Which CA to apply to timber scales?

[rbscebu]

For the first time I am considering sealing some timber scales with CA. The little research that I have done on CA has shown me that there are various viscosities available.

Q.1 What is the recommended viscosity; super thin, thin, medium, thick or gell?

Q. 2 Roughly how much CA should I get to seal and give a gloss finish to one set of timber scales?

 

[mycarver]

I’ve used all of them. Thin naturally takes more coats. Dried quick.
Met a guy who makes wood rings inlaid with semi precious stones and he suggested the thicker stuff. Worked very well. And of course fewer coats.
Make a jig to hold them and do the insides first. or else you’ll be gluing them to your workbench.
You may have read about me using a latex glove trick.
Will say the smell burns your nose. Mine anyway.

 

[mycarver]

Got the 10 pack for very little. Seems if I get a big bottle it’s shot by the time I use it again. Here I use what I need at the time.
My glue spreader. And the modified paint stirrer . I use double sided tape to hold them and this allows excess glue to drip off the sides.
As I said. Do the insides first. Sand smooth. Then to the tops.

Yes they’re plastic scales but you get the idea.
Put a little bead on the scale, spread it around . Let it dry. Repeat for a few coats . Sand and see how they’re looking.

 

[rbscebu]

@mycarver, thank you very much for your guidance. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[mycarver]

My pleasure. Here are some examples showing how it affects various woods ( no stains) and even for a wood as porous and splintery as palm it seals very well. The others are snake and satin wood (?)
Neat ( stinky) stuff.

I used to think it came about when the guy glued his hard hat to a beam and hung from it.

Little factoid. Crazy glue was invented during WW1 for
Soldiers to carry to seal up wounds. Still used today. I’ve used it for cuts. My Dr. Said it’s the exact same thing he uses.

 

[rbscebu]

@mycarver, I also noted the cutouts in your "paint stirrer" to allow the CA to fall through the pin holes.

 

[mycarver]

BTW. I may be wrong but do I remember you using dots of glue to hold scales together when shaping?

If so, forget it. Buy a roll of double sided tape . There are 2 kinds. One thin as skin. And the other is more
Cloth like as you see on the paint stick scale holder.
All you need is a relatively small patch at each end of the scales , press them together and sand to your hearts content. When don’t slip a thin knife blade ( or something) in between the scales and they pop apart clean.
No glue/paper garbage to clean up and sand off. Just peel away the tape and you’re done.

 

[DrStrange]

My pleasure. Here are some examples showing how it affects various woods ( no stains) and even for a wood as porous and splintery as palm it seals very well. The others are snake and satin wood (?)
Neat ( stinky) stuff.

I used to think it came about when the guy glued his hard hat to a beam and hung from it.

Little factoid. Crazy glue was invented during WW1 for
Soldiers to carry to seal up wounds. Still used today. I’ve used it for cuts. My Dr. Said it’s the exact same thing he uses.

Superglue Corp. tells a slightly different history.

About Us | History of the Original Super Glue Corporation

Super Glue Corporation may have started as a hobby airplane kit manufacturer, but we have grown into a multifaceted company bringing innovative adhesive products to consumers worldwide.

supergluecorp.com

 

[mycarver]

@mycarver, I also noted the cutouts in your "paint stirrer" to allow the CA to fall through the pin holes.

Oh no. It doesn’t fall through . It plugs them up. You must drill the holes first.
You’ll still have a divot on the reverse side to use as a guide to redrill the hole.
And you know, the holes were drilled when the scales were just flat slabs before shaping!

 

[mycarver]

Superglue Corp. tells a slightly different history.

About Us | History of the Original Super Glue Corporation

Super Glue Corporation may have started as a hobby airplane kit manufacturer, but we have grown into a multifaceted company bringing innovative adhesive products to consumers worldwide.

supergluecorp.com

Ah, could very well be. But just a day ago I read about the WW1 story. More like WWII
My time line as I read it might be off. Sorry. Here’s an update.

Can’t imagine a company would want to polish its image with a product it didn’t invent.
The time of its invention , 1942. The time Super glue Co. Started? 1958. They didnt invent it. Only off 1 1/2 decades.
The primary original use was for gun sights. And hey,,, it closes wounds too as well as making killer scales.
Thanks!

 

[mycarver]

@mycarver, I also noted the cutouts in your "paint stirrer" to allow the CA to fall through the pin holes.

Hehe, it really is a paint stirrer, for a 5 gallon bucket. They’re free!

 

[rbscebu]

BTW. I may be wrong but do I remember you using dots of glue to hold scales together when shaping?

If so, forget it. Buy a roll of double sided tape . There are 2 kinds. One thin as skin. And the other is more
Cloth like as you see on the paint stick scale holder.
All you need is a relatively small patch at each end of the scales , press them together and sand to your hearts content. When don’t slip a thin knife blade ( or something) in between the scales and they pop apart clean.
No glue/paper garbage to clean up and sand off. Just peel away the tape and you’re done.

I live on a farm outside of Mutchilda, Queensland and only used the PVA glue and paper on my first scales project as I couldn't be bothered riding the 100km into town and back just for double sided tape. I now use the double sided tape.

 

[rbscebu]

Ah, could very well be. But just a day ago I read about the WW1 story. More like WWII
My time line as I read it might be off. Sorry. ....

Never let a world war or two get between friends .

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

If you buy the larger bottle, store in a canning jar, old school type with the wire snap on lid and thick rubber gasket. And do not use or store kicker near an open bottle.

I don’t use CA glue for wood scales, but do use it frequently to restore tool handles in Rosewood or Ebony and make invisible repairs. I use the kicker and sanding dust to fill small divots. I can get several layers on in a few minutes.

I also store the kicker in a separate canning jar. Dollar Store sells a small silicone spatula ¾ inch X 3 inch with plastic handle, great for spreading and smoothing, keeps fingers clean-er.

Great for cuts, wrap in blue tape to keep clean.

 

[mycarver]

Sounds like too much work and overthought to me for such a simple task. A tube of glue?
Sounds more like some science project. Spend that time and $$$ and lids ,jars and kickers and god knows what else for something that costs a couple bucks? Why?
I’m done with a project and you’re spending all kinds of money and time to save a dollar item? Nice plan but nawww. Toss it. For what little it costs I’ll buy it fresh. Couldn’t be bothered. And I use a lot. Spend your time saving razors ,,, not glue.
It’s like saying you found a great way to preserve a stick of gum.
No. No, buy it, chew it, spit it out. It’s over.
Don’t mean to sound rude but is it worth it?
I prefer to spend my time in more productive ways.
Just my opinion.
But thanks.

 

[Derwent]

BTW. I may be wrong but do I remember you using dots of glue to hold scales together when shaping?

If so, forget it. Buy a roll of double sided tape . There are 2 kinds. One thin as skin. And the other is more
Cloth like as you see on the paint stick scale holder.
All you need is a relatively small patch at each end of the scales , press them together and sand to your hearts content. When don’t slip a thin knife blade ( or something) in between the scales and they pop apart clean.
No glue/paper garbage to clean up and sand off. Just peel away the tape and you’re done.

I put a strip of masking tape on the scales, 3 dots of CA glues the tape together, afterwards the tape peels right off.

 

[Derwent]

For the first time I am considering sealing some timber scales with CA. The little research that I have done on CA has shown me that there are various viscosities available.

Q.1 What is the recommended viscosity; super thin, thin, medium, thick or gell?

Q. 2 Roughly how much CA should I get to seal and give a gloss finish to one set of timber scales?

Thin takes more coats but is easier to spread evenly.
Thick builds quicker, but rougher...more sanding.

I like to scuff it with 800 between coats, final coat is sanded with 800 until completely matte, then 1200, 2500, autosol.

I've tried the cheap glue in the little tubes in the blister pack... didn't go so well, and hard to spread evenly.

My go-to is the Selleys in a little 5ml bottle with a brush built into the cap...no mess, easy spread, sandable in 5 minutes.
About $7 a bottle at Bunnings, half a bottle does a set of scales nicely.

Keep it in the fridge, lasts a lot longer.

 

[Wombat ESQ]

3ml tubes of CA no name cheap as $0.50 a tube, buy them by the 6 pack .... I live 100klm from a shop, buy 12 tubes at a time stuff them in the cupboard, if one tubes sets as it has in the past after opening, fifty cent curio to cut up one day if it comes in handy.

totally contrary to any storage instructions i keep the open ones in the fridge

I found some really you beaut CA plus ''welding powder'' one day ^@&%$#! $35.00 for the 2, glue and powder.... went back to fitty cent stuff and self raising flour after that tube expired, admittedly it was a big tube, but not worth the $ value. Tried $9 precision plastic bottles, they just a 3ml aloominnum tube in a fancy squeezey bottle, not worth the hype or $ back to good old fitty cent.

 

[mycarver]

3ml tubes of CA no name cheap as $0.50 a tube, buy them by the 6 pack .... I live 100klm from a shop, buy 12 tubes at a time stuff them in the cupboard, if one tubes sets as it has in the past after opening, fifty cent curio to cut up one day if it comes in handy.

totally contrary to any storage instructions i keep the open ones in the fridge

I found some really you beaut CA plus ''welding powder'' one day ^@&%$#! $35.00 for the 2, glue and powder.... went back to fitty cent stuff and self raising flour after that tube expired, admittedly it was a big tube, but not worth the $ value. Tried $9 precision plastic bottles, they just a 3ml aloominnum tube in a fancy squeezey bottle, not worth the hype or $ back to good old fitty cent.

A man after my own heart!

 

[Derwent]

3ml tubes of CA no name cheap as $0.50 a tube, buy them by the 6 pack .... I live 100klm from a shop, buy 12 tubes at a time stuff them in the cupboard, if one tubes sets as it has in the past after opening, fifty cent curio to cut up one day if it comes in handy.

totally contrary to any storage instructions i keep the open ones in the fridge

I found some really you beaut CA plus ''welding powder'' one day ^@&%$#! $35.00 for the 2, glue and powder.... went back to fitty cent stuff and self raising flour after that tube expired, admittedly it was a big tube, but not worth the $ value. Tried $9 precision plastic bottles, they just a 3ml aloominnum tube in a fancy squeezey bottle, not worth the hype or $ back to good old fitty cent.

Yeah, those precision applicator ones are a waste of money.

The bottle with a brush in the cap is amazing though...and if you go to a nut and bolt shop or an engineering supply, 20 bucks gets you a big bottle of Loctite brand if you want to keep refilling the brush bottle...

CA kept in the fridge lasts years.