More questions about using CA

[Isambard]

Now I know about debonder as a means of cautiously removing excess CA from a surface, I have two more questions:
1. How to keep the nozzle from sealing over, despite a firmly fitted cap, necessitating using a needle to unplug?
2. How to debond fingers and thumb stuck together (while attempting to unplug the nozzle)? Ouch that stuff gets hot while its bonding! After 10 minutes of prying I managed to free the bonded digits, now feeling somewhat sensitive. What should I do next time, apart from being more careful? Use debonder? What does that do to the skin?

[Anonymous]

Well, I normally keep a tight cap on my CA bottles and that works just fine.
Debonding fingers is not that hard, just use nail polish remover. Simply soak the "joint" in the stuff, and gently pull 'em apart.

[nfmisso]

Finger nail polisher remover - you need the kind with acetone, the acetone free stuff will not work.

Debonder is just acetone.

Get the fancy Loctite bottles of CA, they do not plug up. Store it in the freezer.

Do not use CA on the outside of your models.

[Isambard]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nfmisso

Finger nail polisher remover - you need the kind with acetone, the acetone free stuff will not work.

Debonder is just acetone.

Get the fancy Loctite bottles of CA, they do not plug up. Store it in the freezer.

Do not use CA on the outside of your models.

Thanks Nigel and Flyingscot. I picked up a pint of Acetone at my local hardware store and will look for Loctite CA.

[AntonioFP45]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nfmisso

Do not use CA on the outside of your models.

That is a BIG 10-4 on that, Nfmisso!

I attempted to use CA to glue "see thru radiator grills" on an Athearn locomotive. Even though I applied masking tape along the outside edges of the glue area, I winded up ruining the model. Painful, expensive lesson!

I should have planned more slowly instead of getting anxious and rushing it! Should have uesd the Ambroid adhesive on the outside and applied a few "tiny drops" of the CA on the "inside".

Wisdom comes with age, expericence, and at times "Big Goof Ups!"

Cheers!

[Big_Boy_4005]

One secret is to not let your fingers get stuck together if you do get glue on them. Keep them moving and just let the glue dry. I never use acetone. As for reopening the bottle, using a pin is no big deal. Having the glue self seal is kind of nice, and keeps it from drying out. However it does not have an infinate shelf life, no matter what you do. The freezer helps.

[Isambard]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

One secret is to not let your fingers get stuck together if you do get glue on them. Keep them moving and just let the glue dry. I never use acetone. As for reopening the bottle, using a pin is no big deal. Having the glue self seal is kind of nice, and keeps it from drying out. However it does not have an infinate shelf life, no matter what you do. The freezer helps.

I really like that secret and will try to do so in future, even though I'm a slow learner. However, CA has an amazing capacity to wick very quickly between surfaces and cure almost instantly and when those surfaces are bunched fingers holding onto the small bottle - zap, faster than a speeding bullet, your bonded! From now on it's slowly, slowly, carefully, carefully, small drops only and keep those fingers away from fresh CA!

[Big_Boy_4005]

That trick works best with the thicker grades of CA, but it should still work with the thin stuff. If you get the thin stuff on you, you'll need to be a little quicker opening up your hand, and you will feel the heat as it reacts with the skin. Once it dries, it will leave a crust. Then you have options on how to deal with it. You can go to the acetone, or pick it off, in which case a little skin may come with it. You can let it wear off, or you could use some very fine sandpaper.

Of course the best solution is don't get it on yourself in the first place. Maybe the best way to do that is to have a small puddle of glue on a scrap of plastic and use a pin or other small piece of metal as a applicator.

One last thing, and this is most important. KEEP ALL CA, AND YOUR WORK, AWAY FROM YOUR NOSE AND EYES. THE FUMES RELEASED IN THE BONDING REACTION ARE EXTREMELY IRRITATING!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Lots of good advice in this thread. I might add, you'd be very wise to wear either safety glasses, or minmally even reading glasses to protect you eyes. You don't want that stuff splashing into your eyes, as you already know it bonds skin instantly (which is really exactly what is was designed to do.) How would you debond your eyelids? Certainly not with acetone, eh? CA is said to have been first developed as a glue to "stitch" wounds closed on the battlefields (during early Vietnam fighting, I believe), hence, the instant bonding of skin. They also still use it in hospital operating rooms at times for that same purpose. There can be some side effects when using it to close wounds, but they are usually minor - things like temporary headache or nausea. Great stuff but treat it with respect. Take care!

Greg

[Anonymous]

One other characteristic of CA worth mentioning: It doesn't bond when pooled. You can have a big glob of the stuff and it will take a while to dry. The second it is spread thin: instant bond. I have never had any problems glueing my fingers together because the the glue takes a second or two to bond to skin and you can pull them apart before it sets. Just don't touch anything else while it is setting on your skin. In addition to modeling, I use this stuff all the time to repair broken fingernails (classical guitarist by trade) and while it can be unpleasant, if one uses common sense it is very safe to use.

Guy

[Anonymous]

To keep the tip of the bottle from sealing I use a pin and put it in the top of the tip,after I am through using the glue. As for "finger bonding", I wear disposable latex surgical gloves,when applying the glue to parts of a model. Come to think of it,there was a pair of latex surgical gloves in the ink refill package that I bought,so you wouldn't get the ink on your fingers.You can buy a box of these gloves at almost any janitorial,or wholesale store. Hope this helps you out.