Would you Use CA or Hide Glue?

[Glenn Samuels]

This is not specifically a Turner's question but I hope you can help. The general forum didn't seem to have an answer. I realize that many turner's use CA glue (which I've never used). I have some african mahogany with small vertical splits or cracks. They are in planed panels so they need to be used. I have also thought about using hide glue to fill in the small cracks.

As a turner, can you tell me if you ever use CA or hide glue? Thank you

[Mel Fulks]

Glenn,sorry you didn't get an answer .I suspect its because its a small problem,a little glue and dust should fix it . African mahogany is not real mahogany and is much worse about moving and getting cracks. That does not mean your project won't turn out well.

[robert baccus]

Thin CA would help stop the cracks. Personally I would try epoxy perhaps thinned slightly with acetone if necessary. It and CA are the only glues I'm aware of that have strength without being clamped and tight joints. Sands better too yeah.

[Glenn Samuels]

I plan on finishing the piece with shellac. Will a thinned epoxy or CA glue be very noticeable or do they blend in?

[Mel Fulks]

I think after you sand it you won't see it.

[Eric Holmquist]

Glenn,

The issue you will face with CA in this application is one that we all face and that is, without care, CA can discolor the wood. Using some shellac first to seal the area around the crack would probably help, then a thin formulation is CA can wick into the cracks. Have some fine sanding dust ready to rub over the crack once the CA starts to wick in can make the surface blend with the surrounding wood.

To see how the discoloration works, try putting a few drops on a piece of scrap

This is something you will need to experiment on with some cutoffs to get a feel for.

[Richard Coers]

CA is not a long term adhesive. High end turners will not use it for a major piece because it will come apart in years to come. A picture would help so we can see how big the cracks and splits are. Do you want the adhesive to add strength, or are you just looking to fill the crack? I've used Titebond before. I draw it all the way through the crack with a shop vac on the back side, then throw a clamp across the piece. If it's a really small check, I mask it off, rub in some Titebond, then pull the tape and hit it with the random orbit sander. The sander will put some fine dust into a little glue on the surface, and fill the check.

[Ryan Baker]

For small cracks, hide glue is not going to get down in there. CA will work, but it likely will discolor the wood unless you are careful. It depends a lot on the size of the cracks, etc. I would also consider using Titebond. You can thin it down a bit and get it to penetrate down into the cracks well. As with the CA, you need to protect the surface first (wax or shellac should do) to keep the glue out of the surface grain. Adding some fine sanding dust will help color it, and you might want to start with the dark color Titebond. That assumes that you need to fill the cracks at all. Depends on the cracks and how the wood will be used. If these are large cracks that need gap filling, then you might need to go for an epoxy filler.