CA Accelator Substitute

substitute a common household chemical

I remember reading about someone using baking soda with CA but can't remember if it was as a filler or as an accelerator.

Charlie

It is both a filler and an accelerator. It's what we used to "kick off" CA glue before the spray type accelerator was available.

So a misting of baking soda dissolved in water would work?

Marlow,

Yessir, that is what I have used to "kick" CA - baking soda and water. You need a really fine mist to get a good kick so keep this in mind when choosing a spray bottle. Also, the baking soda will clog the bottle after use so be sure to rinse it before the next use to remove the dried material.

CJ

Re using baking soda -- Never use it as a 'filler' as it cures rock hard and you will be unable to sand it. The best use and application for baking soda is where you have some hardwoods like dry bass or oily pine, or old dry balsa for that matter. CA doesn't like to kick on those woods. Put some Baking soda in your palm and wipe the wood across it, leaving a slight dry misting on the wood. Now join and CA -- instant kick (and neat).

It does work as a filler and accelerator , but it leaves an almost unsandable lump.....a really rock hard lump. We used to use it as a quick fix on pylon racers to get back in the air qucikly , but it wasn't pretty. Experiment on some scrap and you'll know how to use it , or not use it in a short while.

Ken Day

Remember when the first CA's came on the market.....was it "Hot Shot

that used to give you a small package of a 'white chemical' that woul 'kick' off the CA? That was simply baking soda - I believe.....oh suc a short memory :)

Jerr

-- tailskid

Been modeling since '49 - which makes me an Old Fart

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Satellite City's "Hot Stuff"? Don't recall white stuff coming with it but I remember the itty bitty teflon tubing that came with it that was so much fun to use :) I do remember dampening surfaces to be glued at times and using baking soda as well with it too in gaps and cracks and such. This was circa 1976-77 or thereabouts.

Bruce

I recall, in the late 1970s model mags warning that CA joints having a problem with being "too brittle." They suggested that you dab over all CA joints with Elmer's type glue to give the joints "flexibility." I did faithfully follow that suggestion.

CYANOACRYLATE (CA) GLUE

This article is intended to provide useful information about the handling and use of CA glue. This is by no means a definitive source on the subject but rather a handful of notes about some useful things I have learned and researched and would like to share for the benefit of all.

Now that you have ordered a dozen bottles because you couldn't resist a good sale price, you wonder if the glue will ruin before you can use it all. Don't panic, just put the extra bottles in the freezer until they are needed. They will keep for a very long time in there. (Cryogenics for Cyanoacrylates ?) ** Note: Only freeze unopened bottles.

OK, chances are that like most of us you always make sure to put the top back on as soon as you're finished using the glue, right? Ever notice how your nozzles clog up and sometimes the glue hardens in the bottle before you ever get to use it all? It turns out that a lack of oxygen is one of the primary conditions that causes CA glue to cure. So from now on, when you open a new bottle of CA throw away the top! It may sound crazy, but this will extend the life of your glue in the bottle. If you're concerned about spilling it, make a bench top holder by drilling "bottle- sized" holes in a 2" thick block of wood. Make sure you keep it away from any source that creates much dust.

Remember to tap the base of the bottle on your bench top after each use to clear the tip.

Soapbox on... This is probably a good time to point out how we all take our health for granted until something goes wrong. CA glue is dangerous stuff. You should avoid skin contact and always protect your eyes. The fumes generated when CA glue cures are potentially harmful, they make the eyes water, and are at the very least terribly annoying. Spend a few bucks and get a respirator with replaceable filters like the ones used in body and paint shops and use the damn thing! They are good for one year and are reasonably comfortable. They are very effective when gluing with CA and also when using lacquer and polyurethane finishes. Perhaps the most important tip to remember is to be sure that you never glue yourself to anything larger than you can pick up and carry to where you keep your CA solvent! ...Soapbox off.

A word of caution here...if you are going to use accelerator on the CA, wait 30 to 60 seconds before you apply it or it will foam up white.

Acetone can be used as a solvent but it is not as fast acting.

Also, water in a mist bottle will serve as a cheap activator but will cause white foaming.

I hope that you can make use of these tips to make your modeling safer, easier and more fun.

a guy I know in the screen printing business uses lacquer thinner.

Baking soda works well. Not sure what the recommended concentration is, though.