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CA brands

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  • Member since
    February 2017
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
  • 660 posts
CA brands
Posted by hbgatsf on Thursday, January 20, 2022 8:16 AM

The insructions for a kit that I recently purchased suggested using Super Jet CA.  I had never heard of it so I looked it up.  It claims to offer superior bonds that resist vibration.

Has anyone noticed a difference between CA brands?  I always thought they were generic once you went beyond viscosity (gel vs regular.)

Rick  

Edit:  Sorry for the double post.  I didn't mean to put this in both forums.  I can't figure out how to delete one of them.

Rick

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 2,572 posts
Posted by John-NYBW on Thursday, January 20, 2022 8:29 AM

I was in Walmart last week and saw Loctite offers an extra strength CA glue so apparently all are not equal. 

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Thursday, January 20, 2022 11:50 AM

I have noticed -- in an unscientific way, so this is andecdotal -- that different brands seem to have different shelf lives after opening, which is why I like the Zap line of CAs  I have also read that using an accelerator makes for a somewhat weaker join than you would otherwise have with the same glue and surfaces but allowed for longer cure time.

It also appears that there are more "types" of CA than just levels of viscosity, if this seemingly good website is an indication.

The Most Common Questions and Answers about Cyanoacrylate Adhesives (gluegun.com)

https://www.gluegun.com/blogs/news/most-common-questions-answers-cyanoacrylate-adhesives

And I now see that Zap does offer a thicker viscosity than Zap a Gap, and also has a rubber toughened CA, which is said to be strong and flexible.  I do note that some older CA work I did on kits has become brittle with age and perhaps the rubber toughened is the way to go. But I do not know anybody who has tried the stuff

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Friday, January 21, 2022 11:21 AM

Hello All,

I use the "Original Super Glue" brand. 

This is available in "Liquid" (original formula) and "Gel".

I found both at Amazon

These come in 12-packs of regular-size tubes.

I keep the unopened tubes in the freezer. I was told years ago that keeping the unopened tubes in the freezer will prolong the life of the product. I don't know if it's true but it works for me.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    November 2013
  • 2,775 posts
Posted by snjroy on Sunday, January 23, 2022 12:34 PM

I've been using the dollar store CA for 20 years. It's probably lower quality, but it does the job. They sell it in small packs of four, dirt cheap. I don't really use the original cap. I enlarge the hole by cutting off part of it, using an Xacto knife, and I use a thumb tack as a plug. At some point, the thumb tack will get covered to a point where I cannot re-insert it in the hole. I just use an Xacto knife to remove the excess glue off the thumb tack. Sharpenning the Xacto blade only takes me a few seconds...  With this technique, a single bottle can last about 2 months. So 2 dollars worth of the stuff lasts about 8 months. Not bad, right?

Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to use the kitchen for hobbying purposes. I can only borrow a knife from the Chef from time to time Smile.

Simon

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