I accidentally killed a CA bottle

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pumptato-cat
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I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by pumptato-cat »

Hi all, anyone know how to save CA glue? I tipped a bottle over on its side and the glue spilled out, gluing the cap to the bottle. There's still a lot of glue in the bottle and I don't wanna waste it-any ideas? I've tried prying the cap off with a knife, using pliers and other tools to pull it off, and nothing's working :/ Was considering drilling a hole in the bottle or cutting the top off(this is Zap A Gap 1/4oz medium viscosity) and pouring the stuff in a glass jar but I'm worried it'll dry out. Anyone had a similar issue before?
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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by bjt4888 »

pumptato-cat wrote: January 28th, 2023, 11:27 am Hi all, anyone know how to save CA glue? I tipped a bottle over on its side and the glue spilled out, gluing the cap to the bottle. There's still a lot of glue in the bottle and I don't wanna waste it-any ideas? I've tried prying the cap off with a knife, using pliers and other tools to pull it off, and nothing's working :/ Was considering drilling a hole in the bottle or cutting the top off(this is Zap A Gap 1/4oz medium viscosity) and pouring the stuff in a glass jar but I'm worried it'll dry out. Anyone had a similar issue before?
Cat,

It’s not safe to handle a quantity of CA like this. CA fumes can attack the eyes. Just throw it away.

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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by pumptato-cat »

Aww darn... I've got a new bottle shipping, I guess I'll just be careful with the next bottle and wipe the tip with acetone before capping.
Thanks!
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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by jander14indoor »

Any CA exposed to the air for a period of time will harden. So no, pouring it out into an open cup isn't a long term solution as already pointed out. Glass isn't much better because I doubt you have a small enough bottle to avoid a lot of air. Finally, it won't take long to CA the lid on the glass jar and then you have to worry about broken glass!

And yes, since this stuff is expensive, you need to develop good CA handling habits!

In addition to wiping the nozzle before putting the cap back on, get into the habit of giving the bottle a sharp rap on its bottom onto a table. This will help clear the tip so no CA stays in the narrowest area, where it is likely to harden and clog your tip. This can be fixed if the cap isn't glued on as you example, but is a pain. After you rap it on the table to clear the tip, check to make sure it doesn't need a second rap.

Avoid excess use of setter, especially spraying it on! This stuff is a powerful catalyst/accelerant and will fill the air with in your work area this powerful catalyst and eventually some migrate into your bottle. It won't set immediately, but it definitely shortens the shelf life, possibly to as short as days or weeks. Instead, use a small plastic pipette and apply smallest amount necessary to do the job. Make sure you store your setter well away from the actual CA glue.

Finally, especially for any sort of long term storage, consider storing your CA in your fridge or freezer. Make sure it is well sealed, and let it warm up before use so it doesn't attract water. But this can help extend life a lot.

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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by pumptato-cat »

I ordered a new one and after it got lost in the mail, finally arrived...
Completely hardened. Won't come out of the bottle, rock solid. UGH
Does anyone know of any other glue brands commonly used for this event? I can't find Zap A Gap anywhere that'll ship in time-my regionals is in less than a month :/
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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by poonda »

bob smith ca and pitsco can ship from amazon i think

try to find a hobby store (rc planes etc) in your area- they often have quite a bit of ca (preferably medium, purple bottles)
also you can use the blue capped gorilla super glue
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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by randomdogonapc »

I’ve been using starbond medium viscosity from Amazon and it works pretty well.
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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by pumptato-cat »

Thanks all! I'm mostly worried about shipping time, because I have 17 days until regionals. It really snuck up on me...
I think I will just wait for my glue to ship. Nothing more I can do anyways :(
Has anyone noticed any difference in quality of CA brands? Like, are some lighter than others, or are some stronger, etc?
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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by fifty_missions »

I recommend investing in two containers of CRYSTAL LIGHT lemonade packets. These are excellent for storing either your CA bottles or Accelerator containers. The added benefit is they will minimize "flash' or pre-setting/curing of the CA.

Next, using a block of pink insulation foam (thicker is better) and make a stand by outlining the bottle's footprint and cutting out the outline with a serrated knife. Push the bottles in when using the glue as a method to keep the bottle standing and not tipping over.

Another is procedure... Draw a bright circle on the wax paper over your plane's plan in a "free zone". Put glue in that 'pool' and dip the ends of your parts in the pool inside of applying glue directly from the bottle. The added benefit is the tip of the glue bottle, with the cap usually on will stay clear and not clog.

Also, never use thin Super Glue, only medium. This generally flows slower so oops are easier to catch. Thin CYA just wicks up into the balsa adding mass with hardly providing joint strength so a poor choice.

Good Luck.
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Re: I accidentally killed a CA bottle

Post by coachchuckaahs »

Everybody has different ways of gluing.

On our team, we teach making a good joint first. Tight fitting joints use a minimum amount of glue, and the wood is the strength of the joint. If the wood is not tight fitting, the glue must bridge, and glue by itself, especially CA, is brittle.

After achieving a good joint, we use thin CA, a small puddle on a margarine tub lid or some such. We then use a capillary applicator to apply a fraction of a drop to the joint. Medium CA forms a fillet around the joint adding extra weight.

On SO planes medium CA is OK, as you have huge weight budget. But make a good joint first and you will have a stronger joint with less glue. On Limited Penny Planes (about the size of SO but 3.1g), we generally use thin CA for all joints, especially carbon-balsa joints. Some balsa-only joints we use thinned Duco. On F1D, even thin CA is too heavy, and we only use thinned Duco cement.

Here is a video I did a few years ago on weight management through glue management: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owWmW_D6WYQ

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