Super Glue questions

[NOBLNG]

I have not had a lot of experience with CA, but since I’ve started working with resin, I’ve had to use it more often.  So...

1)Does it stick to paint? I know any solvent type glue has to have the joints devoid of coatings in order to bond.

2)Does the “kicker” weaker the bond over just letting it dry naturally?

[Bainford]

37 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

I have not had a lot of experience with CA, but since I’ve started working with resin, I’ve had to use it more often.  So...

1)Does it stick to paint? I know any solvent type glue has to have the joints devoid of coatings in order to bond.

2)Does the “kicker” weaker the bond over just letting it dry naturally?

CA does stick to paint (almost anything really) but the bond will only be as strong as that of the paint. 
 

In my experience the bond is not appreciably weakened by kicker, if at all. I’ve been concerned about this too, so have looked for weakness but not detected any. I use kicker pretty much every time I use CA. 

Edited March 21, 2021 by Bainford

[youpey]

be careful of using super glue near windows. it will fog it. i have also had it fog the paint, but it seems to mostly happen if i use too much glue

[Snake45]

Be careful of the kicker and paint. I think it can remove or at least damage some types. IIRC the kicker isn't good for clear plastic, either. 

I tried the kicker at one point but never use it now. Not worth the trouble/effort. 

[NOBLNG]

The thin stuff sets real quick...too quick sometimes. So it seems best if possible to position the parts and then flow the glue into the joint. However, if the parts have a sloppy fit then medium or thick is needed and that seems to take forever to set up. That is when I like to use the kicker.

Edited March 22, 2021 by NOBLNG

[Steve H]

For me, kicker was a game changer. Joints that are cured instantly make custom work progress much quicker. I agree with Snake that you need to be cautious around paint and clear parts. Typically, I would be doing my CA glue work ahead of painting, although....

 

[peteski]

I have become very happy user of Bob Smith Industries (BSI) line of CA adhesives.  Those are often sold as Hobby Store's own brand glue.

Their odorless CA glue does not fog clear plastic.  I have also read that dipping the clear parts in Future (or whatever the current name for that floor finish is) will inhibit CA fogging.

To me CA glue and accelerator are an inseparable pairing.  I use both all the time.

Each manufacturer of CA produces their own version of accelerator, but each uses a different formula.  Some brands use acetone as the solvent in accelerator, and those will attack paint and plastic.  The BSI accelerator is very mild, and does not attack plastic or paint.  Again, good reason to use BSI brand.  BSI accelerator also works with any brands of CA.  Actually the CA glue itself (especially the thin viscosity glue) can dissolve some paints.  Either way, it is not recommend to use CA over paint.

I never spray the accelerator onto the glue joint area! I apply very small amounts using Microbrush disposable brushes.

I would be lost in my hobbies without CA glue - that's a fact!

[Nacho Z]

47 minutes ago, peteski said:

I have become very happy user of Bob Smith Industries (BSI) line of CA adhesives.  Those are often sold as Hobby Store's own brand glue.

Their odorless CA glue does not fog clear plastic.  I have also read that dipping the clear parts in Future (or whatever the current name for that floor finish is) will inhibit CA fogging.

To me CA glue and accelerator are an inseparable pairing.  I use both all the time.

Each manufacturer of CA produces their own version of accelerator, but each uses a different formula.  Some brands use acetone as the solvent in accelerator, and those will attack paint and plastic.  The BSI accelerator is very mild, and does not attack plastic or paint.  Again, good reason to use BSI brand.  BSI accelerator also works with any brands of CA.  Actually the CA glue itself (especially the thin viscosity glue) can dissolve some paints.  Either way, it is not recommend to use CA over paint.

I never spray the accelerator onto the glue joint area! I apply very small amounts using Microbrush disposable brushes.

I would be lost in my hobbies without CA glue - that's a fact!

Pete has nailed it! BSI user here too. Use the Gold bottle for clear parts and for Photo-etch. I too brush on my accelerator.

Besides using CA glue for holding parts together, I use it for filling gaps, deep scratches and ejector pin marks, besides other things. I make a nice little dome of glue and hit it with accelerator. Leave it sit for just a minute or two and begin sanding it away to level. Best to do this very shortly after using the accelerator. I have read and have experienced, (at least in my mind), that the glue gets much harder after it sits for, say, 24 hours. Just food for thought

 

[peteski]

8 minutes ago, Nacho Z said:

Besides using CA glue for holding parts together, I use it for filling gaps, deep scratches and ejector pin marks, besides other things. I make a nice little dome of glue and hit it with accelerator. Leave it sit for just a minute or two and begin sanding it away to level. Best to do this very shortly after using the accelerator. I have read and have experienced, (at least in my mind), that the glue gets much harder after it sits for, say, 24 hours. Just food for thought

Yes, while CA sets instantly, it takes some time to fully harden.  It is easy to sand within few hours of application, but eventually it gets harder than styrene (basically it becomes as hard as Acrylic), so sanding it surrounded by softer styrene will become difficult.

[Kromolly]

I've heard and read a number of times that cheap super glue is the same as any other super glue.  Based on my experience I don't necessarily believe that.  I grafted a Mercury Cougar roof onto a '73 Mustang to replicate my wife's first car, a Mustang notchback.  The paint was Royally (pun intended) screwed up and I ended up stripping it with oven cleaner.  The oven cleaner attacked the cheap super glue.  Now, given the same conditions, oven cleaner may also have de-bonded the hobby store glue (BSI I think).  However, in the process of doing bodywork the first time around, I can't count how many times the cheap super glue bond broke on the A-pillars and C-pillars/trunk area.  After stripping I re-glued with the hobby store glue and redid all of my bodywork, with lots of sanding and handling.  Nothing broke the entire time.  This makes me think that there is a difference in quality.

[Nacho Z]

A couple of pictures to illustrate the gap filling properties. No shrinking and can be sanded smooth. My example is the gas tank door on the Monogram ‘55 Chevy Street Machine.

 

[Bills72sj]

I too am a fan of BSI CA glue. I use the 5-15 second gel with out an accelerator. It give you time to position parts and has a very good bond. It is very useful for attaching sprue stems to parts to allow holding them with alligator clips for painting. Once the paint cures, the stems can simply be snapped off.

[Rick L]

Another cool use for CA is that it reacts quickly to baking soda as a filler. The first picture shows a super large gap filled with baking soda. A drop of CA is dolloped on the baking soda and “kicks”. The result is an acrylic based filler that will hold and sand well. Shown in second picture.

[Bainford]

I use BSI almost exclusively, also. My brand of kicker is BSI, and I have found absolutely no deleterious effects to paint or clear parts. I apply precisely it with pipette, and have done so a thousand times. Never any damage to paint or glass.

[bobthehobbyguy]

You really don't want to use superglue and baking soda as filler. The baking soda can absorb moisture and expand and grow. Its better to use micro balloons with superglue.

[NOBLNG]

I have recently started using the Bob Smith Industries variety also and really like it. I use mostly the medium thickness and have had great luck with it and kicker. The thin stuff usually winds up on my fingers.? I have some home-made glue loopers that I now have to dip into the bottle of thin stuff when I need to use it. The nozzle is hopelessly plugged solid with dried glue.

[Rick L]

6 hours ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

You really don't want to use superglue and baking soda as filler. The baking soda can absorb moisture and expand and grow. Its better to use micro balloons with superglue.

True, it can be hygroscopic but it’s negligible if painted. Baking soda is something  everyone keeps around the house.

[peteski]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:57 AM, bobthehobbyguy said:

You really don't want to use superglue and baking soda as filler. The baking soda can absorb moisture and expand and grow. Its better to use micro balloons with superglue.

Same here. I would *NEVER* use baking soda and CA.  Not only what Bob mentioned, but the baking soda can cause the super glue to heat up and bubble up uncontrollably. Especially when used with the thin CA glue.  IMO, there really is no reason to do this - accelerators work just fine, and are designed for the job.  Baking soda works well for baking cookies.

Edited March 24, 2021 by peteski

[NOBLNG]

One advantage of CA that just dawned on me now. I was just using Tamiya extra thin to glue some .020”x.100” strips to make shackles and the strip snapped due to being temporarily weakened by the cement. Once dry it may be the strongest joint...but the solvent does weaken the styrene by dissolving the surface of it. I imagine CA would not do this since it is actually more of a mechanical joint?

[Bainford]

2 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

One advantage of CA that just dawned on me now. I was just using Tamiya extra thin to glue some .020”x.100” strips to make shackles and the strip snapped due to being temporarily weakened by the cement. Once dry it may be the strongest joint...but the solvent does weaken the styrene by dissolving the surface of it. I imagine CA would not do this since it is actually more of a mechanical joint?

Yeah, excellent point. I have found that when using Tamiya extra thin on Evergreen .010" or .005" styrene, the glue nearly dissolves small parts. I certainly softens sharp edges and other hard-fought detail. Sparing use of CA can be very helpful in these situations.

[Jon Haigwood]

21 hours ago, Bainford said:

Yeah, excellent point. I have found that when using Tamiya extra thin on Evergreen .010" or .005" styrene, the glue nearly dissolves small parts. I certainly softens sharp edges and other hard-fought detail. Sparing use of CA can be very helpful in these situations.

I use Tamiya extra thin with Evergreen dissolved in it as a filler. You can also dissolve sprue into to match the  color of the models plastic. Called "sprue glue" . I have also seen CA use to  prevent "shadowing" after body trim has been sanded off. 

[Venom]

On 3/22/2021 at 12:05 AM, Bills72sj said:

I too am a fan of BSI CA glue. I use the 5-15 second gel with out an accelerator. It give you time to position parts and has a very good bond. It is very useful for attaching sprue stems to parts to allow holding them with alligator clips for painting. Once the paint cures, the stems can simply be snapped off.

Oh goodness ...those Mustangs look just like candy in a candy store!

[NOBLNG]

One trick I just learned is that CA will not stick to whatever plastic a coffee can lid is made of (polypropylene)? I can use one as a base for glueing parts together with CA.? No worries about glueing them to my cutting matt or the glass or metal plate that I use when gluing parts  with Tamiya cement.??