Corsage Gluing -something's wrong

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JCT

JCT

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Feb 8, 2007
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Scarborough
www.oakhillflorist.com
State / Prov
Maine
We've been pan gluing prom corsages for years. It's a must because of our volume. This year we tried using cold glue as well but it's just too time consuming for us.
Anyway, was at a function before prom and saw a rose just pop off this poor girls corsage (she did bump it against her date). Told her I'd take it back to the shop and fix it for her. Which I did.
Turns out there were a few similar issues at the prom this year. Roses popping off.
We use flowers that are at room temp, use plenty of glue, leave them out of the cooler for a long time before refrigerating.
I'm at a loss as to what we are doing wrong. Any suggestions??
 
Honestly I would just use Oasis glue. The pan glue isn't the right tool for the job, as you saw. I never had a prob w/Oasis glue and can pretty much guarantee that it works.
 
Shannon when I hear pan glue I think hot glue. I always heard that hot glue was not for fresh flowers ever. Maybe I misunderstood the original post.
 
Studioflora is right. Pan glue isn't the best glue for the job.

The problem occurs once the flowers are refrigerated. Since pan glue contracts in the cold and expands in the heat (but the flowers and other materials don't) the glue points weaken. They also weaken from moisture.

Other problems can occur from using slick or metallic ribbon since pan glue doesn't saturated into the ribbon and merely attaches to the surface.

For large volume days (like proms) designers can pour out a small amount of Oasis adhesive on a non-pourous surface and then dip and go like pan-melt.
 
I used to pan glue and the only prob I ever had was with real sterling silver roses. I don't even know if you can still get real sterling silver roses. stupid things always died so quickly!!


Anyway, I used to do a lot of pan gluing, never ever had a problem. And the cold glue just take sooolong to set, drives me nuts!!!!

I even used that that tube cold glue to create some body corsages, the kind you make with band aids. The flowers ended up falling off the band aid.

I'm not a dummy, but that tube glue really pi$$es me off!!! I don't know what I'm doing wrong either.

I think I need to attend a tube glue work shop!
 
We purchase the Oasis Adhesive in the cans...it comes with a plastic bottle that you can fill and is so much easier to use than the tube version. We made close to 200 corsages for one prom on Mother's Day weekend. We like to use a plastic candle stake inserted into a piece of styrofoam...we fill the stake with the adhesive and dip the flowers into the glue. We usually have two designers work on the corsages as a team...one glues the focal flowers and the other adds filler. It takes practice to get good with the glue techniques. We can make them quickly and have never had any problems. The corsages are light weight and the gluing allows so much more versatility than wiring. I have a corsage in the cooler from Mother's Day weekend that was made in error...in still looked great yesterday! Of course, we would never sell it at this point, but I like to run little tests to see how our products perform. On Tuesday I will pull it out of the cooler and wear it to see how it looks all day! Now...that's a test!

Cathy's post about using pan glue is right on. You should never use pan glue and refrigerate. The flowers will definitely fall off.
 
Yup, hot glue + cooler can = big honkin' disaster.

I have never used anything but Oasis floral adhesive on corsages and it works wonders. Glue, hold for about five seconds, pop in the cooler and go. The cooler makes the glue set up like concrete. I've yet to have an issue. I just use plenty of ribbon and foliage. Works like a charm. I now make the ribbon bases up three days in advance, glue foliage in two days before and then just pop the flowers in the day before. So easy!
 
Oasis adhesive glue here too. It works great and I have never had a problem. It sets up fast too.
The first year we glued I used hot glue, all the flowers popped off, it was a nightmare. Never again!!

I always just poured it into a little shallow plastic cup, I like the idea of the candle holder, will try that next year!!
 
patience

shannonlovesflowers said:
I used to pan glue and the only prob I ever had was with real sterling silver roses. I don't even know if you can still get real sterling silver roses. stupid things always died so quickly!!


Anyway, I used to do a lot of pan gluing, never ever had a problem. And the cold glue just take sooolong to set, drives me nuts!!!!

I even used that that tube cold glue to create some body corsages, the kind you make with band aids. The flowers ended up falling off the band aid.

I'm not a dummy, but that tube glue really pi$$es me off!!! I don't know what I'm doing wrong either.

I think I need to attend a tube glue work shop!
Click to expand...

I agree, I just don't have the patience to wait for the flower to adhere.
Standing there and holding the flower in place just makes me crazy.
I see the pros on the gluing , but, honestly, I think you can be far more
creative with wiring. all & all, corsages are a drag. Up there with balloons.
 
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The trick with the cold glue is to put some on the flower AND on the area you are applying to (such as the ribbon) let it air dry for a few seconds, until you see a film on the glue. You can blow on it to make that go faster. Then apply your flowers with the glue to the ribbon with the glue. Hold for about 5 - 10 seconds and your done. The flowers won't be concrete at this point (that happens in the cooler as someone said) but you will be able to let go and move on to the next. The idea is somewhat similar to rubber cement, you need glue on both contacts to make it secure.
 
Before everyone switched to cold glue, I used pan glue. I kept it around 275 - slightly gummy.
I used wired ribbon only...the trick with pan glue is...
flowers have to be room temperature - not just out of the cooler -
you need enough ribbon to hold the sides of the flowers as well as seating the flower down into the ribbon.
It also helped to add the filler flower after the larger flowers were in as the insertions would add to the top of the calyx of the flower and "seal" where the glue on the calyx ended.
I tested and retested my pan glued corsages...always made one or two to keep out. Shook the heck out of them. As long as the flower was hydrated and they were "double glued" and so was the ribbon loop the flower was glued into there were no problems until about 5 days when the stem and calyx finally shrunk to loosen from the glue.
Never had a problem.
 
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Trying to get my designers to use this technique and you would think that I am speaking a foreign language...well actually one of them is foreign...but does anyone has a set of step by step pictures so that I can convey exactly what it is that is different about glueing versus wiring...thanks..
Sher....the in-house non-designer who can kick any arrangement out as long as there is no budget....lol
 
Sher said:
Trying to get my designers to use this technique and you would think that I am speaking a foreign language...well actually one of them is foreign...but does anyone has a set of step by step pictures so that I can convey exactly what it is that is different about glueing versus wiring...thanks..
Sher....the in-house non-designer who can kick any arrangement out as long as there is no budget....lol
Click to expand...

Same thing here...designers won't let go of tape and wire.
 
One of the things I've found about not wiring and taping is that people have to actually learn a different method and they don't want to be bothered many times. They have a system and they want to stick to that, I'll do whatever it takes to get it done and have it look the way the customer wants. I still wire and tape pin on corsages, haven't really seen any of those glued that I care for, just the wristlets.
 
I have watched both J's and Leanne's segments on ubloom on gluing corsages and have felt cheated by both. Neither shows an actual close up of how much and where they put the cold glue in the corsage.
It is a trial and error mechanics...one that must be done during slow times to play with. I don't put drops in my ribbons, I just coat the flower itself and put it into the ribbon or decorations.
I also wire and tape pin ons most of the time so it give "older wearers" something to pin to but do have an instruction label on those I do glue.
I took a workshop many many years ago on gluing corsages and the instructor used pan glue which is why I've been gluing corsages for prom for a great many years..........
Jenny, maybe when I'm on vacation this summer (last week of July, first week of Aug) I can get to Scarborough and give you a lesson???
How far is Cabella's from you? (I know we'll be going there at least once)
 
I was told by others that I was a fool for not gluing my flowers in the wristletts. My gut told me it was a bad idea. So I proceeded with my standard way of wiring. Now it takes me 15 minuites for one corsage, and I am happy with that. I would rather be cautious that no flowers would pop off and do it the original way, and just improve my time line on making corsages.


Dana
 
danaboo2000 said:
I was told by others that I was a fool for not gluing my flowers in the wristletts. My gut told me it was a bad idea. So I proceeded with my standard way of wiring. Now it takes me 15 minuites for one corsage, and I am happy with that. I would rather be cautious that no flowers would pop off and do it the original way, and just improve my time line on making corsages.


Dana
Click to expand...

Dana, with prep work done as the orders come in, it takes me less than 15 minutes to do 6 wristlets for our prom. Haven't had a head pop off in years.......
 
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Not to be rude at all, but don't you think that takes the "art" out of our work? It would make me feel like they all are just another order, and I like to treat each one special.
 
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