CA Hardening

[wolftat]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, but can anyone tell me what would cause a half full 8oz. bottle of medium CA to harden? This has never happened to me before and it is sitting with several other bottles of CA and they are all fine. I am just looking to keep it from happening to all the bottles if I am doing something wrong.

 

[shull]

Any kind of contamination, especially water vapor will catalize the CA. Make sure you do not leave it open in high humidity and try not to touch the tip when using the bottle. One other thing is that CA will also get too old.

 

[leehljp]

Aging, evaporation and heat. My Medium usually hardens within a month's time after having it on hand for about a year. It is good up until then.

 

[kirkfranks]

Holding the CA bottle in one hand while spraying the accelerator with the other hand. Or having it anywhere close for that matter.

Also letting the tip of the bottle touch the wood and the previously applied accelerator is not all evaporated yet.

One of those is how I figured it happened to someone I know.:wink:

 

[scroller99]

I went down to the shop the other to find all my ca had dried, I am blaming on the heat myself it was awfully hot here over the summer and I think it just baked in the bottles. Next year I will put them in my little fridge in the shop and see if it works any better? Howard

 

[Chasper]

Age, heat and humidity are some likely suspects.
I just threw away a half bottle of medium CA that had hardened. I rarely use medium, but I go through a lot of think and thick. I had open bottles of all three out in my hot shop all summer. The thin and thick were emptied and refilled 3-4 times and they have been fine (I keep the big refill bottles inside in the A/C) but the medium sat there all summer and hardened.

 

[wolftat]

I think it was the a combination of heat and humidity. being on the shore does have its disadvantages. I just thought it strange that it was only the medium CA that hardened, but I think I am up with the others that use more thick and thin CA. Thanks for the help.

 

[Hosspen]

I guess they're saying CA glue is kind of like a good spouse; they will "stay with you through Thick and Thin" Is that funny or What? Just keep them cool and protect them from harsh environments and don't mix with "accelerants" and they'll last a long time (if you're lucky).

 

[VisExp]

Hoss, do you mean there's no happy medium? :biggrin:

 

[Rudy Vey]

Never had CA hardened completely on me, but I have had several mediums going to thick. And just this week I tossed a half full bottle of thin that became a medium CA. A few days before it was fine, and bang its thick. Bottle was closed and stored in my basement shop. I believe that age is the main factor, secondly storage conditions.

 

[ldb2000]

It's funny but the only CA that has ever gone bad on me has been the medium , lost a couple of bottles that way. It looks like I'm not alone , I wonder if there's something about the medium that causes it to go bad more often then the thin or thick .