adhesives/tape runners

Ugh...Dollar Tree no longer carries Miss Elizabeth's tape runners! And believe it or not..these were my fav...cheap and worked well too (for the most part). The ones they had at first did not work well, but the more recent ones came in different varieties and did work well.

I have seen tape runners that cost an arm and a leg and didn't work well...as well as cheap ones that didn't work well...

Anyone know of good adhesive that does not cost and arm and a leg? I do a lot of scrapping for our non-profit agency and of course I also need to know for myself. Right now I am using Scotch double sided photo-safe tape, but that is a pain!

I feel your pain. I have used many different tape runners, only to have most of them break or act a fool in some other bad way. I discovered the Kokuyo dot n' roller a while ago and I absolutely LOVE them. The cost may seem like a lot up front, but you don't need to use much as the adhesive is very strong, so if used in moderation, they will last you a long time. I have never had one break.

Hope this helps!

where do you get them? how much?

I usually order them from the Superstore here. The individual tape runner costs $5.99 and the 6-pack of refills costs $24.29 (right now they're on sale). If you click the links above in my post, you can read more about them.

Like I said, the cost may seem high, but you really need very little because it is strong adhesive. I usually use a half-inch in each corner of a photo, or a piece of paper, etc. I just "dot" whatever I'm adhering; you won't need to use a long, continuous stream of it.

A six pack of refills lasts me probably close to six months, and I scrap A LOT. I also supplement with Scotch Photo Splits because I love them for certain things. You can buy them at Wal-Mart. But they're similar to the double-sided tape you probably already use. They're just in a "tab" form.

I liked AdTech at Walmart before I got my ATG because refills were 2.27 for TWO,,,thats just over a buck a refill!

I've also heard wonderful things about zip dry glue (it's a wet glue but I've heard it doesnt wrinkle), and plan on getting me some this afternoon,,,,

I loved the Miss Elizabeth pop dots they were the best & can't get them either.

I use the kokoyo dot n roller & love it

I tried the Adtechn glue pen before and hated it. might try the roller.......not sure if i tried it.

You really have to factor in what's an arm and a leg here.

The ATG is not cheap but in the long is cheaper and less wasteful than other adhesives I've used. In fact, it's the cheapest I've used and has the highest quality in adhesion.

I'm with Viv on that one,,,the gun itself was 50 bucks (including shipping) and worth every penny I save soooooooooooo much on adhesive

I seriously want to order a second and third gun to use in my cropping business but need to have that operating first. I end up sharing my gun often and want that to stop.

I really like tombow mono adhesives... I don't think they're very expensive, its just a little adhesive runner thingy lol and they have them at walmart and craft stores.

so I went to Michaels to buy myself some adhesive and also the agency I work for as I do their scrapping of the kids that have been adopted...so I bought two brands. "Mine" is Therm O Web Memory Tape Runner XL" has 600"/50ft of adhesive. the other is a Tombo Mono "The Craft Collection permanent adhesive."

Ever used either?

I would splurge for the ATG gun...it is a bit pricey to start, but I have saved SO much on adhesive since I have gotten it! It is really a great deal in the long run!

I heard that those who were really satisfied with Tombow before aren't satisfied now,,,people were saying that they changed their adhesive or something,,,

Pay up front and save so much more or keep paying more but in smaller amounts.

Break down of prices for the ATG:

I can get the 714 for roughly $42 plus shipping and Gold for slightly under $3.50 a roll for the 1/4" sizes. Again with shipping.

The rolls are 36 yards long, 108 feet long or 1296 inches. I will not convert to metric at this point.

I'll leave out shipping costs since that will vary for everyone. This is the way I figured out my cost with my first order of the gun and 24 rolls.

$42 + $84 = $126

Cost per roll at this time becomes $5.25. It actually gets cheaper to use as you get more and there's less plastic waste to go into the trash.

For Duck Easy Sticks which I used to use and sometimes find for $9 a four pack, which equals about the same in length as one roll of ATG, you can easily see which is cheaper in the long run.

Yeah, it's alot to fork over at one time but it will save you much more in the long run. You won't be running out adhesives in the middle of you projects AND you'd save time not having to go to the store as often for adhesives. Less storage space, too.

To compare your current cost, break down the price to yards, feet or inches.

That ATG will be

$0.15 a yard
$0.05 a foot
$0.004 an inch

• Vivian loves BLING Said:

Viv- are you sure you don't work for 3M??? I'm saving up to get that ATG!

I keep threatening to at least buy stock in that company!

A good deal is a good deal but this is one product that's a great deal. No matter what your style of scrapping (unless it's digital) you will need adhesives.

Plus I'm having to deal with stuff popping off my old pages since the glue sticks I used are not flexible. Don't want others to go through that, either.

yeah i put on the other thread about adhesive i might have the office buy one then i will just buy refills for whatever i do personally and they can buy refills for what they do.

Let's see though....I think I paid 5.99 (472 inches) for the one i bought yesterday for the office (the tombo). I just did the math and it comes to .012 per inch so yes, yours is a lot cheaper! Now, I had a half off coupon for the other brand I bought and it has 600 inches on it. It was originaly 6.99 (I think) so that's .011 so I paid half of that per inch.

I will definitely look into getting the office to buy a tape gun thingy...

Mercy, have you considered setting out a donation thing at your office? With everyone chipping in a little bit, it wouldn't take that long. Then laters others could chip in for the refills to use the gun too.

You have me convinced, I need to buy an ATG! I am going away for a scrapbooking weekend in November and have been told to bring plenty of adhesive.

I wish M's or J's or HL carried those ATG guns! THEN it'd be able to get an AWESOME deal it! Grrr......

It would be for me to use to make the scrapbooks for the office so the office itself would buy it...it wouldn't be for others in the office. We are small agency but do a lot of adoptions.

Another vote for the ATG it is cheap but holds really well.

I average over 30 pages per roll. I've gotten more heavy handed and could make it a larger number. Plus I still do use some liquid glues, dots and Xyron. Mostly ATG but even it can't do everything.

Not to mention, Viv, the OBVIOUS convenience of the ATG,,,,

if a roll breaks (it happened twice to me, mostly due to a child messing with it), just open it up and rethread it,,,,,

if a tape runner breaks,,,,GOOD LUCK,,,,toss it,,,,,,,

I will NEVER give up my ATG,,,,never,,,,,

I still use glue dots for buttons and small flowers etc, and the occasional wet glue also,,,

WOAH....READ THIS. I just sent this email to my boss:
I was introduced to an adhesive product for scrapbooking through some fellow scrapbookers on scrapbook.com. They told me about a product that is expensive to begin with, but cheaper in the longrun…and I just proved that they are right about it.

The other day I bought an adhesive runner that was 5.99 for 472 inches. That is 13 yards of tape. Breaking that down…it equals 46 cents per yard.

There is an adhesive gun that is 43.05 on this website but comes with no tape. However, the tape rolls you put in it are $5.76 for 60 yards of adhesive. If we bought the gun, plus two of the 60 yards (thus 120 yards) of adhesive, the price would be 54.57 (before shipping) which breaks down to an unbelievable .46 per yard even on our first purchase! Then we would reorder refills from them and it would get cheaper and cheaper……I am shocked that even on the purchase of the gun it is so little per yard!

Now there's an explanation that will even convince MY hubby!!

actually, I went ahead and bought three rolls of adhesive which turned the gun and the three rolls into .37 per yard!!!! Oh...my explanation above...the gun and 2 rolls of adhesive was supposed to be .46 per yard and the one single purchase mono thing was .45 per yard....

oh by the way....our atg is on the way!

Just remember it's not tilt to break the glue, release the trigger and drag the point of the gun a bit to break the glue strip. Otherwise the glue will remain attached to what's still on the roll.

Congrats on the ATG purchase! You will not regret it. I love, love, love mine!!

got it quickly and for the most part I like it.

It does take some getting use to. Now I have a hard time using the little ones.

I just wish they would make a smaller one. but it's nice...getting used to ending it, but even if you go over you can just push it over the edge to the back.