a few more details about the hot glue g- er, I mean, hot melt adhesive applicator

on the left: Old 'n' Busted

on the right: New Hotness

1881 silver dollar for scale. Also a flow pen, a pencil, a UV LED pen, and a twelve inch machinist's scale... for scale.

 Somewhere earlier, I claimed that the industrial production unit had ten times the heater power as my old consumer unit.  It turns out I lied.

 Just to check, I fished it out of the trash can, and it actually had a 40 watt heater, which I think I now recall was a step up from a 25 watt artsy-craftsy unit.

 So the new unit is more like 6.25 times as much power, and it is regulated with a PTC thermistor.

 I meant to also mention a little detail and forgot, earlier: the handle is very wide at its base, so even without the huge support bail installed, the gun is very stable and does not tend to tip over.

 Honestly, I can think of only one way this tool could be improved, and I'm tempted to write 3M and ask for it, though it would surely drive up the price, and market research would no doubt prove that I'm the only guy on the planet who wants this, but... replace the PVC-jacketed, slightly stiff power cord with a heat-resistant, rubber-jacketed cord (silicone or maybe neoprene) cord that is more flexible and limp.  That's it.  Change nothing else.

 If you use a hot glue gun much at all, and assuming you can pick one of these up at a reasonable price, (or you're sufficiently well-heeled that can afford to shell out MSRP)... GO BUY ONE.