Applying super glue to balsa turnings

I found these videos on YouTube on applying super glue to wood pens on a lathe.
I was wondering if those of you, who turn their own wood parts, have they tried this and if so how does it work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8wdHFrVadY&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSKSep2YTP8&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UZLZy2v0r0&feature=related

No I haven't super glue on a turning.
But, I was surprised to see super glue used to fill nicks in a lacquer finish on guitar headstocks.
A drop of medium CA is set in the nick and allowed to dry. The surface of the drop dries higher than the surounding flat area of the finish.
After the glue thoroughly dries, it's sanded level to the height of the original surface and polished.
When done correctly, you can't see the chip in the lacquer.

It's the same method I use to fill concave molding seams in a plastic nose cone before primer and paint.

Yes I have painted on CA while the cone is on the lathe but not while the lathe is running. I manually turn the lathe to get it on evenly then lightly sand with the lathe running. Low speed on my lathe is still a bit fast and some splattering could occur. Sanding on the lathe will give you a more even finish but you always have to allow for any finish sanding you do. It is pretty easy to over sand especially on smaller cones made of soft woods. Of course you still have to do any final sanding of the tip after parting the cone from the stock. Since pen blanks are turned on a mandrel they can be completely sanded and finished on the lathe.

1st off, I can see how CA would make for a very rigid surface on a balsa nose cone but balsa is way more porous than those exotic woods they use for pen making and would require a great deal more to seal it. I have never used CA to coat balsa surfaces as I have never had a reason to. Nose cones are going to get banged up over a period of time and it's really no effort to repair the dings. A couple good coats of sanding sealer and a preferred balsa filler has always worked just fine for me. The cost of using sanding sealer VS using CA would be considerably different also. CA being the more expensive. I turn my own nose cones but it makes no sense to me to put finishing coats on an unfinished nose cone still on the lathe.

Gary Byrum said:

1st off, I can see how CA would make for a very rigid surface on a balsa nose cone but balsa is way more porous than those exotic woods they use for pen making and would require a great deal more to seal it. I have never used CA to coat balsa surfaces as I have never had a reason to. Nose cones are going to get banged up over a period of time and it's really no effort to repair the dings. A couple good coats of sanding sealer and a preferred balsa filler has always worked just fine for me. The cost of using sanding sealer VS using CA would be considerably different also. CA being the more expensive. I turn my own nose cones but it makes no sense to me to put finishing coats on an unfinished nose cone still on the lathe.

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Sealing the surface of a balsa nose cone requires very little CA. I apply it with a q-tip while holding the cone in my hand. The cost for a application on a single nose cone is next to nothing.

This surface application of CA does not prevent dents as the base material, balsa, is soft.

It will make the suface harder and more scratch resistent, lending a very smooth, paint ready surface after sanding.

I also use Elmer's CWF filler before or after the CA. Doesn't seem to matter a great deal either way.

These days my most common handling of balsa cones is a light sanding with a sanding sponge (which conforms to the curved surface), a q-tip brushing on of thin CA (which soaks right in), then essentially immediately I brush on some thick CA. As Bradycross mentions, cost of this is low. I spent 10 bucks on a pair of bottles of CA last fall, and they are only half gone after quite a few cones.

After the CA has cured all the way (time dependent on temp / humidity), or typically the next day, I sand them lightly with a 220 grit sponge, then harder with a 320 grit sponge.

I then fill with thinned auto spot putty; half an hour later under warm conditions it's ready for final sanding with a 320 grit sponge. Then prime and paint.

Why coat the cone? For me, it's:
1. Most importantly, sealing and hardening the cone makes it a LOT less likely I will sand the cone too hard during filling/finishing and cause a flat spot. I get nice smooth round cones this way.

2. Increased resistance to flight damage. Resistance definitely doesn't equate to damage proofing! But it helps!

To each their own. :wink:
Marc

MArcG- very cool idea- i just turned a boat tail for a 54mm body tube and was looking at it a few minutes ago wondering how to finish it. Gonna use your method as it sounds pretty good for balsa-Thanks!!

While we are here- has anybody used the Minwax 'wood hardener'?. Guess it's sold to repair wood rot, but sounds pretty strong. It mite be heavy too and I'm trying to avoid soaking a balsa tail cone in molten lead....

fyrwrxz said:

While we are here- has anybody used the Minwax 'wood hardener'?. Guess it's sold to repair wood rot, but sounds pretty strong. It mite be heavy too and I'm trying to avoid soaking a balsa tail cone in molten lead....

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I used to use the wood hardener approach. It works fine. I find I can finish cones treated this way after a day or two but others report the hardness increases for them over a period of weeks. So extended cure times may be a good thing.

I have also taken some hardener, mixed in some auto body spot putty, mixed it up (surprisingly mixes fine), then used it as a hardener/filler. I used a thinner application (soaks in) then shortly after a thicker application (coats, soothes, relieves). Then sand.

But the dry times are longer than CA, and I think CA does a better job in my hands. If you want a penetrating hardener, wood hardener is the way to go, though it's not anywhere hard like cured CA.

Marc

Thank you kindly, good sir! Let the gluing begin!

I've never applied it to a part being turned, but I REGULARLY use CA to harden ALL my balsa nosecones and transitions.

I recommend the ultra-thin pink bottle stuff from Hobby Lobby... it's cheap and works great.

I apply it by holding the cone by the shoulder tip down, and slowly applying it with a rubbing motion using the tip of the bottle's applicator to spread the water-thin CA across the exposed (not shoulder) surfaces of the cone. The balsa wood "drinks it right in" and I keep applying it til it starts to run across the surface to the tip. It can quickly follow the wood grain channels up and start sticking your fingers, so be careful. This tells me that it's not only just "on the surface" (which thicker CA's would probably tend to be) but that it's actually penetrating the wood fiber and grain. Gloves and wax paper to set the cones on when done is probably a good idea (though I typically just use bare hands and keep my fingers moving, slowly rotating the cone, so the glue doesn't have time to stick my fingers to the cones). Transitions require a little more care to keep it off the upper shoulder area, usually apply it in a horizontal position.

I let the part "drink in" as much CA as it can handle... you'll know when it won't take any more... the stuff just 'runs off'. At that point shake off the excess and set the cone upright on wax paper to cure... be sure to do this outside with a crosswind to carry the fumes away, as CA can be rather irritating with the fumes. The cone should be completely cured in an hour or two under warm, humid conditions and ready for sanding. The CA tends to raise the 'hairs' and sanding dust inevitably trapped in/on even the most meticulously cleaned balsa surface (probably dust trapped in the pores of the grain) and "raises" it into a somewhat rough "crust" which is easily sanded down smooth with a little effort and 220 grit sandpaper.

I then use CWF thinned to the consistency of mustard brushed on with a 1 inch paintbrush and allowed to dry an hour or two, and then sanded down with 220 grit, then usually a few coats of primer, and another sanding with 220 grit followed by sanding with 440 grit paper.

Makes a balsa cone look/feel just like plastic... smooth as a baby's butt...

It won't make the cone "bulletproof" but it DOES give it considerable strength and reduces the dings and dents which soft balsa cones are prone to...

Check any of my Zooch build threads and you can see the results... Works like a champ!

Later! OL JR

PS. I've read a bit about the wood hardener stuff-- but never tried it. Some folks have pretty good luck with it, but it takes FOREVER to cure... some folks reporting that it takes MONTHS to fully cure...

If you want your nose cone rock hard:

1. Get a container that would completely hold all of the nose cone.
2. Use hot glue or something similar to hold the nose cone to the bottom of the container (temporarily!).
3. Pour in minwax wood hardener to completely cover the entire cone.
4. Put under vacuum for 5-10 minutes (or till the bubbles stop).
5. Remove the cone and wipe off the excess hardener.
6. Let it dry from there

Thats a tough nut to crack! And if you want you can take MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) and put in supper thin cheap plexiglass (polycarbonate) and let it melt down to make your own wood hardener.

decyple said:

Thats a tough nut to crack! And if you want you can take MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) and put in supper thin cheap plexiglass (polycarbonate) and let it melt down to make your own wood hardener.

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Which one? Plexiglas is acrylic not polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is Lexan.
+1 to wood hardner. Although I've never used the vacuum soak method, just the brush on.

I've often thought about using vacuum, as I used to work in a lab and could do such stuff, but now I have no access to such equipment and wouldn't spend the money... but fun to think about!

Marc

SwingWing said:

Which one? Plexiglas is acrylic not polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is Lexan.
+1 to wood hardner. Although I've never used the vacuum soak method, just the brush on.

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Must be acrylic then; I don't think it was Lexan. Hobby Lobby had thin sheets (8.5" x 11") of the stuff on the shelf at clearance prices. It was only about a sixteenth inch thick or less.

Found this: Link