I just wanted to share with you today a quick review and some tips on using the FAST FUSE if you haven't used it before. I also have listed PROs and CONs below, along with a price comparison.
First - I've heard of lot of folks, especially those in areas of high humidity (like South East Texas, where I live!) complaining that SNAIL doesn't always hold securely. I get around that with the SNAIL by running vertical likes of adhesive on one piece and horizontal layers on the other piece to marry them together better - works like a charm! I like the SNAIL: the refills go in easy, it is easy to use, and it works (most of the time) pretty well. I will say that I have tried refills from other suppliers. They do not always work as well as the actual SNAIL from SU – I find myself needing to use more of it sometimes to hold as well. WHY? Good question… from what I’ve read, it probably is due to the fact that Stampin’ Up! has a LOT of turnover of adhesives, and so they don’t have it sitting in the warehouse for that long. The bulk suppliers likely have massive quantities of it sitting there for longer periods of time.
On the Fast Fuse, though - when you go to adhere it, if you pull it straight back like you do SNAIL, the FF wants to pull a string of adhesive off the carrier tape, which gums up the works. BUT - if you give it a **very slight** sideways jerk when you get to the end of the line of adhesive you are trying to apply, it helps 'break' that string, making it easier to apply the next bit. For the FF, you do NOT need as much as you do of the SNAIL - even in SE Texas! That stuff STICKS!
(So make sure you have it straight before you stick it together!)
PROS:
- sticks well
- sticks fast
- stands up to high humidity
- carrier fits well in your hands
- easy to replace cartridge
CONS:
- learning curve on applying it so it doesn't make a mess
- learning curve on holding the applicator correctly as the hump is on the bottom (as opposed to SNAIL, which is on the top!)
- more initial outlay than SNAIL*
*I did the math. The FF dispenser comes with 13.1 yards (just like the SNAIL does) for $9.95 as opposed to $6.95 for SNAIL. For the refills, you get 21.9 yards for $7.50 for the FF and 13.1 yards for $4.50 for the SNAIL. Also, the Sticky Strip (AKA Chihuahua Tape to my stampers because I made a comment one time that it was strong enough to stick the chihuahua to the ceiling – NOTE – - no chihuahuas – have ever been stuck to a ceiling by me, nor would I, even though I dislike chihuahuas due to a traumatic childhood incident – but I really do like real dogs! <grin> see photo below, please), which is superb for hard-to-stick things like buttons, ribbon, metal pieces, and for assembling boxes and such, is a bit more expensive, but I find myself using less of it with a lot more success for those applications. {Boy, THAT was a long, run-on sentence}
Bottom line:
- FAST FUSE REFILL = $.1141 per foot
- SNAIL REFILL = $.1145 per foot
- STICKY STRIP = $.23 per foot
Simon – my one-eyed rescue dog. He came to live with us July 2013. My youngest found him for me and said that the half deaf lady needed a half-blind dog…
Go out and glue something!
*Ü* Nanc ><>
Stampin' Up!: http://fancynancykay.stampinup.net - https://mypaperpumpkin.com?demoid=73838
Thirty-One: http://www.mythirtyone.com/77170/
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