Is there a CA glue that is prefered over others?

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Not sure I understand the question CQ are you referring to Band, consistancy or what?

Personally I like Zap brand. but have had good results with others as well.
I personally buy mostly medium CA, as over time Medium become thick;)
I'm one of a few people who can say I actually use every drop of the CA from my bottles, actually refilling the 4oz bottles. If your not building almost daily. I'd suggest smaller bottles. keep it sealed in a zip lock when not in use. Yes I said a zip lock bag. with as much air as possible kept out. Moisture in the air, and the air itself is the DEATH of CA's.
Hope this helps.
 
Yes brand and thickness. Thanks!
I see people talk about CA's but there are so many of them to choose from...it give me a headache!

Originally posted by Micromeister
Not sure I understand the question CQ are you referring to Band, consistancy or what?

Personally I like Zap brand. but have had good results with others as well.
I personally buy mostly medium CA, as over time Medium become thick;)
I'm one of a few people who can say I actually use every drop of the CA from my bottles, actually refilling the 4oz bottles. If your not building almost daily. I'd suggest smaller bottles. keep it sealed in a zip lock when not in use. Yes I said a zip lock bag. with as much air as possible kept out. Moisture in the air, and the air itself is the DEATH of CA's.
Hope this helps.
 
I'm told, the the very best brand is a band called US Gold. I believe still sold by Pratt hobbies. I bough a small bottle of their medium thickness awhile back, preformed wonderfully, had an almost instant tac. and set-up time even in the medium consistancy. "Seemed" faster then my normal use Zap medium. instant bond on the fingers as well:) Is it actually "the Best".... who knows.... it was good stuff tho; just more expensive and as mentioned the only place i've seen it was from Pratt hobbies.
I've also used a couple from Loc-tite, and Devcon as well as a couple "house" bottled CA's from local hobby shops. I have no idea who actually made the adhesive? All did what they were supposed to do, stick this piece to that. several of the house bottled materials seemed to thicken quicker then others.
All that I've expiremented with were excellent, styrene fillers, sanded well on PMC models. worked well on competition type field built models and instant repairs. Seems the major manufacturers Devcon and Loc-Tite's CA's became brittle within a couple days rather than months like Zap and many of the hobby shop bought materials.
I'd say like most other things pick a brand you can get readily, use a couple bottles, to get used to it's properties and you'll be fine:D
 
I have a bottle of thin and because there is only a tiny bit left it thickend to be almost like thick. It never had a problem until it was almost gone. small bottles are definitely better, even if they cost more.

I use Great Planes brand from Hobby Linc. I don't think it is much different than other brands.
 
Being an R/C guy, from time to time, I preferred and was using ZAP for a long time. And was using Great Planes before that (I used to enjoy the expiration date).

Then I read an article about Bob Smith's glues, which are usually sold as the "housebrand" in your local hobby shop. It's considerably less expensive than the other typical brand names. For my LPR, this works absolutely fine and the money I save goes for another pack of LPR engines.
 
I like the great planes brand pro ca
It's probably Bob smith re-labeled (many are)

I also like the fact that is has an expiration date stamped on the label.

I buy thin and medium and use both often.
 
You can extend the life of most any CA by simply keeping it in the fridge. I have a "half" fridge in my rocket shop/wood shop/electronic shop/fish room. I think I need another "shop"! This ones getting crowded! :D:D:D
 
that works untill you open it.. once opened you should let it warm up to to room temp before removing the cap and using.

but that kinda defeats the purpose of "instant" glue.
 
Something to be careful about when putting CA in the fridge, to lengthen it's shelf life . . . just be careful of condensation. If condensation occurs, within the bottle, you could ruin your CA.
 
Originally posted by akpilot
Something to be careful about when putting CA in the fridge, to lengthen it's shelf life . . . just be careful of condensation. If condensation occurs, within the bottle, you could ruin your CA.

Very true! I keep the temp in that fridge at 38F (a hobby shop owner told me that years ago) and have never had a problem.
 
Originally posted by stymye

but that kinda defeats the purpose of "instant" glue.

Guess that's true if your a "spur of the moment" builder. :D I pull mine at the beginning of the build session and leave it out until i'm done. No problems. It might be a little extra trouble but I can buy the big bottles and get every drop out of them this way...
 
Brand? What ever that stuff is that Hobby Lobby has. Thickness? I use medium exclusively. I buy the larger bottle, and, depending on my motivation following the days/weeks/months after opening it, I waste 1/4 bottle or less before it gets too thick. I have discovered, if you like to carry some in your range box, get the smaller bottle and put it in a baggie. The temp cycles caused by keeping it at home, then taking it to various launches through out the season will ruin a larger bottle pretty quickly.
 
I use whatever the brand is that Hobby People carries. I stock up on it and buy several of the 2oz. bottles when they go on sale.

One time a Hobby Town was closing and everything was on clearance. They had several bottles of thick and thin ZAP CA. I bought a couple of each and mixed them together to make medium. Worked fine.

Also, I keep my opened and un-opened bottles in the freezer. I keep a 1oz. bottle on my bench and just refill it when needed. I have never had a problem with an opened bottle in the freezer and have stored them in the freezer for over a year with no problems.

...Fudd
 
Also, because I am cheap, when I buy a new bottle of accelerator for CA, I pour about 1/4 of the new bottle into the old empty bottle and fill the rest of the way with acetone. Other than taking a few more seconds to cure, it works just fine.

...Fudd
 
here is an exerpt from a posting to a plastics model group that I found a while back.it was pertaining to clogging issues and storing tips in acetone but has some relavent info.>

Bill Hunter, (Hot Stuff) passed along the following valuable information which you will find very useful when using CA glue. Here's what Bill had to say: "A little can of Acetone on a bench, where heat guns and cigarettes may also be found, can turn into a rather large fire if tipped over. Keep it someplace safe.
Unless a spout is completely clean and dry, the Acetone will, in fact, cause the spout to re-clog. If the spout is put on the bottle still wet from the Acetone, it's very likely that the whole bottle will cure in anywhere from an hour to a couple of days. This is very important to us . When this happens the bottle of glue may be blamed instead of the Acetone.
The best way of keeping a spout clear is to stay within a few basic rules:
A. Never use instant glue just out of the freezer. Allow time to return it to room temp before opening.
B. Never return a bottle, that has ever been opened, to cold storage.
C. Avoid spraying accelerator in the direction of an exposed spout.
D. Avoid dragging the tip of the spout through wood dust during application.
E. The more sanding dust in the workshop, the more likely the spout will clog.
F. Never bite the tip of the spout to remove a clog.
G. Never put pins or paper clips or anything in the spout to keep it clear.
H. Always use the overcap during sanding or when the bottle is to be left for an hour or more.
You can see from the above that the main culprit is MOISTURE. A, B, F, and G are all about moisture i.e.: A and B cold and condensation - F water from the mouth - G trace moisture on everything, including pins. C, D, E, and H are about materials foreign to the glue. Moisture can be counted among these too. Remember, when a clog happens due to any of the above, the glue is doing exactly what it is supposed to do - CURE!
the bottle may not fully cure but the glues strength is heavily degraded.
 
I'll say this again since you guys must have missed it in the earlier posts

The single best way to extend and protect you CA's against moisture and air contamination is to keep the bottle sealed in a zip lock bag when not in immedate use.

Actually that's how I store my Bulk Quart bottles and new unopened 4oz bottle of thin as well before opening.
I'm currently using CA that was purchased 3 years ago. I've had NO curing or bonding problem with this older material stored in this way. I don't put my CA in the freezer or fridge for the reasons expressed earlier and from talking at length with several Adhesives manufacturers. They really like you guys putting CA in the fridge... sell more material for them. One perticural Devcon rep. told me flatly it's a very unwise thing to do, in not such a nice way.
Where do all these silly storage methods come from if the manufactures flatly warn against it?

ca-sm_stored in a zip-lock bag_10-17-06.jpg
 
Calling a technique that works perfectly "silly" is itself silly. Especially if you have no long term experiance with the method in question. I don't see anyone calling your baggie technique "silly" do you? Even though nobody else has mentioned nor have I seen a "rep" reccomend it. If it works for you then that's great and I am happy for you. However your idea or method may not be right for everyone and those that choose not to use it are not "silly" just because you deem them so.
 
Originally posted by Bohica
Calling a technique that works perfectly "silly" is itself silly. Especially if you have no long term experiance with the method in question. I don't see anyone calling your baggie technique "silly" do you? Even though nobody else has mentioned nor have I seen a "rep" reccomend it. If it works for you then that's great and I am happy for you. However your idea or method may not be right for everyone and those that choose not to use it are not "silly" just because you deem them so.


No offence ment and Not my words Bohica;.. 4 of 5 adhesives manufacturers technical (LAB) reps....guess I should have made that a bit clearer. but really, if you think about it a bit...Storing an open although capped container of a mositure sensitive material in a humidity producing appliance...what other word(s) come to mind?
Personally I don't mind gaining knowledge... weither i'm being corrected in the process or not.

As for the Baggie thing.. Your absolutely correct, I didn't think much of the idea either until a 3M rep. was the second who suggested it. Why do you think bulk CA's (quarts, gallons and larger containers) are sealed in polypropylene plastic, even though the individual container are also sealed air tight? He then went on to explained the WHY behind it. In short; Sealing out or limiting the amount of ambient air/humitidy (moisture) as possible from entering the bottle(s). Stymye's list reinforces this premise.
I'm simply giving you guys the benifit of (First Hand) conversations with the folks who Make the stuff we somethimes use in our hobby.
 
Originally posted by Micromeister
No offence ment and Not my words Bohica;.. 4 of 5 adhesives manufacturers technical (LAB) reps....guess I should have made that a bit clearer. but really, if you think about it a bit...Storing an open although capped container of a mositure sensitive material in a humidity producing appliance...what other word(s) come to mind?
Personally I don't mind gaining knowledge... weither i'm being corrected in the process or not.

As for the Baggie thing.. Your absolutely correct, I didn't think much of the idea either until a 3M rep. was the second who suggested it. Why do you think bulk CA's (quarts, gallons and larger containers) are sealed in polypropylene plastic, even though the individual container are also sealed air tight? He then went on to explained the WHY behind it. In short; Sealing out or limiting the amount of ambient air/humitidy (moisture) as possible from entering the bottle(s). Stymye's list reinforces this premise.
I'm simply giving you guys the benifit of (First Hand) conversations with the folks who Make the stuff we somethimes use in our hobby.

No angst here Micro...I see the value of the baggie and you obviously took my point in the spirit in which it was intended....Were good.
 
I've used thin ZAP before, and it worked very well. But unbeknownst to me, the bottle tipped with the cap still on. It found a way to leak out somehow and I had a hug mess on my workbench. Sure didn't get my money's worth out of that bottle. It was a fairly large bottle and I lost WAY more than I used. Lately, I've been using the small bottles of brush on purple Krazy Glue. I like the control and it seems to be less mess overall. I'm pretty sure it's about a medium viscosity. Goes on purple, dries clear.
 
I use a brand called Jet. But have also used Zap. They both seem to work the same.
 
I've had good luck with numerous brands that I've bought. Usually, I'll choose whatever brand comes with a few of the small applicator tubes that slide inside of the nozzle.
 
I've been using Flash CA of which I keep a large bottle of the 'medium' stuff and a small bottle of the 'thin' stuff. Basically been using the 'medium' stuff for tacking on fins and the 'thin' stuff for wicking in to give that little extra bond. Never had any failures with Flash (so far)

Regards ...... Pete
 
Most hobby brands of CA are purchased by the packager from the leading producers (Loctite, 3M, etc). The manufacturer sells off product that didn't come out to their specification for the formulation. It's still decent adhesive, it just didn't meet the QC parameters to be sold by them under a certain part number. I am unaware of any hobby brands that are actually manufactured by the company named on the packaging.

Stating that a certain brand is brittle is like saying that Ford vehicles don't have much acceleration. Ford makes everthing from semi trucks to sports cars and the new special version Mustangs will snap your neck. Loctite has dozens of different CA's each with properties optimized for different substrates, application methods and cure times.

Thin CA is good for laminating close fitting parts. It will soak into pourous surfaces and cures extremely quickly. A thin CA is good for stiffening up the ends of body tubes and sealing balsa. If you are laminating monokote or paper, thin CA may soak in too much and not bond the substrates together adequately. Toughend CA's are thicker and will tolerate small gaps between subtrates. They also have some give which let them flex a little without snapping right away. If the fit between parts is rather loose, it's better to use an epoxy.

CA accelerators substantially weaken the adhesive and should be used sparingly. They are perfect for a quick bond on fins where one is trying to "pin" down the alignment and will be using epoxy or another adhesive to provide the main strength.

CA reacts with ambient moisture to intitiate curing. Bottles should be stored in a cool dry place. Manufacturers state and testing shows that storing bulk CA in a refrigerator will give the longest shelf life. Bottles removed from the refrigerator must be allowed to reach ambient temperature before opening. Exposing an opened cold bottle to a warm enviroment causes moisture to condense on the inside of the bottle just like moisture will condense on a cold soda can. It is best to store any bulk CA in the fridge and keep a small working bottle around for dispensing. If you are applying the glue in a very dry area, it will help to have a humidifier running (steam is better than the ultrasonic models). Heat has very minimal effect on the cure times of CA's and will lead to excessive "blooming" (that awful white fog that clings to everything).

Loctite publishes a very good design guide for CA's. You might be able to get a hard copy from Lotite or one of their distributors. There also many be a copy at their website for download.

Look for CA that is advertised as "low odor/low bloom". These formulations are easier on the eyes, nose and throat and also don't produce much fogging.

CA's are packaged in HDPE (High Density PolyethEylene) containers. Most CA's will not bond HDPE very well. Those that do are packaged in more exotic and expense materials.

CA's will weaken some materials like elastics used as shock cords. Refer to the manufacturer's information on materials that are incompatable with CA adhesives. CA is not recommended for bonding parts that are intended to flex.

The best deals I have found for CA are on eBay. Top rated brands are Loctite, 3M, Hernon and Bostik. These brands are manufactured to high standards for industrial use. Be sure to check the expiration date and the makers data sheet before bidding. Typical pricing for a 500ml bottle of top grade CA is $150-$250 depending on the type. I have purchased good 500ml bottles of CA on eBay for as low as $5. The tiny bottles are a rip off. 500ml is about a pound and will build alot of rockets.

Gluing stuff together is what I do for a living. The above info is from years of expirience working with CA. I also use anerobics, epoxy, solvent based, acrylic, UV cure, PVA and water based adhesives. One of these days I'll write up a primer on adhesives for rocket building.

Post any questions in the forum and I will answer if I see the post and have any advice that hasn't already been added.

Ken Brown
Any typos are from the fingers glued together.

PS. If the Mrs is harping about the time you are spending in the workshop "playing" with your rockets, have her bite the end off of the CA bottle tip.. hehehehehehehe, that'll shut her up!
 
I use Great Planes...I have used thin medium thick and gap filling CA. Mostly from building R/C planes.
 
Might as well throw my two cents in. I have used Zap for my RC aircraft as well as Great Planes with equal satisfaction. I honestly can't see a difference between these two. I use Great Planes exclusively on my rocket models unless I want to glass something up then I use Z-Poxy resin for laying up the glass cloth. I do use the cap WHENEVER I am not using the stuff so it has less tendency to clog and just before capping it I wipe the tip and stem with a paper towel or if needed, I scrape any excess off the spout with a hobby knife. Do be careful when using a paper towel though as loose fibers can clog the tip so just be aware of this and you can head off any potential clogging by being more attentive of the fact. A quick swipe works as opposed to a slow wipe down.
 
Last edited:
Hmm. I've used Zap brand for a long time due with consistent results and the 1-2oz sizes match my use rate. The less-used types last a long time (years) in the fridge...I don't put them in zip-lock bags but do keep some discipline about having the caps on when they go in the fridge to control moisture. Never had a bottle cure prematurely in the fridge, but more than once when left in a range box that goes to the desert. (doh!) Also my garage tends to stay pretty warm at 75-85 most of the time so for me heat is at least as much of an enemy as moisture. I don't use accelerator much because of the weakening effect and the residue that has to be cleaned off before painting. Built models last for decades.
 
Back
Top