Questions about using CA Glue

[Brian Brown]

I have a bowl blank cut from mystery wood (I think it is plum) that has some large cracks and a few smaller cracks. I am experimenting with CA glue. The thick gap filling glue dosen't draw into the cracks very well, so I used a little thin glue to "pave the way", and the thick stuff seems to draw in better. Is this a good idea or bad? Am I just diluting the gap filling ability of the thick stuff? Some of the cracks are as wide as 1/16 inch.

I am also trying accelerant for the first time, and am wondering if I should fill the crack with a little glue, spray accelerant, fil more spray more, over and over until the crack is full, or do I fill the crack entirely and spray once? If the accelerant hits only the outer surface of the glue, will the chemical reaction take place only on the surface, or does it go throughout the glue depth?

Is there a respirator that is CA glue safe? The fumes from this stuff are very hazardous.

Last question: how long after spraying the accelerant until I can turn without fear of the glue spinning out all over me?

Sorry for the edit, but one more question. Has any one here successfully colored CA glue, and if so, how do you do it?

Thanks for the help.

[David Wilhelm]

Brian, I use sanding dust and med. ca to fill most of my cracks. Thin bleeds and I'll use it to soak the crack and use a folded paper towel to catch and paint where i want it to go. Then sand, sand and sand. I will rub the medium into the crack and then push the sanding dust into the crack with it and sand over it. I want it to dry slow to give me time to work. A drop or two of thin to top it off and back to sanding. I keep several different colors of sanding dust in little zip lock bags just for filling cracks. Several guys use two part epoxy and tings like instant coffee, tobacco, tea, coffee grounds dried, ground leaves, etc. for filling large cracks. I can't stand breathing it either i turn on a fan and let it blow the fumes away from me.

[George Guadiane]

Brian, I use sanding dust and med. ca to fill most of my cracks. Thin bleeds and I'll use it to soak the crack and use a folded paper towel to catch and paint where i want it to go. Then sand, sand and sand. I will rub the medium into the crack and then push the sanding dust into the crack with it and sand over it. I want it to dry slow to give me time to work. A drop or two of thin to top it off and back to sanding. I keep several different colors of sanding dust in little zip lock bags just for filling cracks. Several guys use two part epoxy and tings like instant coffee, tobacco, tea, coffee grounds dried, ground leaves, etc. for filling large cracks. I can't stand breathing it either i turn on a fan and let it blow the fumes away from me.
I use sanding dust when I want a close match and coffee grounds and tea (fresh and used) to fill with medium CA for making "bark" inclusions.

[Bernie Weishapl]

On the larger cracks a lot of times I use epoxy mixed with sanding dust. I work it into the crack with a dental pick. Works pretty well.

[Tom Keen]

CA is great stuff, But be carefull of the fumes. Last week, I got a snootfull and my lips and nose were irritated and swollen for a couple of days. I always use a DC or exhaust fan, but for whatever reason I got to close.. nasty nasty

When I rough out a bowl, I leave it out in the shop for a couple of days where I can watch it. Then use the thin glue to stop little cracks from turning into big ones. Especially true on the end grain side of a bowl and the bottom where the side meet the tenon.

If you fill a large crack..epoxy is a good choice but if you use CA fill it in a couple of stages.. dont try to pack in dust and dribble in CA. put a little dust in the crack and drop in the CA, repeat, etc etc. I use sanding dust, or coffee grounds.