Hot Glue Gun or Not?

[badgeguy]

I am going through the build instructions and I picked up a low heat mini glue gun and glue sticks believing I needed one for the front OLED number panel. Upon reading the steps it states "With some hot glue RTV adhesive of some kind (like GE Silicone Sealant), squirt a SMALL...". Now I am confused. RTV is NOT what you would get with a standard hot glue gone stick and I am now concerned that using hot glue will permanently damage the screen and the main board.

Are hot glue sticks in fact safe to use, or should I be running out to get some RTV silicone in a tube?

Thanks,

Rusty

[bog-bean]

Hey Rusty,

I've been thinking over the same thing! I think RTV adhesive has been specifically recommended because (compared to other glues) it's quite pliable and has some give, which is why it's used on components like OLED's and other displays than are susceptible to damage if flexed too far. It might also be useful given it's good for dampening vibrations - I doubt that the ammount of force in the gears and spring of the rotary mechanism are really significant enough to risk damaging an OLED connection through PCB flex, but it's better to overengineer a solution, right?

I'll be using RTV adhesive on mine anyway, and I hope this helps!

Best wishes,

Áine

[badgeguy]

Thank you for the reply and the advice. I have picked up and used the RTV in the interim and feel better about the decision. All of the displays appear to work and now I have a cheap hot glue gun ready if I need one for something else. RTV for the win.