Superglue - variable quality & what do you use it for?

[gidon]

I know a few of you use superglue for various things so thought I'd ask some advice ...

I've noticed recently that the stuff seems to vary enormously (strength-wise). I thought originally it was just the viscosity that varied but it's appears it's more than that. And looking at the cost variations too I guess there has to be more to it than viscosity.

So what do you lot recommend (brands) for woodwork / and more general use. And what do you use it for? I like using it instead of double sided tape sometimes, and to glue hairline fractures. Plus for round the house stuff and quick assembly of cardboard mock-ups.

I like the thinnest stuff best. Up until now one recommended here but sorry can't remember who by was the thin stuff from Starloc:
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/StarLoc-Five-S ... esstQQtZkm

But I recently added some Bondloc LV to an order which is far cheaper and seems as good - again thin like water and bonds very quickly.

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Peter T]

I have used Permabond 240 in the past, although it doesn't fit your requirements as it's high viscosity and slow cure, although the the cure time can be drastically reduced by using Permabond CSA surface activator.

Because the 240 is thicker it's excellent for wood and other porous materials. If you use it on it's own it takes some minutes to cure so it gives you some assembly time.

If you use it with the activator, it cures almost immediately.

 

[maltrout512]

I use Vital medium, which is what my supplier stocks. It comes in three or four different thickness. The thinner the quicker the cure time. I mainly use it for gluing the brass tubes into pen blanks. Can be very useful when you get a splinter break off and you want it glued quickly back. Other than that I don't use it that much.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I've noticed recently that the stuff seems to vary enormously (strength-wise).

I think there are basically two types. There's the stuff that they sell in all the DIY sheds, which is usually a bit of a disappointment. Then there's the industrial stuff that really sticks. Trouble is I'm not sure how you tell the two apart :?

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Roger]

First Aid definitely . . . :shock: Seals a cut instantly, stays flexible, doesn't sting, waterproof and by the time it works out and off, the cut is healed - worked a treat on quite a deep slice from a Planer blade a few months ago.

Blood everywhere, quick press to stop it momentarily, then cover with the thin stuff. I added a second coat about 3 days later and forgot about it after that until it wore off normally.

Perfect

 

[DaveL]

First Aid definitely . . . :shock: Seals a cut instantly, stays flexible, doesn't sting, waterproof and by the time it works out and off, the cut is healed - worked a treat on quite a deep slice from a Planer blade a few months ago.

I think that was the main use it was developed for?

 

[Roger]

First invented for gun sights apparently, then all the other uses followed - with First Aid in Vietnam the main one people remember

Blow em apart then stick em together I guess :shock:

 

[wizer]

Vietnam springs to mind, I maybe wrong.

TBH I always forget about superglue when I cut myself. Tho I think it would have been useless on my Finger Tearout

 

[Roger]

Lets not go there Wizer - I thought of that photograph as soon as I mentioned it - still gives me a shiver or two :shock: You are back in one 'flexible' piece now I hope?

 

[maltrout512]

It is used in hospitals for various repairs/surgery when clips or stitches are unsuitable.

 

[RodN]

In addition to the above....

I often use it for filling little holes in grain. A tiny drop applied, and then fine sand the wood while the glue is wet. The dust mixes with the glue and produces a result that is exactly the same as the surrounding wood.

I also use it regularly for stabilising burr wood (especially the stuff with little pippy knots) when making pens. The thin CA glue just soaks right in, and it is ready to turn again within a minute.

Rod

 

[CWatters]

A few years ago I used superglue a lot for building radio control planes. Managed to become sensitised to it. Now if I use it for more than just one small job I go down with hayfever like symptoms that last three days.

 

[lugo35]

guy in work got 10 tubes for a £1 from a pound shop!!!!!

not the best but it works

 

[Niki]

I use a lot of it for jig building....on my posts, you can see a lot of "CA"...

One of the uses is to fill screw holes...I'll explain - in many jigs that are made of MDF, Plywood or Melamine, when I use wood screws that I have to open/close many times (or even a few times) the threads can (and are) wearing-out (not of the screw )

In those cases, after I screw the screw at the first time and it makes it's threads, I remove the screw and I fill the hole with CA and let it dry for 20~30 minutes (depends on the viscosity)...the CA penetrates around the hole and makes all the area strong like an iron....I know this "patent" from the times that I was building and repairing (a lot of crashes ) Radio control planes...it turns the Balsa to Oak.

In many cases, I spread CA on the countersink of a screw so the screw head will not get deeper into the MDF, Ply or Melamine (or any other soft wood).

As for Firs-aid, I also use it but, I would like to tell you that I've read a post by a Doctor and he said that, the industrial CA is poisonous...in the Hospitals they are using different kind of CA that is not poisonous

Regards
niki

 

[chunkolini]

Great for gluing knots back in, the looseish ones that can move when poked, as mentioned by Rodn, a drop or two and sand over it a few moments later and bingo an invisible fix, also as RodN says great for tiny cracks.

Never tried it on myself, how do you do this? a smear over a slice of yourself or a drop in the slice? as a metal worker I get lots of minor lacerations. More info on this one please.
Chunko'.

 

[oddsocks]

general answer from me - always pack a tube in hold luggage when going on holiday - amazing how often it's proved invaluable in repairing shoes, straps, sunglasses and for first aid.

For woodwork my uses have been covered in the earlier posts. I have read in a woodturning article that used with tung oil (or similar) it gives a hardwearing pen shine - not tried that yet

Also worth having a bottle of the 'unsticker' handy!

Dave

 

[p111dom]

Just used some in the shop yesterday. Needed a bush extension to follow a curved template with the router. I'm a woodworker, Dad's a metal worker. They use it all the time for temporary stuff like this. Just heat it up when your done and it all comes apart.

 

[CWatters]

Never tried it on myself, how do you do this? a smear over a slice of yourself or a drop in the slice? as a metal worker I get lots of minor lacerations. More info on this one please.
Chunko'.

I fell off a ladder once, landed ok but the ladder fell on me and gashed my leg quite badly. Down the hospital they pulled the gash together with steristrips then applied medical superglue between the strips. Personally I wouldn't want to try it with ordinary superglue. The medical stuff looked slightly different.

 

[gidon]

Great tips chaps! Like the screw thread one - will have to try that.

So guessing from many of the responses that most of you use whatever's to hand - ie don't notice a huge difference between different brands etc?

I'm still unsure how you can get a 2gm tube for 10p or pay £3.50 for a 2gm tube of Loctite. Or 97p for 20gm of the Bondloc stuff I refered to or pay closer to £5 for 20gm of Zap? Is it all a big con? Is it something to do with the distillery (?) - do the Zaps and Loctites cream off the good stuff and what's left goes into pound shop stuff?

Cheers

Gidon

 

[wizer]

I have found the cheap pound shop stuff to be a false economy. I bought a large bottle from Poolewood when they was closing down which will probably last me forever (assuming I don't use it for first aid ).