Hot glue on patch display?

[AnaMaria]

If I use hot glue to attach patches to a tri-fold display, will I be able to get the glue off the patches later if I want?

 

I need to come up with a display for Webelos son's crossover to Boy Scouts on Friday. I've waited too late to do anything major and am looking for down and dirty without damaging anything.

[Scoutfish]

Never really tried hot glue on it, but see two possibilities:

 

1) It will scrape/ peel of failry decently from the plastic backing. Or at the very least, you should be able to trim the dries hot glue away from the back of the patch after you rip the patch off whatever the display board was.

 

2) It burns into the clear patch backing too much during the application and will pull the clear plastic as well as fabric off to , thus ruining the patch.

 

I have seen patches hot glued to plaques, but they were intended to be permanant applications....which so far, are still holding up. Of course, nobody tried to pell them off, so we don't know how that will work.

 

I'd buy just any old cheap patch from the scout store and try it as a guinnea pig first

 

[AnaMaria]

I know double-sided foam mounting tape would work as well. The hot glue should be cheaper, though, and definitely more fine. If someone has real-life experience, let me know. I'll report back what I do.

[Eagle92]

I'd stick with double stick tape. Or take a piece of regular tape, fold in half so that it's sticky on both sides, and Bob's your uncle it is done.

 

I wouldn't use hot glue as it may damage the patch.

[Frank17]

I use hot glue a lot, but only to mount permanently in displays. I also figure that I am ruining the collectibility of the patches, since the glue either soaks into the fabric if there is no plastic coating or partially melts the plastic backing and is not removeable. It does work great for long term mounts win no visual impacts.

 

For temporary mounts, I usually plave the patches in clear plastic patch holders and then tape the holders to the display. That way, the patches are fully protected and can still be touched.

[Woapalanne]

Carpet tape would be my choice. It is permanent, strong, but can be peeled off without damaging the patch. I've even used it to mount my miniature medals (non-Scout of course) and it did not damage the ribbons. Available at your local hardware store or big box home supply.