Glue Applicators

Since returning to the hobby some 3 years ago I have been in search of easy to use glue applicators. Trial and error, as well as shared experience from my pals on the web have lead me to share with my friends at TnT what I now use.

For CA it's very simple. Take a sewing needle and saw off the closed end of eye to make it a very small fork. Mount the needle into a pin vice for easy handling then dip the fork into some CA that has been decanted into a bottle cap or some other small disposable container then apply CA to the area intended. Like I said, simple.

For solvent based I've been using the Touch and Flow for about a month now, really enjoyed it, AT FIRST. Now it's clogged up and I find no way to clear it. I've been using Tenax7 on it and I think the Tenax has eaten at the medium used to secure the needle in the glass tube. Some of that material came loose and I was able to stick a wire down in and draw it out. But it would appear that something has entered the needle tube itself and clogged.

So I started looking at this Touch and Flow thing, it ain't rocket science.

And they called me MAD!!!

In the background you'll see the glass TnF and the Moon Puppy home made Brass Beta Ver .1

Take a 1.5. mm tube, cut to the length you'd like.
Cut a .4 mm pipe, I used Griffon brand from my small stock. it has a .22mm internal dia. this will be the tip.


Thread the .4mm pipe inside the 1.5 mm pipe, not to far up or you'll end up wasting to much glue.


A generous slabbering of solder, apply heat and volia!

There you have a Brass Touch and Flow...perhaps I should name it something else to avoid copyright.

The second one I made did not work because I used the .3mm pipe with a .1mm hollow dia. Guess that's just to thin to touch and flow.

OH, BTW, Beta ver .1 works just like the store bought glass one (which miraculously unclogged itself sometime today) 8-)

Great tips Moon Puppy. Thanks.

Just genious.
Maybe you could call it the BRAT F (BRAss Touch n Flow) . Or just the Brat for short, so as not to offend anyone not understanding what the "F" was for .

Brat, I like it. Thanks Gary!

The needle fork I already knew and I second Moon Puppy in saying that this is a great tool Easy to made, easy to use with great results and dirt cheap.

Thanks for the BRAT*F idea. Will have to try this one

Someone asked me about cleaning, I've been looking for some .2mm wire to use as a ram but I figure, if the tip gets that clogged just heat it up, yank it out and replace and resolder. I also made the length short enough to fit in the Ultrasonic Cleaner

Hey MP,

Very helpfull tips, just made one of youre "Needle Fork Cyanoacrylate Adhesive Application Devices"!

Thanks for the tip!

Cheers Erik

WOO HOO! Glad to hear it Erik. It's the simple things that work the best.