CA Accelerant

[Sappheiros]

I'll keep the question short: Yes or no?

I've heard some say it weakens the bond (when gluing blanks). I've heard it can fog up the CA coats. When should you use it and when should you not? I know some will say never to use it.

 

[mecompco]

I only use it when filling a void or crack. When finishing, no way. Just MHO, YMMV.

Regards,
Michael

 

[magpens]

I find it indispensible. Learning to use it properly took me a while. . What does "properly" mean ? . I still don't know, but "proper" use seems to develop somehow with practice and experience. . Keep trying and you will get there.

When doing a CA finish, I don't seem to have a problem with fogging as long as I keep the coats thin. . In the beginning there was some fogging even without using accelerant. . For some reason, my technique (or whatever) has improved, I guess, but I can't put it down to anything in particular that I am doing or not doing. . Or course, you must avoid any trace of moisture and work in a low-humidity environment if possible.

I rely on a light spray of accelerant between coats when finishing with CA. I apply the CA with a piece of blue shop towel.

 

[Sappheiros]

Or course, you must avoid any trace of moisture and work in a low-humidity environment if possible.

That seems to be quite difficult turning in the summer, in the garage, with the doors both open for any hope of a breeze. The summer seems to be simmering down a bit, so I'm glad the weather is taking a turn for the better. I guess there's a reason I was born in the fall!

 

[TellicoTurning]

I don't do much in the way of CA finish now as I've pretty much stopped making pens, but back when... I used the accelerator on the first coat, which was usually the water thin, then switched to medium and applied on the lathe with it running at low speed with a little square of the plastic foam that electronics usually comes wrapped in... it doesn't absorb the CA like a paper towel does, so a single drop went a long way. CA drys pretty fast in thin coats and I could usually get 8 to 10 coats of medium on a pen in about 10 minutes. I some times used accelerator about every 3rd coat... after the final coat, I always wet sanded through about 1200 grit (I liked the little foam sanding pads sold by CSUSA or PSI) and then finished off with a plastic polish. I used the HUT plastic polish because that was what I had, but I read somewhere on the forum that McGuire's auto polish was better ???

If I go back to making pens, probably will have to learn all over how to apply the CA finish... it's been a couple of years now since I did any.

 

[Super Dave]

I will say it depends. When I use CA glue I use a aresol accelerator, I think it works much better then the pump spray. It gets very humid here in the summer and I don't have any issues with clouding or foaming.

Dave

 

[robertkulp]

A good activator (not made with Acetone) that is used judiciously is crucial when applying a CA finish. There are alternatives such as BLO, but a good quality activator will not harm or weaken either the glue bond for gluing tubes or cause any harm to a CA finish.

Actually, any CA with a longer open time, such as the new Flex CA from Mercury Adhesives, is designed to work with their activator.

Certainly, anything can be screwed up (globbing on too much CA or activator per coat, for example), but when applied properly, the activator is an integral part of the finishing process when using CA.

 

[vtgaryw]

If I have a pen with a grain that needs to be filled, I use a coat of BLO, a few coats of thin CA, then accelerator. I may repeat for a really open grain wood.

I almost never use CA as a final coat, I finish with PensPlus more often than not. I've never had a fogging issue with aerosol accelerator.

-gary

 

[Edgar]

I sometimes use it when filling cracks or voids, especially when it's rather deep and needs several layers of filler & CA. I don't use it when finishing or gluing tubes - not that I have anything against it, I just don't see a need for it -- but that largely depends on technique.