Best superglue for wood models. On the tutorials for polaris he uses very small tubes. My only limited success involves medium super glue applied by toothpicks and then accelerator activator. I’m tired of being a little sloppy. Can anyone help?? Thanks
I use the medium super glue in a bottle by Bob Smith Industries.
well, it depends on what you are doing. I know when I do curve pieces I have to wet the plank for about 1 hour then I bend it where I want it to go and attach it with clamps. Then I leave it there until the plank dries and the plank keeps the curve. Much easier now to use traditional PVA glue at this stage. The super glue is helpful for the tips just to give extra strength. I hate the stuff because it makes my eyes water.
I have been using Jet brand CA cements for some time, primarily before my ship building for balsa model planes. Jet comes in various viscosities from ultra thin penetrating for bonding tight fits by wicking, through medium and thick grades. Although more expensive per volume I prefer the small bottles of 0.5 oz. since it will eventually degrade in the bottle and either thicken and "dry" or loose its bonding action. I think that happens because moisture eventually degrades it.
I would not use tubes as they are hard to control the application. The bottles sit upright so that there is less chance of the nozzle becoming blocked. The nozzle tip can be cut very fine and recut if needed.
I sometimes use accelerator if I want an instant bond but it is nasty stuff and you only need the tiniest of spritzes on the bond. It does not seem to stain wood for me. Try not to breath either the CA or accelerator; work with sparing amounts and give yourself some fresh air time between bonds.
Two other tips: I use very fine plastic tips that fit on the bottles that can give you micro control over the amount of cement applied. Keep a jelly jar of acetone to rinse the tips after using then let blot off and them air dry. Use a paper towel dipped in acetone to wipe off the bottle tip. I use the same paper towel to quickly wipe off any cement bonded to my skin but only if needed, then a quick wash with soap and water to wash off any acetone from my skin. Keep your acetone jar tightly sealed of course and in a spot where you are not going to knock it off the table.
CA can be a pain but it is strong and quick when you know exactly how the parts will fit and you want to avoid long clamping time or can't find an effective way to clamp.
Sorry for the long-winded reply.
I would not use tubes as they are hard to control the application. The bottles sit upright so that there is less chance of the nozzle becoming blocked. The nozzle tip can be cut very fine and recut if needed.
I sometimes use accelerator if I want an instant bond but it is nasty stuff and you only need the tiniest of spritzes on the bond. It does not seem to stain wood for me. Try not to breath either the CA or accelerator; work with sparing amounts and give yourself some fresh air time between bonds.
Two other tips: I use very fine plastic tips that fit on the bottles that can give you micro control over the amount of cement applied. Keep a jelly jar of acetone to rinse the tips after using then let blot off and them air dry. Use a paper towel dipped in acetone to wipe off the bottle tip. I use the same paper towel to quickly wipe off any cement bonded to my skin but only if needed, then a quick wash with soap and water to wash off any acetone from my skin. Keep your acetone jar tightly sealed of course and in a spot where you are not going to knock it off the table.
CA can be a pain but it is strong and quick when you know exactly how the parts will fit and you want to avoid long clamping time or can't find an effective way to clamp.
Sorry for the long-winded reply.
CA glue has horrendous fumes. Please take care using it.
I’m horribly allergic to the fumes of both the CA glue and the accelerant (triggers acute asthma attack) so I stay away from it as much as possible. I actually use a PAPR mask when I do have to use it. IMHO there are ways around not having to use the stuff.
I use Bob Smith Thin and Medium CA (2 oz) and Extender Tips. The Tips are key, they allow you to control the flow and placement, no need for toothpicks. Check their site for info, https://www.bsi-inc.com/hobby/access.html. I learned the hard way, without the Extender Tips CA glue is hard to control, messy.
You can order online from a variety of hobby sites, EBAY, etc... I get mine from VRC Hobbies. Bluejacket and Model Expo also sell CA Glue.
You can order online from a variety of hobby sites, EBAY, etc... I get mine from VRC Hobbies. Bluejacket and Model Expo also sell CA Glue.
I use the Bob Smith Thin and Medium along with the accelerator when I am building RC airplanes but its nasty stuff and can make a mess if you're not careful with it. I tried it on my ship building but have switched to the PVA glue. The PVA glue allows me to make mistakes and try to get them corrected before it sets up.
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I use CA exclusively on all my models. I don’t smell fumes with the Locktite but the SloZap when used in quanity emits an odor. It does get a lot more expensive with CA when building larger boats but I like the sped up drying times. Also…as with any adhesive, knowing how to handle the product without gluing your body together is paramount.
I prefer to use Gorilla white wood glue whenever possible. For CA glue, I use the small .1 oz tubes. That way I am always using new CA glue. If you live in the USA, there is a place called Harbor Freight. They sell 10 tubes of CA glue for $2.99 (CA Thin) and $3.99 (CA Gel). I love using the small tubes.
Thanks for the harbor freight tip!
Thanks. Just what I have been looking for
I've not had this issue unless there is accelerator involved.
I've got RC planes built totally with CA that are 30 years old and no problems.
As far as why, sometimes it's better for the purpose. Putting a drop of CA on knots is a good example. Also, if it is a part that is difficult to clamp, you can hit it with a spot of CA to hold it. Some people use CA as a primary method of bonding. Some use it as a quick tack to hold the piece while the majority of the glue used for the part is still PVA. There are many way to do something and none of them are wrong.
Jeff
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Like some of the posts on this thread. I use PVA glue as much as possible. But on some instances I do use it when I need the extra strength for those sections/pieces that require fast drying. I also don't like when CA stains the wood making is difficult to paint over without it showing up.
Anyone using hide glue? It's easily reversible with heat