Replies

1. 
   nikkiwood | Apr 29, 2005 03:01am | #1

   I have never used it, but I hear it is great way to get a near instant bond where that is desirable.

   Do you buy it locally or mail order it?

   "I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
   -- Bertrand Russell

1. 
   adastra | Apr 29, 2005 04:19am | #2

   You can usually find it at hobby stores but woodworking specialty businesses always seem to have it.It is great for repairing small splits or chipouts, small fills when used with sawdust (wormholes, etc). No waiting, sets it in seconds and you can move on.Its priced usually like eyedrops, outrageously. Not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things but if I can use mineral spirits or naptha or something then I would just like to do so.

2. 
   highfigh | Apr 29, 2005 05:22am | #3

   I had some two part super glue years ago and the accelerant was trichloroethane. Nasty stuff. Very toxic. Basically, if you can smell it, you're too close. It worked great, but I don't need to be exposed to any more chemicals than I already have been.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
3. 
   Len | Apr 29, 2005 05:46am | #4

   It's used in our modelshops and woodshops. It's a staple.  It's a great way to tack a part down quick.

   You can spray it on one part and then put the glue on the other. Once it touches it. It's stuck. You can also use a slow setting cyanoacrylate then give it a shot of accelerator and fix a part.

   My shop wouldn't be without it.

   Hi, I'm Len and I'm a Toolaholic...
4. 
   jako17 | Apr 29, 2005 05:51am | #5

   Hi there

         I have never tried it but have read somewhere that moisture speeds up the curing.The amount of super glue I use is so small that the cost of accelerator is not an issue. I tend to use it mostly for stabilising loose bark on natural edge turnings

5. 
   KeithNewton | Apr 29, 2005 06:58am | #6

   I use quite a bit of it. It is kind of like carpet tape, you can't imagine how handy it can be until you have it around and start using it for holding jig parts.

   I started using CA on my turnings. It really kicks fast on moist woods, but if you are using CA in dry woods, it can take longer than I care for. So if I am find a check in a part that I didn't see before getting more work than I want to throw away, I may let capillary fill the crack then hit it with a shot of accelerator and a few quick strokes of medium grit sand-paper then another line of CA. Repeat as often and fast as you can work until the crack is filled.
   * Caution, If the crack is open all of the way to the bottom of the board, the CA may be running out down there, so don't get stuck on you work by carelessness.

   I made some dentil last week for a rosewood home entertainment center last week where I ripped a rabbit down a 1 X 2.5" strip which I cut into short pieces that I then glued onto another strip the size of the rabbit of the first part. After sanding the parts individually , I used the medium set with a spacer between parts for alignment. I would then take the next tooth and run a bead on the back side, mash it into place , then lift it away just far enough to give one part a little sprit, then push it back into place and hold it there for about 5 seconds before moving on to the next piece.

   I think I read somewhere that you could use a light dusting of baking soda on one of the parts for the same results. I have not tried it yet, but I will when I get up from the keyboard.

   I decided to go ahead and test before finishing this post. Here is what I did. I shot a little puddle about 1.5" X 2.5" out on a scrap of rosewood, then with a pinch of soda, tried to sprinkle some into half of the puddle. It did kick faster, but was a little lumpy due to poor distribution.
   This led to trying another sample where I placed another pinch on the same scrap and dusted it around with my finger before applying the CA. Once again the part with soda did kick faster than the bare wood, but not as fast as with accelerator.

   I know this was not a very good test, in that I have no idea whether the size of the soda grains would cause the CA have to bridge, thus weakening the joint.
   If someone else knows more about this, you can take it from here. I may be remembering wrong, It may have been baking powder rather than soda.

6. 
   RickL | Apr 29, 2005 02:18pm | #7

   http://handibond.com/

   I buy from these folks. We use a lot more than you would but I pay around $25 a gallon for accellerator and $23 for 16 oz of CA super glue.

7. 
   mikegagne | May 02, 2005 10:22am | #8

   accelerator is for those that cant wait the 20 seconds it takes. some of them give off smoke that is toxic. superglue congregates in testicles so be careful about breathing the stuff. You have two but can get by with one, I know this for a fact.......Aloha, Mike

1. 
   adastra | May 02, 2005 04:51pm | #9

   Mike,Whoa! Do you have some additional information you could post or send? I used to work at a shop where we were spritzing this stuff all the time. If there is a significant health risk I would want to know and also let my old shopmates know.I know there are a lot of risks with woodworking but I believe in taking precautions to minimize risks. I use guards as often as I can, and use a respirator when I spray. Others don't, and they are free to do whatever they want as long as they aren't in my shop.Accelorator is really great stuff but just want a little more info. I don't really use it that often anymore and am working solo so don't have others spritzing around me.Thanks,

1. 
   RickL | May 02, 2005 06:17pm | #10

   Put the burden on your supplier. By law you are supposed to have the MSDS sheet in two locations, in the office and in the shop so anyone can look at the info.

   Basically it's the accelorator that is worse than the CA. Accoriding to the MSDS sheets I get it requires the same respirator usd for spraying lacquers, etc, an organic type, see your safey supplier for compliance.

   Many sites list the MSDS on the site.

   Best prices on CA glue and accelerator is http://www.handibond.com  Good stuff!

    You have to ask for the MSDS sheet with them

   Edited 5/2/2005 1:04 pm ET by rick3ddd

2. 
   mikegagne | May 03, 2005 07:55am | #11

   I had to have a testicle removed and I used Hotshot CA for years. I was diagnosed with testicular cancer but I didnt have cancer they found out. I had an unidentifiable growth on my left testicle that grew so fast and so big that it had to be removed. Afterward I researched what could've caused it and the finding was cyanoacrilate was a possibility as it congregates in that region. Can I prove it? No. Do I still use it? No. Take your own chances and pay your own dues. The smoke given off by the stuff is bad and skin contact isnt all that good either. Aloha, Mike

1. 
   MarkRD | May 04, 2005 01:29am | #12

   TMI - or as my daughter likes to say "too much information":-)Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

1. 
   adastra | May 04, 2005 05:46am | #13

   I don't think its TMI.  We're all grown-ups here I assume and if its a health hazard; even remotely its worth being aware of. 

   This was new news to me and I've been around the stuff a fair amount.  Not enough that I'm super worried but I will think more about ventilation and my respirator if I'm using much of it.  Thinking more of my former shopmates that still are deep in this stuff every day.

   I don't have any kids but there is always the possibility  may wish to have them in the future.  And if this stuff is harmful to "the boys" then I want to know what precautions to take.

   I don't get the impression that you were chiding but I think its something that users should be aware of.  I would rather have too much information than go through what Mike did.

   That being said I research beyond what I hear on the web and plan to look further into this.

   Just my take.

2. 
   mikegagne | May 04, 2005 07:55am | #14

   isocyanates congregate in testicular tissue.....google that or some combination. its a well known industrial issue and the PPG Corporation actually prints it on their MSDS for certain lines of their paints that contain the product. As always, some will heed a warning others will ignore it. Your choice to do as you wish. I would have heeded but did not know. However, this happened 12 years ago and I am fine. As I said, you only need one of those things anyway....... Aloha, Mike

3. 
   adastra | May 04, 2005 03:40pm | #15

   Isocyanates.  Those I am familiar with and didn't make the connection.

   One of my hobbies is an old 60's Volvo and many warnings have come up regarding paint products and isocyanates.  The warnings are strong enough that I won't mess with them.  They usually require supplied air respirators in a full paint booth and make a point to say that a standard respirator really isn't good enough.

   Kind of a bummer, I can handle the spray gun but not the material.

   However the levels from painting a car and spritzing accelerator may be different enough to handle in a shop with precautions.  I'll look into it.

   Thanks for the information.

4. 
   mikegagne | May 05, 2005 08:04am | #16

   CA glue is isocyanate. Be careful....... Aloha, Mike