Superglue

[Mikegtr]

Not all Superglue's do the job you want it to.What Superglue have you used to glue wood to wood. For example to glue small pieces in guitar making--inlays?

I have used Superglues of different makes--all kept at room temperature--some will harden in the bottle--some won't. Any tips to make a hardened Superglue 'runny' again?

What in your opinion is the best Superglue to buy?

 

[mikej460]

Do you use spray activator when using the superglue? If not it will significantly improve the bond

 

[sometimewoodworker]

I have used Superglues of different makes--all kept at room temperature--some will harden in the bottle--some won't. Any tips to make a hardened Superglue 'runny' again?

Once hardened it is impossible to make it runny and use it as a glue.

If you want to keep a superglue runny keep it dry and in the fridge (minimum) or freezer. I have a couple of tubes that are perfectly useable in the freezer that must be a few years old since they were opened. I use them directly from the freezer and they work as well now as ever.

The ideal use for superglue in woodwork is as a clamp while the other glue cures. Superglue is brittle so won’t hold long term in quite a lot of situations

 

[mikej460]

[QUOTE="sometimewoodworker, post: 1512421, member: 5433"

The ideal use for superglue in woodwork is as a clamp while the other glue cures. Superglue is brittle so won’t hold long term in quite a lot of situations
[/QUOTE]
Also very useful to hold a piece in position if you wish to screw or nail it in - especially good when using nail guns which can cause the piece to slip off mark.

 

[Ttrees]

I have trouble believing it's not good for long term applications, as many folks selling
tonewood/zoot back and sides of acoustic guitars do this for cracks, not to mention inlays.

 

[Andy]

I personally wouldn't use superglue for wood to wood - I do guitar inlays etc with evostik. I find it much easier to use than superglue.

 

[clogs]

cant seem to use the runny s/glue....except for getting my fingers stuck together.....
prefer the gell type if I can get it...
as said before, best stored in the fridge.....

question, aren't some super gues activated by water well damp....??

 

[profchris]

In my own instrument building, superglue is only used for non-structural work. Binding, inlays, finish drop fills, those kinds of things.

Cracks in tops, backs and sides get hot hide glue, which also helps produce the least visible repair. Superglue residue really stands out under finish, plus it can stain softwood like spruce a nasty greenish yellow!

So far as my fairly extensive reading goes, the most respected repairers take that approach.

However ...

On a cheap instrument, a proper repair might cost more than the instrument is worth. In that case, a careful squirt of superglue could give it a few more years of life.

I could see superglue as an option on, say, a tiny jewellery box which is impossible to clamp while glue dries (though there I'd use hot hide glue and just hold it in place for a couple of minutes). Superglue joints are brittle, but tiny boxes don't usually get very stressed.

 

[TheTiddles]

“Superglue” is a bit of a catch all term for literally a few thousand different recipes of cyanoacrylate adhesive. They can be tweaked to stick a huge variety of things together in very challenging conditions.

I’m not aware of many types specifically made for wood, there are better options in many cases. But for quick jigs and mitres before you cut the key in etc they are great.

Always keep it in the fridge if you want it to last longer, if the top doesn’t seal it’ll cure quite quickly in the bottle.

A good cyano adhesive joint is hugely strong and you may have to cut the parent material away from the joint as there’s no tearing it open or smashing it apart with a hammer. Recovering some PCBs once required a CNC programme on a mill to cut the housing away as the bond was that tough.

 

[baldkev]

I use mitre mate a lot on site, to fix mitres on kitchens, skirtings etc. I often use a smear of a second adhesive ( often d4 woodglue ) if theres room.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Also very useful to hold a piece in position if you wish to screw or nail it in - especially good when using nail guns which can cause the piece to slip off mark.

that is the clamping function I mentioned

 

[sometimewoodworker]

I have trouble believing it's not good for long term applications

The problem is that while it is very good it’s also extremely brittle so if it’s used in any joint where movement will occur the glue will always fracture, so from experience in any woodworking I do it is useless long term as all my joints will move enough. While PVA has a little elasticity so never breaks. Wood has the rigidity to stress the joint while it will always move. Skin & tissue does not have the rigidity to stress the glue sufficiently to break the bond.

SuperGlue is only as widely used often in inappropriate joints because of the name, had it been known as Cyanoacrylate glue it would never have sold as well and would be used much more appropriately.

Cyanoacrylates are superb for some applications and terrible in others just like all the other glues. Unfortunately because of the name it’s assumed that Cyanoacrylate is good everywhere for anything to anything

not to mention inlays.

does a correctly constructed inlay require a strong bond?

also Superglue holds well in the short term and isn’t that what is needed ?

 

[sometimewoodworker]

question, aren't some super gues activated by water well damp

AFIK they all are

 

[Ttrees]

does a correctly constructed inlay require a strong bond?

also Superglue holds well in the short term and isn’t that what is needed ?

I can't say I've never heard of guitars with split sides or backs from being dropped or whatever, so guessing there are some forces/stresses at play, which leads me to believe it's not just a temporary adhesive in that regard, as I doubt Robbie OBrien (luthier tips du jour)
and many others would use it, when HHG is already in their workshops.

I should have been more specific about the term inlay and said bindings and purflings,
around the edges of the guitar body, which do most definitely require a strong bond.
Not saying it might be a preferred method by all, but is used with success.
Plenty of articles of this if you use the keyword.. drop filling.

Tom

 

[stuart little]

“Superglue” is a bit of a catch all term for literally a few thousand different recipes of cyanoacrylate adhesive. They can be tweaked to stick a huge variety of things together in very challenging conditions.

I’m not aware of many types specifically made for wood, there are better options in many cases. But for quick jigs and mitres before you cut the key in etc they are great.

Always keep it in the fridge if you want it to last longer, if the top doesn’t seal it’ll cure quite quickly in the bottle.

A good cyano adhesive joint is hugely strong and you may have to cut the parent material away from the joint as there’s no tearing it open or smashing it apart with a hammer. Recovering some PCBs once required a CNC programme on a mill to cut the housing away as the bond was that tough.

Titebond do a CA for wood. I have an allergy to CA, so have to use 'odorless'.

 

[Andy]

I used to use cyanoacrylate in my early days of guitar building when I would use it to fix celluloid bindings, but found it a pain to use. These days I make my own wood bindings and purflings and always use pva which creates a rock solid bond and is easy to use.

 

[bourbon]

Powerbond superglue for me although I find I'm using it less nowadays

 

[Nelly111s]

For anyone wanting a bit more info Click here

 

[Limey Lurker]

>Do you use spray activator when using the superglue? If not it will significantly improve the bond



Do you mean that NOT using activator will significantly improve the bond?

 

[Terrytpot]

>Do you use spray activator when using the superglue? If not it will significantly improve the bond
Do you mean that NOT using activator will significantly improve the bond?

I took his meaning to be “if you don’t use spray activator, I think you’ll find using it WILL significantly etc”
Funny how the English language can be interpreted in so many ways…