Kicker?

If they'd wanted ya to know, they'd have told ya! :)

I've heard that baking soda and water works, but I have always used the real stuff, so I don't personally know. Dr.1 Driver "There's a Hun in the sun!"

IIRC it is aeromatic analines.

Do you want to know for (a) safety reasons, (b) to make your own cheap, or (c) to market your own kicker?

(a) I can get MSDS information for you, but you also want to pay attention to the carrier solvent used in any particular product as well when considering the overall hazard level

(b) don't bother

(c) gee, I can't seem to remember the chemical name ;-)

Typical spray type kickers are only 1-2% catalyst, the rest is solvent. The old favorite carrier was Freon 113, but of course that was banned and is replaced by other materials. I make kickers for use in our plant, varying the concentration and carrier for different jobs. But we have a fume hood and safety equipment.

Mike D

acetone with nitro methane works good.

You ARE kidding, right? I didn't see a smiley at the end.

Acetone and nitromethane is a debonder, not a catalyst a.k.a. "kicker".

For debonder nitromethane is excellent and combined with acetone or MEK works well also and is cheaper.

If I recall most of the common kickers use some sort of aromatic amine in a solvent. There are many different kinds, unfortunately, I do not know which one is the most common for our use.

Brian Allen

Almost any alkali does.

Bicarbonate of soda?

weak soa solution?

No, thats debonder.

In my experience, a 'kickered' CA joint is crumbly and nearly useless for mechanical strength. Bill(oc)

In all seriousness, can someone please explain to me why "kicker" is necessary? I've never used it and don't honestly know why you would use it. Even with thick CA the longest I've ever had to support a bond is about 30 seconds. Is that too long for some?? Maybe because I live in a warm climate and the temperature always aids setting? Is "kicker" a true catalyst? Regards Shannon

The reaction that turns cyanoacrylate polymer (liquid CA) into plastic is water. That's right, water. Those living in areas of high humidity rarely need to use any accelerant to get CA to bond.

-- Dave Thompson

So would gently blowing on a joint speed up the setting by virtue of the moisture in your breath??

That's what happens if you use to much. A very light misting works well.

oops! You are correct! My mistake.

It works for me. But just like WJC don't enhale! Joe L.

Living in the southwest, if you build during the winter when the relative humidity can drop below 10%, you will grow old waiting for CA, even thin, to set. A shot of plain water on the joint before using CA aids the process here.

Rein

Also homebrew kicker compositions such as water/baking soda tend to be real bad for bond quality, depending on how they are used.

But with a proper catalyst, and properly applied, no sweat, and the quality of the final bond is not affected.

In many cases the smaartest thing to do is to lightly spritz one part at least 15 seconds before you plan to bond it, and apply the adhesive to the other. These catalysts can stay surface active for several minutes. It is quite important to allow the solvents to flash off when bonding in the manner described above. leaving behind only the catalyst.

For assemblies where this is not possible and spritzing happens after, go easy! Give it time to work and try to remember that more is not likely better.

Like many things, one develops a "touch" for handling CA and kickers, though I know a few people for whom the touch isn;t wuite ther yet despite years of use. Just the way it is.

Mike D.