Questions about CA glues

[ChrisHerzog]

I’m wondering what CA glues guys are using these days. With more and more woodworking guys using CA glues and more companies producing and selling CA glues, has anyone come across something that stands out.
I have used Zap for years but I find it very brittle and won’t use it when building wood boats. The last two boats I built were done entirely with epoxy but that takes entirely to long. So I’m looking for something that will hold up to the vibrations, water and fuels, have some give but retain its strength. This would be used primarily for wood Scale boats and of course this is just to tack stuff together and I would be coming back over everything to seal it up with epoxy after putting the skins are on.

 

[Paul Traufler]

Take a look at Starbond CA. Very good quality CA and many options to choose from. Not the cheapest CA out there mind you...

 

[ChrisHerzog]

Take a look at Starbond CA. Very good quality CA and many options to choose from. Not the cheapest CA out there mind you...

I was just reading about it.

Thanks

 

[Grimracer]

The best I have used is Techbond.. in the end I have not found any CAs good for boat building.
https://tbbonding.com/
Again.. not cheap but the best I have used.


Grim

 

[Grimracer]

and then.. its always necessary to keep your CA (ALL CA) out of UV.. I have a ammo box that mine go into.

Grim

 

[Mike Hughes]

I like the Mercury brand. They have a nice pin in the cap to help seal up the tip when you put it back on.
Mike

 

[ChrisHerzog]

I like the Mercury brand. They have a nice pin in the cap to help seal up the tip when you put it back on.
Mike

Yea, I saw that to. That’s a neat idea to keep it from clogging up.

 

[brad nichols]

Mercury to tack epoxy to build.

 

[Mike Cathey]

I use a lot of thick CA/accelerator and 5 minute epoxy when building plugs for molds to hurry the process up. I would never build a wood boat it though.

 

[Julio Almazan]

Hi:

I use a lot of thick CA/accelerator and 5 minute epoxy when building plugs for molds to hurry the process up. I would never build a wood boat it though.

Why not?... thanks

 

[Mike Cathey]

Hi:

Why not?... thanks

5 minute epoxy isn't really waterproof and in my opinion CA is too brittle and to be really effective the parts fit has to be really good. CA's best function is what it's most commonly used for which is building model airplanes because it wicks into the balsa wood a lot better than it does plywood.

Model racing boats take a real beating just like full sized boats do and the adhesives need to be really good. You will find a lot of ideas about the best epoxies on here. I used West Systems when I built wood boats and then with fiberglass and carbon fiber boats. It's always been up to the job. I also routinely use 4-5 of the fillers West Systems sells.

It's important to remember when building that the epoxy itself is heavy and has little strength so don't go overboard with it. Using excess epoxy is like throwing rocks in your boat with the boats performance being degraded with every extra ounce.

 

[Rich Jones]

I’m wondering what CA glues guys are using these days. With more and more woodworking guys using CA glues and more companies producing and selling CA glues, has anyone come across something that stands out.
I have used Zap for years but I find it very brittle and won’t use it when building wood boats. The last two boats I built were done entirely with epoxy but that takes entirely to long. So I’m looking for something that will hold up to the vibrations, water and fuels, have some give but retain its strength. This would be used primarily for wood Scale boats and of course this is just to tack stuff together and I would be coming back over everything to seal it up with epoxy after putting the skins are on.

I get mine from Balsa USA. Thin for tight joints and thick for not so tight joints and yes for tacking mostly. Follow with epoxy for strength and waterproofing. For the thin I buy the tips on Amazon that really slow down the flow and help you control it. I’ve been real satisfied with it.

 

[David Krienke]

I have been addicted to CA lately. I use the thick to fill spaces sprinkled with baking soda to hold it still . Also been using it to glue stuffing tubes in using thick first then baking soda followed by thin and making great fillets with it. It seems just as strong as anything .

 

[Timbo Whalen]

You want a degree of elasticity... I like the GFlex 650 for wood boat construction.

https://www.westsystem.com/specialty-epoxies/gflex-650-toughened-epoxy/

 

[Paul Traufler]

I wonder if the rubber toughened CA would work the same as the GFlex?

 

[shoboat]

Tim,

Any building projects currently under construction? G-Flex is good stuff, I agree with you all the way.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[ChrisHerzog]

You want a degree of elasticity... I like the GFlex 650 for wood boat construction.

https://www.westsystem.com/specialty-epoxies/gflex-650-toughened-epoxy/

That’s what I use for most all of my building. Just looking for ways to go faster without loosing any strength.

 

[Bradley Maglinger]

This is what I use on all boats, and I also use 105/207 West systems epoxy. It is a great combination for me.

 

[Mark Anderson]

For wood boat building I tack everything with Bob Smith CA, then go over everything with laminating epoxy. For stuffing boxes I have started using G-Flex.

 

[David Krienke]

For wood boat building I tack everything with Bob Smith CA, then go over everything with laminating epoxy. For stuffing boxes I have started using G-Flex.

I will have to use gflex and try it on stuffing box sometime. I just wanted to try the Ca and soda on these old boats to see how it holds up. Its fast with the CA method I can tell ya that. stuffing tube done in 2 mins. I use all bob smith glues too purple thick and there blue thin all hobby town rebranded. inside looks messy because of severe tear out in the front wall removing old tube and had to fill the gaps on the sides. That is what else its good for is filling holes fast in radio boxes and the transom.,