Hot Glue Gun???

[Canucker]

Ever make a board before you have all the components you need...then you get them and the sizes don't match...so in order to make things a little more stable you hot glue gun some things together on the top of your board? I've opened some radios before and have seen this done with capacitors which totally makes sense that thats the part you'd do it with. I hate hot glue guns but it may be a good temporary fix before my next trip to the electronics shop (as I've said before its a 1 hour trip for me).

[aron]

I don't see why that wouldn't work. I've never done this, but it sounds like it would work fine. The other choice is silicone.

[Canucker]

silicone...good call I have some clear stuff that I got for free! 

[cloudscapes]

I hot glue wherever I have wires soldered on the PCB to keep them from snapping off if I move them around too much.

Do caps often fall off boards from too many vibrations? Seems hard to imagine... maybe for large and heavy caps.

[digi2t]

I hot glue all socketed IC's, and/or transistors. It's de rigeur in all my builds. Holds things in place, but not impossible to remove if I decide to change something. Also, if I do remove it, it doesn't leave any residue like silicone does, it just peels right off. Here's an example (my Uglyface build);

[RandomGlitch]

I think hot glue is better than silicone if you think you might ever want to change something.  Plus you can hot glue something and then it's cool in a minute or so, whereas silicone can get you in a horrible sticky mess.

[Paul Marossy]

I would never use silicone on a circuit, too hard to deal with if you make a repair/change. I would only use hot glue, if I thought it was necessary.

[amptramp]

When silicone cures, it releases acetic acid which will corrode conductors and conduct leakage current, unless you are using the expensive stuff that does not release acetic acid. Hot glue is not very strong, but it generally does no harm.

[Mark Hammer]

I'll apply some hot glue to the base of wires coming off the board if I think they may be subject to strain, but not in all cases.  If you go to desolder or solder something to the board afterwards, you can end up with a runny mess.  So I only do it occasionally and when I'm pretty convinced that the board is done.

[Paul Marossy]

When silicone cures, it releases acetic acid which will corrode conductors and conduct leakage current, unless you are using the expensive stuff that does not release acetic acid.

An even better reason not to use it!

[darron]

heavy electro caps often get glued to the pcb for stress support. when you think about it, there's onlya thin, thin layer of glue holding those copper traces to the board - it's not magically bonded as a solid stone.

you know, if you can't be bothered with a hot glue gun just use a cigarette lighter and a hot glue stick! seriouesly, that's why I do and we used to do it working with amps. as you pull the molten stick end away just use the flame to break any stings of glue which are still stuck.




I really like digi2t's idea for gluing sockets! normally I don't like socketing parts but with that technique i could be happy (:

[LaceSensor]

I don't see the point I've made loads of pedals always socket stuff never had an issue

Plus it looks cheap and nasty

[Jdansti]

I use hot glue:
1)  On wire to board connections.
2)  When I want to insulate the solder side of a board.
3)  To support trim pots if the legs want to flex after soldering.
4)  To support jacks on amps where the jacks were soldered to the PCB and it moved enough to break the solder joint.

Just be careful around pots and switches that have openings on them. The glue can get inside, and the part no worky after that (been there). 

Here's a tip: If you want to shape hot glue before it cools, have a cup of cool water handy and wet your fingers. This will allow you to mold the hot glue while it's still hot. If you get some water droplets in hard to reach places or on components, just flush them with alcohol and it dry.