Does polyurethane inactivate CA glue?

[Cowboy]

I completed my first batch of vacuum stabilized redwood using polyurethane. I let the blanks sit for two days and tonight I redrilled them and attempted to CA glue the tubes into the blanks. I took the blanks over to the drill press to true up the ends and the barrel cutter loosened the tubes! For a sanity check, I drilled and glued a set of tubes in some snakewood and they drilled fine. Does the poly do something to prevent the CA glue from curing? If I let them sit overnight will they cure?

Thanks!

Chris

 

[dubdrvrkev]

Sounds like the poly was not all the way cured. I normally let them sit about 2 weeks after I stabilize. Overkill maybe, but thats what works for me.

 

[JimQ]

I was told to let a stabilized wood blank sit for a day after drilling before gluing, as the center could still be slightly uncured.

JimQ

 

[Cowboy]

Jim/ Kevin:

I will see if they are cured tonight, probably should have let them sit longer. I wonder how polyurthane glue would work?

Chris

 

[jdavis]

let them sit and dry for several days

 

[leehljp]

I haven't had that much experience as some of you have had with pen blanks and poly, but I have had considerable experience with poly in woodworking and finishing. In a dense concentration as in stabilizing / saturating wood like you do a pen blank, even real thinned poly won't "cure" in 24 to 48 hours. Several days would be my recommendation too.

This is where planning come in - if a person wants to do a bunch of pens next week, prepare the blanks this week or last week.

 

[Cowboy]

I checked the blanks at lunch today and the CA glue cured. I was able to trim the ends without issue. I will let the next batch sit for a few days before glueing. Hopefully I will post a completed pen tonight.

Chris