Spreading CA glue?

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Woodchipper

Woodchipper

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I have fallen into the application of turning the tube while applying the thick CA from the bottle. Last night, I was contemplating the gaps in the glue. I experimented today with wood blanks by applying the CA length ways instead of turning the tube. This should spread the CA all over the tube surface. However, this might be evident by experimenting with an acrylic blank, omitting painting the hole. Your thoughts, ideas and opinions are most welcome.
 
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I dont use 'thick' CA for coating my pens. 3 or 4 coats of thin, no sanding between coats then 3 or 4 coats medium no sanding between coats. I dont normally use accelerator either. I use paper towel that is folded lengthwise in 3/4" to 1" fold, dripping the CA onto the end edge of the paper towel as it is held just underneath the blank as it is turning about 250 rpm (I've tried the plastic bag method but found it made the coating too uneven). I cut off the end that was used to apply the previous coat before applying the next coat. I dont go back and forth more than once over the surface when applying and leave the blank turning while the CA dries. I final sand once the last layer has dried with my micro mesh pads and go through all the pads while the blank is turning. After each pad I stop the lathe and sand lengthwise while rotating the blank by handwheel and move on to the next pad. Rinse and repeat through all pads.
I think applying the CA length wise is going to introduce unevenness.
 
I have been happy with my method. I have a horizontal dowel that I put the turned tubes on. I put small amount of CA (thin) on the top, and then spread it with my nitrile glove finger, rotating slowly by hand. I like using my finger to smooth out the glue, especially to check that I am not going to have a bubble on the bottom. I never use accelerator. I wait between coats at least 20 or 30 minutes. depending on the material 5 to 20 coats. Then the micromesh to finish. Sometimes a buffer afterwards if I am going for a lot of pop.

I have never glued my glove to a blank, and I have done this thousands of times. YMMV
 
Mortalis said:
I dont use 'thick' CA for coating my pens. 3 or 4 coats of thin, no sanding between coats then 3 or 4 coats medium no sanding between coats. I dont normally use accelerator either. I use paper towel that is folded lengthwise in 3/4" to 1" fold, dripping the CA onto the end edge of the paper towel as it is held just underneath the blank as it is turning about 250 rpm (I've tried the plastic bag method but found it made the coating too uneven). I cut off the end that was used to apply the previous coat before applying the next coat. I dont go back and forth more than once over the surface when applying and leave the blank turning while the CA dries. I final sand once the last layer has dried with my micro mesh pads and go through all the pads while the blank is turning. After each pad I stop the lathe and sand lengthwise while rotating the blank by handwheel and move on to the next pad. Rinse and repeat through all pads.
I think applying the CA length wise is going to introduce unevenness.
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I believe he is talking about using thick CA to glue the tubes in the blanks. I do not use CA. I always use epoxy.
 
jttheclockman said:
I believe he is talking about using thick CA to glue the tubes in the blanks. I do not use CA. I always use epoxy.
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Oh! Duh, my bad!
I use epoxy also. I've not been quick enough with the CA tube insertion a couple times and I learned my lesson. :cool:
I put epoxy on a sealed one end tube and then insert the epoxied tube, sealed end first, while spinning it. I will insert all the way and then withdraw and reinsert. Never had a failure yet using this method.
 
Thick CA glue will work for gluing in the tubes, but you would be better off in general using an epoxy. If you made a segmented blank, definitely use epoxy, because you really don't want to ruin that hard work.

As far as application goes, I'll paint the tube with the epoxy (or CA) lengthwise, then twist the tube a bit as it goes into the blank.
 
I use a small rectangle of craft foam to coat the brass tube with thick CA. I then rotate and slide the blank back and forth over the tube to ensure the inside of the blank is coated. Sometimes i apply a second coat of glue to the tube and repeat, working fast before the first coat sets.
 
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