Has Super Glue changed?
- Thread starter bobsdad
- Start date
venomballistics
Member
yeah .. its yet another product that went from hero to zero.
you can still get the good stuff from any RC airplane shop, but that stuff in most mainstream stores sold its soul many years ago
you can still get the good stuff from any RC airplane shop, but that stuff in most mainstream stores sold its soul many years ago
Hobie1
Member
Yep, I built many airplanes using the stuff. There are different viscocities for different applications and you can buy an accelerant to speed up the cure on the thicker stuff. You can also use baking soda as a filler.
As for plastics, you need a glue that contains a plastic solvent that actually lightly melts the two parts together for the best weld.
And boy did I spend a lot of time buidling plastic planes with that Testors stuff. Don't remember much though.........
Hobie
venomballistics
Member
Same here ... I retired a few planes that evolved from Balsa into 5 min epoxy / CA structures. these things gradually get too heavy to fly right after they exceed a certain balsa to glue ratio.Yep, I built many airplanes using the stuff. There are different viscocities for different applications and you can buy an accelerant to speed up the cure on the thicker stuff. You can also use baking soda as a filler.
As for plastics, you need a glue that contains a plastic solvent that actually lightly melts the two parts together for the best weld.
And boy did I spend a lot of time buidling plastic planes with that Testors stuff. Don't remember much though.........
Hobie
I recall using some testors "glue" on a few plastic models that was entirely solvent, making the plastic itself into the adhesive resin. it worked fairly well as long as you maintained judicious usage to avoid excessive dimensional changes to the pieces.
ChuckS1
US Veteran
An Army doctor used it or something like it on my son's hand instead on stitching up a nasty cut he had. Told my 11 year old it was the same stuff he used on wounded soldiers in Afghanistan...
Last edited:
cmore
Member
try using something porous between plastic to plastic.
a piece of paper towel, or kleenex will greatly strengthen
the bond.
I have found that Gorilla Glue brand of s/g works great for
just about anything(even plastic). It is also reusable.
I have been using the same small tube for several months now,
with the cap on and off 6 or 7 times.
a piece of paper towel, or kleenex will greatly strengthen
the bond.
I have found that Gorilla Glue brand of s/g works great for
just about anything(even plastic). It is also reusable.
I have been using the same small tube for several months now,
with the cap on and off 6 or 7 times.
cass
Member
I remember when super glue was as useful as duct tape and bailing wire. I suspect the reason: The EPA required some/most industries to go to a water base solvent from the good chemical solvents. That changed a lot of things, especially primes and paints. Again out government looking out for our interests. Only my opinion.
RightArm
Member
Crazy glue gel works really well on metal to metal. I use it for some art/ jewelry applications where I would solder if I had a shop to use acyteline torch. It holds even when abused, like be dropping on concrete. It doesn't seem to work on anything else though. It will still glue your fingers together, or to metal. The wife just laughs. No help from her.
Super Glue on plastics,,works on some,,not on others. Depends on the composition of the plastic. Not so much the superglue itself.
Any of the softer, pliable plastic materials,,it usually won't hold.
The older, harder plastics,,the type that will crack and break,,it usually will do a great job on. It will melt the surface on these and bond them together.
If you have extra glue on your fingers, you'll leave raised glue finger prints on the plastic if you're careless. If you're real careless you'll leave some skin on the plastic along with the fingerprint.
I've been told a form of the glue was developed for medical use in closing wounds and incisions. It does do a good job of it, but I don't know if it was ever actually AMA type approved and all that.Maybe dis-approved..
It's been used to lift finger prints off of items than normally cannot be dusted for prints. 'Fuming' with the glue in a closed system will reveal prints many times that can be saved.
Probably better , more 21st century methods around now though!
I use it a lot for minor repairs. It wicks into hairline cracks in wood like penetrating oil so it's great for those repairs.
It lacks shear strength though, so that has to be taken into account when doing the repair.
It does a nice job of gluing leather, cloth and rubber.
Especially handy to tack set the edges of leather covering on recoil pads. Instant set and no bleed through.
I did have one instance of 'there should be some more in this tube',,when all the time it was squeezing out into my hand.
Took a long very painful time to undo that clenched hand and the little white tube glued into it.
Any of the softer, pliable plastic materials,,it usually won't hold.
The older, harder plastics,,the type that will crack and break,,it usually will do a great job on. It will melt the surface on these and bond them together.
If you have extra glue on your fingers, you'll leave raised glue finger prints on the plastic if you're careless. If you're real careless you'll leave some skin on the plastic along with the fingerprint.
I've been told a form of the glue was developed for medical use in closing wounds and incisions. It does do a good job of it, but I don't know if it was ever actually AMA type approved and all that.Maybe dis-approved..
It's been used to lift finger prints off of items than normally cannot be dusted for prints. 'Fuming' with the glue in a closed system will reveal prints many times that can be saved.
Probably better , more 21st century methods around now though!
I use it a lot for minor repairs. It wicks into hairline cracks in wood like penetrating oil so it's great for those repairs.
It lacks shear strength though, so that has to be taken into account when doing the repair.
It does a nice job of gluing leather, cloth and rubber.
Especially handy to tack set the edges of leather covering on recoil pads. Instant set and no bleed through.
I did have one instance of 'there should be some more in this tube',,when all the time it was squeezing out into my hand.
Took a long very painful time to undo that clenched hand and the little white tube glued into it.
jlrhiner
US Veteran
Superglue was what they used on my knees to close the cuts. Worked great.
mtheo
Member
I use the standard off the shelf superglue/crazyglue for instant bond and for things I only want to temporarily bond and knock apart later. Like spacers for vise jaws.
For things I want to permanently bond I use Loctite 380 (BlackMax) or Loctite 4203. I order these from McMaster Carr.
It is best to pre-clean the surfaces with isopropyl alcohol. The type from the drugstore is fine. Acetone and methanol alcohol leave a residue that interferes with bonding.
I have recently been using Gorilla brand Super glue and I am quite impressed. It is somewhat distressing they only fill the bottle half full.
Keep the bottles and tubes stored tip up. let the glue drain out of the applicator tip and thoroughly wipe the remaining glue from the tip before replacing the cap. You should have no trouble next time you want to use it. If the cap should become "spoiled" I cap the applicator tip with an aluminum pushpin. Store the glue away from moisture.
Keep a bottle of acetone around while you are using it. Once upon a time I was superglueing thin steel wear strips onto a plate disc grinder by applying the glue to the strips and then pressing them onto the cast steel tool mount and waiting till the glue set. Unbeknownst to me some of the glue seeped from under the strips and seriously glued my thumb to the machine. I had to drag a 375 pound machine across the shop floor to a paint cabinet to obtain acetone for my escape.
Since that incident I have always thought superglue could be used as improvised handcuffs!
For things I want to permanently bond I use Loctite 380 (BlackMax) or Loctite 4203. I order these from McMaster Carr.
It is best to pre-clean the surfaces with isopropyl alcohol. The type from the drugstore is fine. Acetone and methanol alcohol leave a residue that interferes with bonding.
I have recently been using Gorilla brand Super glue and I am quite impressed. It is somewhat distressing they only fill the bottle half full.
Keep the bottles and tubes stored tip up. let the glue drain out of the applicator tip and thoroughly wipe the remaining glue from the tip before replacing the cap. You should have no trouble next time you want to use it. If the cap should become "spoiled" I cap the applicator tip with an aluminum pushpin. Store the glue away from moisture.
Keep a bottle of acetone around while you are using it. Once upon a time I was superglueing thin steel wear strips onto a plate disc grinder by applying the glue to the strips and then pressing them onto the cast steel tool mount and waiting till the glue set. Unbeknownst to me some of the glue seeped from under the strips and seriously glued my thumb to the machine. I had to drag a 375 pound machine across the shop floor to a paint cabinet to obtain acetone for my escape.
Since that incident I have always thought superglue could be used as improvised handcuffs!
if you want something that blows "super glues" away then try the 2 part Ethyl cyanoacrylate's, great for plastics, metal, ceramic, rubber, etc
you use the glue on one surface and an activator on the other and it bonds within seconds, a very strong bond at that, you can find these online or at some local woodworking stores
examples...
titebond instant bond
fastcap 2p-10
you use the glue on one surface and an activator on the other and it bonds within seconds, a very strong bond at that, you can find these online or at some local woodworking stores
examples...
titebond instant bond
fastcap 2p-10
phs3194
Member
I used to buy super glue for use in the Emergency Department. Then we were told the government didn't list that as an approved use. Now instead of spending $1.25 for a tube and not charging the patient we have to buy an FDA approved item at $25 - $30 a tube. Same result but higher bill for the patient.
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