CA glues do not "dry"; they *cure*. The typical catalyst for curing is moisture, not just moisture in the air but moisture on the surface of The objects you are gluing, even metal or plastic, will almost always have some residual microscopic amounts of moisture on its surface at all times. One pitfall of CA glues is that as they start to cure they form a network or skein of crystalline threads on the outer surface of the glue where it is exposed to air, and this impedes the curing process by slowing the infiltration of moist air into the rest of the glue. This is why, if a thick glue joint or reinforcing dam is is desired, the CA glue should be built up slowly in layers, allowing each layer to cure before applying. Using baking soda in combination with the glue to build up and reinforce the pieces also works best if applied in thin layers and built up slowly to the desired thickness. At work (stereo repair shop), we frequently use CA glue to repair broken plastic pieces. Most of the generic brands sold in little tubes, even the Loctite and actual "SuperGlue" brands, don't work all that well, and I suspect their adhesive abilities (and curing time) have been intentionally compromised by the manufacturers in order to avoid lots of personal injury claims. We have had far better results with the medium viscosity (somewhat syrupy) DAP and JB Weld CA glues. DAP also sells a handy "primer pen", like a miniature Sharpie, to apply to just one surface being glued (acts as an instant accelerant when the pieces are mated together). The water- thin TiteBond and Hot Stuff (Satellite City) CA glues are absolutely fantastic, and have such excellent capillary wetting action that you can often assemble the pieces first, add the glue, and it will wick up into the spaces or cracks. They also set very quickly, *especially when used on or applied to organic materials, which includes skin*. Those two ultra-thin CA glues will stick your fingers together in a nanosecond, and require extreme caution and advance planning before using them. Put the bottle in a bowl so that you can't spill it all over the table or bench! Keep a bottle of CA de-bonder on hand (most are a mix of nitromethane and acetone, nitro by itself will work); and Perhaps one should not attempt to glue anything with those super- fast glues unless there is someone else in the home with you, because dialing 911 might be difficult with your hands stuck to the table or each other! Most of the commercially available accelerants are quite likely to mar the surface of plastics, finished wood, and so on. The Aeros spray can seems a poor way to apply any accelerant, like using a shotgun or a blunderbuss when what is required is a marksmans' rifle. The accelerants invariably provide a weaker glue joint as well. BTW, I have never had much luck with the gel forms of CA glue....
Hey Vice Chief, I like the video. I'm a cheapskate father of 3 and I can't tell you how many tubes of super glue I have been through in my life. I discovered super glue dryer years ago. I used to steal my mom's out of her fingernail painting kit! That stuff is awesome. Anyway I like your channel and can't wait to see you get a gold play button! I have a feeling you'll do it in time.
That's rad - I didn't know that it was used for nails. Or maybe I sorta knew... but never thought about it overtly. Thanks so much for the kind words, it would be awesome to reach that kind of audience. I'm working on new videos now... just gotta keep sharing.
Just wet one side with water and glue on the other side, touch together and instant bond. Try it, it really works. That is also the reason it sticks your fingers together so fast..moisture on your fingers, water.
Thanks for the video, it sheds some light on what I have been doing both right and wrong! Just FYI about activators, I have used a CA glue sold for plastics, specifically the Loctite Plastics Bonding System, which comes with a pen similar to that described by "Good 'un" in a previous comment. Now I realize the pen probably wasn't doing anything special "to the plastic" like I thought; it is probably just an accelerant. In any case, it has worked well for me on plastics.
You're welcome! I've had a lot of good luck with Loctite/Henkel products. As you may have seen (and done) elsewhere, one of the most effective ways to use an accelerant or activator is to apply it to one of the surfaces being bonded, before bonding. I use that technique pretty often and it takes the guesswork out of when the adhesive will "kick" or cure.
Not according to the actual manufacturers of CA glues! Condensation of moisture on the inside of the fridge-chilled bottle causes the glue to start curing more quickly inside the bottle. Only factory sealed bottles of CA glue should be kept in the freezer.
You can use 91% isopropyl alcohol, the stuff you can buy at the drug store, Walmart, Target, etc. as an accelerate, works great also. just puts some in a small spray bottle and you are good to go.
Compliments on a very good presentation!...objectively and much more scientifically presented, than many others! I would expect there is some (very minor, but nonetheless present!) moisture content in the "dry" backing soda which quickly initiates, then promotes the continued polymerization or "knitting" as my CA expert friend calls it (Loktite/Henkel CA R&D specialist). He also says simply the moisture of gently breathing on the joint will "accelerate" it (obviously not as quick as if an accelerator product were used, but faster than if joint has to get its moisture from surrounding air). I have also heard that local Relative Humidity affects polymerization...that is, it works faster for example in Florida than Utah, simply because of RH! This does sound plausible given the expert's comments. Cheers
Cyanoacrylate is Anaerobic, meaning it reacts in a absents of Oxygen. So when it wicks into a tight space and cuts of the air, it instantly reacts. If it’s wet its slower..if it’s acidic is dies.
I've had pretty good luck extending shelf life by removing all moisture from the air captured inside the bottle when I replace the cap.. My 2 favorite ways to do that
okay so how would i make an accelerator at home that wont make my CA glue "bloom" ? i want to make bentwood rings and i cant find accelerator anywhere but online.
The "bloom" is usually the CA itself vaporizing and redepositing on the part. Have you tried baking soda for accelerant? It's favored among woodworkers.
@@ViceChief i have. Ive tried just about everything i can think of and it always blooms. Vinegar. Vingera dna water, water, baking soda and water, glass cleaner for the ammonia etc...
The best way to use accelerant vapor to cure CA is to use a puffer bottle: a small dish soap bottle with a cap is perfect. Roll up a paper towel and stick it into the bottle. Add about a teaspoon of accelerant. Cap the bottle. When you want to cure CA without it blushing (turning white), do the glue-up and then hold the puffer nozzle close to the wet CA. Gently squeeze little puffs of air from the bottle and the vapor will set the CA quickly. The paper towel in the bottle captures the liquid accelerator and prevents it from spitting. You'll get perfect, fast joints every time. Cheers!
Small spray bottle from £/€ stores, half fill with water then other half with Rubbing Alcohol 70 - 90 %. Hey presto you have CHEAP super glue Accelerator.
Totally agree. However, some of the basics are similar across all cyanoacrylates. This video is really speaking to the youtube crowd, who are less likely to use toughened cyanos, UV curing cyanos, and even just more expensive (Henkel) cyanos.
CA glues do not "dry"; they *cure*. The typical catalyst for curing is moisture, not just moisture in the air but moisture on the surface of The objects you are gluing, even metal or plastic, will almost always have some residual microscopic amounts of moisture on its surface at all times. One pitfall of CA glues is that as they start to cure they form a network or skein of crystalline threads on the outer surface of the glue where it is exposed to air, and this impedes the curing process by slowing the infiltration of moist air into the rest of the glue. This is why, if a thick glue joint or reinforcing dam is is desired, the CA glue should be built up slowly in layers, allowing each layer to cure before applying. Using baking soda in combination with the glue to build up and reinforce the pieces also works best if applied in thin layers and built up slowly to the desired thickness.
At work (stereo repair shop), we frequently use CA glue to repair broken plastic pieces. Most of the generic brands sold in little tubes, even the Loctite and actual "SuperGlue" brands, don't work all that well, and I suspect their adhesive abilities (and curing time) have been intentionally compromised by the manufacturers in order to avoid lots of personal injury claims. We have had far better results with the medium viscosity (somewhat syrupy) DAP and JB Weld CA glues. DAP also sells a handy "primer pen", like a miniature Sharpie, to apply to just one surface being glued (acts as an instant accelerant when the pieces are mated together).
The water- thin TiteBond and Hot Stuff (Satellite City) CA glues are absolutely fantastic, and have such excellent capillary wetting action that you can often assemble the pieces first, add the glue, and it will wick up into the spaces or cracks. They also set very quickly, *especially when used on or applied to organic materials, which includes skin*. Those two ultra-thin CA glues will stick your fingers together in a nanosecond, and require extreme caution and advance planning before using them. Put the bottle in a bowl so that you can't spill it all over the table or bench! Keep a bottle of CA de-bonder on hand (most are a mix of nitromethane and acetone, nitro by itself will work); and Perhaps one should not attempt to glue anything with those super- fast glues unless there is someone else in the home with you, because dialing 911 might be difficult with your hands stuck to the table or each other!
Most of the commercially available accelerants are quite likely to mar the surface of plastics, finished wood, and so on. The Aeros spray can seems a poor way to apply any accelerant, like using a shotgun or a blunderbuss when what is required is a marksmans' rifle. The accelerants invariably provide a weaker glue joint as well.
BTW, I have never had much luck with the gel forms of CA glue....
Great presentation. You have new fan.
Loved this. Thank you for sharing
Excellent. Well done, and thank you.
Learned a lot, thank you!
Hey Vice Chief, I like the video. I'm a cheapskate father of 3 and I can't tell you how many tubes of super glue I have been through in my life. I discovered super glue dryer years ago. I used to steal my mom's out of her fingernail painting kit! That stuff is awesome. Anyway I like your channel and can't wait to see you get a gold play button! I have a feeling you'll do it in time.
That's rad - I didn't know that it was used for nails. Or maybe I sorta knew... but never thought about it overtly. Thanks so much for the kind words, it would be awesome to reach that kind of audience. I'm working on new videos now... just gotta keep sharing.
Great tips, thanks.
Well done .. long enough to show us ...short enough that we will watch the end..
great video, esp the accelerant chamber procedure
Just wet one side with water and glue on the other side, touch together and instant bond. Try it, it really works. That is also the reason it sticks your fingers together so fast..moisture on your fingers, water.
Thanks for the video, it sheds some light on what I have been doing both right and wrong! Just FYI about activators, I have used a CA glue sold for plastics, specifically the Loctite Plastics Bonding System, which comes with a pen similar to that described by "Good 'un" in a previous comment. Now I realize the pen probably wasn't doing anything special "to the plastic" like I thought; it is probably just an accelerant. In any case, it has worked well for me on plastics.
You're welcome! I've had a lot of good luck with Loctite/Henkel products. As you may have seen (and done) elsewhere, one of the most effective ways to use an accelerant or activator is to apply it to one of the surfaces being bonded, before bonding. I use that technique pretty often and it takes the guesswork out of when the adhesive will "kick" or cure.
Instablaster.
Thanks Vice Chief. Incidentally, keeping cyanoacrylates in the refrigerator greatly extends their lifetime.
Thanks for the tip gb sumner!
Not according to the actual manufacturers of CA glues! Condensation of moisture on the inside of the fridge-chilled bottle causes the glue to start curing more quickly inside the bottle. Only factory sealed bottles of CA glue should be kept in the freezer.
I'm liking the longer form videos. Cake.
Nicely presented
You can use 91% isopropyl alcohol, the stuff you can buy at the drug store, Walmart, Target, etc. as an accelerate, works great also. just puts some in a small spray bottle and you are good to go.
Very good video !
Thanks Joseph! I really appreciate the feedback.
Compliments on a very good presentation!...objectively and much more scientifically presented, than many others!
I would expect there is some (very minor, but nonetheless present!) moisture content in the "dry" backing soda which quickly initiates, then promotes the continued polymerization or "knitting" as my CA expert friend calls it (Loktite/Henkel CA R&D specialist). He also says simply the moisture of gently breathing on the joint will "accelerate" it (obviously not as quick as if an accelerator product were used, but faster than if joint has to get its moisture from surrounding air). I have also heard that local Relative Humidity affects polymerization...that is, it works faster for example in Florida than Utah, simply because of RH! This does sound plausible given the expert's comments. Cheers
Thanks for the information! Always looking for a more complete understanding of adhesives and other joining technologies.
excellent tutorial
Thanks Lee J! Glad you found it helpful.
Publique que es el acelerante y como adquirirlo
What about the use of bicarbinate.??...
I really liked your outro music.
wrote it myself, thanks!
Cyanoacrylate is Anaerobic, meaning it reacts in a absents of Oxygen. So when it wicks into a tight space and cuts of the air, it instantly reacts. If it’s wet its slower..if it’s acidic is dies.
I've had pretty good luck extending shelf life by removing all moisture from the air captured inside the bottle when I replace the cap.. My 2 favorite ways to do that
Very good; answered some questions for me regarding Super Glue!
love
Great info. I felt sorry for robo unicorn at the end there though :(
okay so how would i make an accelerator at home that wont make my CA glue "bloom" ?
i want to make bentwood rings and i cant find accelerator anywhere but online.
The "bloom" is usually the CA itself vaporizing and redepositing on the part. Have you tried baking soda for accelerant? It's favored among woodworkers.
@@ViceChief i have. Ive tried just about everything i can think of and it always blooms. Vinegar. Vingera dna water, water, baking soda and water, glass cleaner for the ammonia etc...
Mix half and half water and Rubbing Alcohol. Cheaper and works.
I never have a problem with superglue, just clean the surface both sides and you don't need anything else and don't use to many glue.
Water is a accelerant! Also so is baking soda!
The best way to use accelerant vapor to cure CA is to use a puffer bottle: a small dish soap bottle with a cap is perfect. Roll up a paper towel and stick it into the bottle. Add about a teaspoon of accelerant. Cap the bottle. When you want to cure CA without it blushing (turning white), do the glue-up and then hold the puffer nozzle close to the wet CA. Gently squeeze little puffs of air from the bottle and the vapor will set the CA quickly. The paper towel in the bottle captures the liquid accelerator and prevents it from spitting. You'll get perfect, fast joints every time. Cheers!
Cool technique! Thanks.
Small spray bottle from £/€ stores, half fill with water then other half with Rubbing Alcohol 70 - 90 %. Hey presto you have CHEAP super glue Accelerator.
Thanks!
Water is good way
JUST AD BAKING POWDER TO THE JOIN AND IT FREEZES IN A SCOND.Frank68
Baking *soda*.
I think the activator is only water, becourse super glue is activated by the air moisture.
Water does work to activate superglue, but the active ingredient in the activator I use is N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine . Definitely not water.
@@ViceChief i can't find this stuff in the UK.
Why not just use water. Isn't that what he said in the begining.
Hey BennyCFD, a lot of substrates don't take water well, so it pays to have a variety of approaches.
Hacer vídeos en español para latinos
Francisco, I wish I could, but I only speak English and Russian.
She used it to glue on fake nails
All superglues are not the same. I've had the worst experience with the brand of glue you're using.
Totally agree. However, some of the basics are similar across all cyanoacrylates. This video is really speaking to the youtube crowd, who are less likely to use toughened cyanos, UV curing cyanos, and even just more expensive (Henkel) cyanos.