The ATG Bandwagon... Are YOU Jumping On?

I've heard talk of an ATG (Adhesive Tape Gun) by 3M (Scotch). I thought the talk was just talk, and that it was another expensive item for scrapbookers and crafters to buy. They usually run anywhere from $35 - $80, depending on where they are purchased from, and what actual brand is purchased.

I was contemplating the bandwagon, so I started more research... As it turns out, although it is much bigger than the typical small tape runner/dispenser know to us amateur scrapbookers, it is much less expensive, quicker and easier in the long run. This wonderfully expensive guns are all the rage, yet I haven't seen one at the Scrapbook EXPO... only heard talk of it on messageboards and through e-mails.

It took me a while, but I did check the mythical ATGs out on eBay, Amazon and various other websites. I was dumbfounded at the cost. But I kept hearing the talk being talked. How the heck could this be so great. I priced and tested various taperunners, glues and other adhesives and spent lots of money. I realized they were all just a mess. In my head, I was watching an "As Seen on TV" commercial... with tape glopping and balling up, going haywire, and running out, compared to the wonders of the ATG, which hold 36-60 yards of glue adhesive.

Then, today... a wonderful person from Scrapbook BINGO! gave a weekly tip on how to "alter" (add bling) an ATG. So, inquisitive person that I am, asked everyone which model did they have, and if the tape was good, and... and... of course, I could never ask enough questions... but it came down to the ATG 700 or the ATG 714. I was told of a wonderful shopping site: http://www.framingsupplies.com/3M/3MProducts.htm. Framingsupplies.com was the best deal I found. With shipping added, they were even less expensive than all of the eBayers!

But I was still skeptical. Then there was the talk of the ultimate customer service, how any problems that were had... 3M fixed the problems. Yay! How could I go wrong? Especially, after finding out that in the long run... my adhesive $$ could really be stretched (and I could buy "other" things) if I purchased an ATG! So... I did the research, asked a bunch of questions, and voila! I jumped on the bandwagon!

I did it! Which one, you ask? I went ahead and purchased the ATG 714. This model is for the 1/4" wide tape. As two fellow scrappers (Leah and Jenn) pointed out... the 1/2" and 3/4" is just too wide for lots of little things; plus, if I needed a larger width, it is easy (and fast enough) to plant down another line. An adapter needs to be purchased for the 700 model, in order for it to use 1/4" tape (translation - not only is it more expensive than the 714, it needs something else to function for my purposes). Then... on the other plus side... I don't really like to "personalize" or "bling" this kind of stuff out. So... the ATG 714 is already red, unlike the 700 (which is yellow), and it already matches my scraptotes! What more can I ask for?

To answer that... I can ask for it to be delivered!!! I can hardly wait for my gun to be in my hand. Toodles for now! lisa