Iv herd everyone talking about ca glue in brush makeing but what is it is it like super glue or do you spray it on how does this stuff work?
Ca glue? Plz explain
- Thread starter Omarz
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CA is super glue. It is the initials of its technical name.
It is often used, not as a glue, but as a finish, especially on wood. It makes a thin but strong finish. It is best applied while the handle is spinning in the lathe with a rag so it is evenly applied. Others have other techniques. That is the technique of the person that lets me use his wood lathe. Personally I prefer polyurethane.
It is often used, not as a glue, but as a finish, especially on wood. It makes a thin but strong finish. It is best applied while the handle is spinning in the lathe with a rag so it is evenly applied. Others have other techniques. That is the technique of the person that lets me use his wood lathe. Personally I prefer polyurethane.
- Thread starter
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Ok so how do u apply it without the reg/cloth sticking to it
The only way I have done it is with the handle spinning in a lathe and gently squirting CA on the handle and spreading it with the cloth before it dries. The cloth won't stick if you have a light touch because the handle is spinning. Someone else that like CA might have better advice. As I said, I prefer polyurethane.
I've seen it done by spreading it on a spinning lathe with your fingers while wearing a nitrile glove. It looked pretty easy, but the stuff is nasty IMO.
This is what I do
The trick is very light coats and applying them quickly
It’s kinda a pain in the *** to be honest
Polyurethane goes on much better, but from what I can tell it’s not as waterproof.
CA glue is superglue, but not all are created equally. CA is short for cyanoacrylate, ie it’s actually an acrylic resin. You’re basically coating the wood in acrylic which makes it impervious to water and air. IMO there’s no better finish for a wood handle (or pen). Thin coats are the key, and don’t use any accelerator. In time it will cause a yellowish tint. I’ve tried several different brands and Starbond is my favorite. Some of my penturning friends really like Gluboost but I haven’t tried it yet. Both of those brands are marketed to be used more as a finish than for gluing. Loctite and Stick Fast rank at the bottom of the barrel, not surprisingly they aren’t geared towards being used as a finish but for some reason a lot of turning sites sell Stick Fast as such. Don’t use anything thicker than medium. I like to use a few thin coats to really seal the wood then either medium thin or medium until I build up enough thickness for sanding & polishing, generally around 0.006” - 0.008”, which leaves a final coat after finishing usually around 0.002” - 0.004”. I try not to use any coarser sandpaper than P400 grit to start with, though sometimes I may get a few ridges and start with P320. Anything coarser than than and I feel you never really get all the sanding scratches out.
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