or without having to pay shipping, just pick it up on our reg trip to Walmart, easy to use and refill, no mess no fuss, and did the job, or so I thought. Arrrggggh....now I have to find another adhesive. I'd love an ATG gun, but can't afford the initial $ outlay right now. Maybe I can ask for one for Christmas.....

Anyway, vent over now, but I urge any of you who have used the Adtech Glue Dot Runner, too, to check out your layouts!!!

I checked my layouts that I had done with the Adtech and none of mine are falling apart. If you will PM me, I will tell you a place where you can purchase an off brand ATG gun (much cheaper and works just as well) and tape.

• cdjohnson Said:

Pm'd you, thanks!

Do you use permanent or repositionable?

I just bought a bunch of adtech (finally giving up on my hermafix dotto). I hope it doesn't have problems.

I eventually broke down and bought the ATG gun. It holds SO well and while the gun is kinda pricey the refills last forever.

I had the same issue with it, but not with the "dot" one. There is one that has clear glue on the runner, i THINK it's the "glue runner", and it totally did NOT hold up, like after a week! Could be humidity (in Houston) but still, it should stick. I even checked to see if I got the repositional instead of the permanent and I got the right one. The blue dots have held so far.

Anyway, the only adhesive that I've found that works the best is any kind from CM (tape runner, photo splits), but I'm partial to all their products, and yeah, you have to order it from a CMC.

Mine are holding up fine so far, hope they keep doing that!

Are you kidding me? I just got back from Big Lots where I bought 10 of the glue runners for $1 ea. I thought I had read on here where they were good, and this was a good deal. Would someone please tell me if I should just take them back?

i'm using the adtech gluedots also, i had one pack of dots refills and one of the regular tape and the dots do seem to work better than the other one. but i did notice a couple things not staying put. i also get mounting squares from the dollar store that work surprisingly well so for all photos and paper i have been using both. i put a square in each corner and the runner down the middle and along the sides of bigger pieces. some of the first pages i made i used a different brand and they seem to be holding but i can't get the refills for that one anymore. there are a few that i made with just the adtech before i decided to double up and use the squares, so i'm expecting to have to go back and fix them sometime soon, when i assemble my finished albums i'm sure (whenever i get them done that is)

on just paper it seems fine but on photos and embellies i dunno i've had a couple things fall off already
pretty disappointed cause i thought this was a decent brand for the price and i don't want to spend the money to get a more expensive runner

I can recommend Zip Dry glue if you dont want to lay out the money for a gun right now,,,,,,love that glue,,,,,,about 4.50 for a bottle and the stuff lasts forever.

• Bxr-Linda Said:

I used the Permanent, and I totally agree with the Herma Dotto one. It seemed to hold up pretty good and was easy to use and refill, also easy to find refills, but my dispenser kept getting gunked up. I was constantly having to clean it every few days. Very aggravating.

• sandra03 Said:

I use these sometimes too, and they do hold up well. The little tabs you remove can be a pain sometimes, but they hold up great and you can't beat the price. That may be what I use from now on (at least until I can get Santa to bring me an ATG gun? Oh, Saaaaaanta, dear???)

I haven't had problems with adtech but I used the tape not the glue dot. I did have problems with CM tape runners. Things would just fall off the page-- didn't hold very well.

• CommaHolly Said:

Totally agree with you, I started using Zip Dry and haven't looked back!

I just saw the Ad Tech runners at Tuesday Morning for only 79 cents. I thought of picking up some to try out, but I didn't.

i tape a small plastic bag to the corner of the table while i'm working so i can dispose of unusable scraps and the tabs off my mounting squares right away so they aren't floating all over the table and falling on the floor etc.

• GaMtnScrap Said:

I tried the Permanent - bought it by accident, and I hated it. The repositionable is the glue dot runner, and all of my pages are sticking just fine. It's a little hard to figure out which is which b/c the repositionable doesn't say so on the front of the package. You have to check the back for "repositionable".

Hopefully your problem is just with the permanent!

• Bxr-Linda Said:

The hermafix costs more, and the darn things were so aggravating to refill! The adtechs are so much easier, just pop in and done.

• Castle Scrapper Said:

I liked the hermafix back when I first got it, and maybe through several refills. Then it started gunking up and the tape backing over itself. It was just WAY TOO MUCH frustration for me! I just threw away the dispenser too!

I bought a bunch of ad tech and so far like it better.

I had the same problem with AdTech glue dot runner. Only my cards were falling apart 2 weeks after I made them. That was enough for me to go out and get an ATG.

I just got up from the table, very frustrated, to look for the company email address for Ad tech. I didn't find it but I did find your post. Everything in one of my completed albums glued with their dot glue runner has come loose. I am in the process of reglueing everything in this album and I'm afraid to check my other books. My daughter graduates in a couple of weeks and these books are a gift for her. I have spent hundreds of hours (I'm sure you can relate) on these books, now only to have to do them all again. I am not happy. I wish I'd seen your warning several books ago!

Wow, this is weird because on another forum there was the same rant about the Adtech. If you don't want to go with the ATG then the new Scotch stuff that is the same as Kokuyo is awesome!
This is the same as the famous Kokuyo.

Hmmm, I have used AdTech since I started sb'ing which was about 3 years ago... My books are still holding strong. I only use AT on paper or pics though. I have other adhesives that I use on embellishments & anything heavy.

I just bought some of the Scotch double sided photo tape though, just to try, & so far it seems great! VERY sticky!

Oh I am so sorry this happened. When I first started buy the adtech I loved it. I bought it from Walmart then for whatever reason they changed it and then my dispenser was always getting glue residual on it and breaking the tape. I finally got frustrated with it and quit using it completely and went back to my ATG and Monoadhesive. I love bother and need both but I hate paying full price for them. My friend found a great deal on the ATG refills on Craig's list and we split them. So now when I am finally out of them I will be super spoiled because they were only about a buck a piece.

I hate it when companies switch formulas! I used to get the Duck brand tape runners for throwing in a class kit if I didn't want to take my ATG gun... but they changed the adhesive formula and it is just rotten!
I do like the 3L brand of stuff though, however it is always out of stock at my local M's and Jo's.

Shesister, sorry to hear about the problems, and I feel your pain! I just this past weekend found MORE layouts that need re-doing. Very frustrating, indeed!

I bet you'd LOVE the Best Glue Ever, Amy. (I know you're a fan of the other ScraPerfect Products.) A lot of people LOVE Zip Dry. I just hate the strings and the smell! I use it on everything from glitter to buttons--but I never have used a liquid glue on photos. (Not sure why not, though...)

yep, same thing happened to my los. i just discovered it like a week ago. so, i'm trying the duck tape runner now. hopefully this will work.

I have found the same thing. I started using the adtech glue runner and then the runner was wound the wrong way on three refills so I switched to the glue dot runner thinking it was better. I eventually stopped buying adhesive from Walmart. I have gone back and looked at things I had done with the adtech glue dot runner and they are all coming apart. I have had to re attach everything. I have learned the lesson - do not cheap out on adhesive, I love walmart but just because they sell the stuff I don't have to buy it because it is cheaper then the other stuff.