A Question About CA Glue

[Steve Arnold]

I'm still very new to all of this, so bear with me. I understand that CA glue is needed on some projects here, but I know that I've had pretty bad luck with Crazy Glue and Super Glue drying up in the past. When I buy the small tubes and bottles of it for household projects, I can only use it once or twice before it becomes plugged and I have to throw it away.

How the heck do you guys preserve your larger bottles of CA glue so that you're not constantly buying new bottles of the stuff??

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[Michael Mason]

Keep them in the fridge. Some people also recommend to pour the large bottle into the small bottles and fill them pretty full to keep the air out. Starbond is the cheapest source I know of, you have to call them and they will email you a price sheet.

[allen thunem]

i keep mine in the freezer.
if you buy from starbond you can buy extra bottles and tops
when the tips become clogged change them out with new ones and let the clogged tips soak in acetone.
the key is to keep the tips clean.

[Scott DelPorte]

They make these plastic applicator tips that have a very small diameter pipe to help you pinpoint where you apply the glue. They slip on the end of the glue bottle and have the added benefit of keeping the glue from drying out because its difficult to diffuse air the length of the small diameter tube. I "seal" the end of the small applicator with a piece of masking tape between uses.

I use them all the time, and occasionally the very end of the tube will plug with dried glue, but I just snip the very tip off and I'm back in business. I mostly use CA for little repairs or for quickly making jigs, and keep a couple different thicknesses on hand at all times. A 1 oz bottle seems to last about a year without having to throw any out because of drying.

[Robert Henrickson]

I no longer use CA -- I hate the fumes, and they don't like me. I never used it much.

While I did use it, I found the easiest way to avoid the small bottle plugging up was simply to leave the cap off. It would remain unblocked and usable for months in my basement shop. Given my limited use, it would sit uncapped for months yet flow (both thin and medium thickness). "No muss, no fuss"

[Rick Gibson]

I get mine in 8 oz. bottles and keep in fridge until I open it. I let it warm to room temperature before opening and after opening I decant into 2 oz. bottles with new unopened tips and store on a shelf in the shop. Once opened do not put it back in the fridge you will get moisture form in the bottle and it will solidify. My shop is in the basement and I just keep the small opened bottles on a shelf and it keeps for months. I use mine as a finish on pens and other small turnings so a 2 oz bottle will last me 3 or 4 months with not problems. I don't even bother putting the caps back on the tips any more.

[Steve Arnold]

Hey Guys, thanks so much for all the responses to my question. Now I have a much better idea on how to use and store CA glue.

Steve

[Jeff Walters]

I use a lot of medium CA when making pens. I have been wanting to try Starbond and notice that they have medium-high and medium-thick. Can anyone recommend which one is the best for glueing pen blanks and using as a CA finish?

Jeff

[Jeff Walters]

Sorry. I am not sure why auto check put in medium- high. It should be medium-thin.

[Marty Tippin]

StarBond is widely available on eBay and via Amazon, Vince's Wood-n-Wonders, Peachtree, etc. - I've not tried to order direct from the manufacturer, but I can't imagine they'd be cheaper than their retailers.

For gluing pen tubes into blanks, I use 5-minute epoxy; CA glue is too difficult to work with. If you're set on using CA, get the thickest you can find, as it will have the longest working time.

For finishing pens, I use thin CA, applied in many layers. Medium or thick CA tends to go on unevenly and leaves you with a lot of work to sand it back down to a smooth finish.

As for storage, I've been buying it in 2 oz bottles and don't have any problems with it going bad before I can use it all. Not convinced putting it in the freezer does anything useful; CA glue is activated by moisture, so keep the lid tightly sealed and you shouldn't have too much trouble.

[John K Jordan]

I put the cap on medium and thick and put the bottle on a shelf in a shop fridge. The glue has never set up. The bottles deteriorates first. I kept one bottle for over 6 years like that until it was almost gone and the bottle gave up before the rest of the glue.

To keep the tip from clogging I clear it before putting it away. If it does clog, I run a fine drill bit or wire through it.

I keep the extremely fine slip-on tip on the bottle for the thinnest CA and leave it sit it the shop at room temperature. It doesn't set up. If the tip does clog I run a fine wire through it and if that doesn't work, I throw it away and put on another one. They are very cheap.

JKJ

[Tim Browne]

To prevent clogging, keep the cap off for 30 seconds to a minute or so. You can see the glue drain back into the bottle out of the tip (hint: watch the tip, not the bottle). I've done this on both my thick and medium glues with no clogging for over a year.

[William C Rogers]

I use Stickfast. I have never had a problem with it. Put bottle in a jar with a lid. You can then leave it out or put it back in the fridge. You want to keep moisture out as this is what makes it go bad. I have had it stay fresh well over a year.

[Steve Arnold]

To prevent clogging, keep the cap off for 30 seconds to a minute or so. You can see the glue drain back into the bottle out of the tip (hint: watch the tip, not the bottle). I've done this on both my thick and medium glues with no clogging for over a year.

Thanks, this makes a lot of sense to me. It's the same principle as kids placing their thumbs over the top of a straw to prevent the milk from draining back into the glass.

[John K Jordan]

You can see the glue drain back into the bottle out of the tip

Good method. When impatient, I squeeze the bottle quickly a couple of times and let the air inside blow out the last drop. Blows it somewhere in the shop but hey, it's a shop. I suspect one shouldn't be looking down the barrel for this method.

The gravity draining doesn't work too well on the tiny add-on tips since the capillary effect keeps even the thinnest the glue in the tube until it hardens. For that, blowing it out generally works the first few times. After that, it will get harder to clear so I run a fine wire through it or just toss it and put on a new one.

What's interesting to me is how many different methods seem to work so well. Can't help wondering what the conditions are that cause others clogging and glue setting up in the bottle.

BTW, I use StickFast, HotStuff, E-Z Bond and a few others I can't remember the names right now. HotStuff is one of the better brands for general use, IMO.

JKJ