Can you use CA glue on carvings?

[Dan C]

I had a small piece of my carving split off yesterday and decided to glue it back on. This was my first attempt at doing that. I had bought some glue at a wood carving store some months ago and thought I'd give it a try.

The stuff I have is called "Balsa USA Gold CA Glue Thin Cyanoacrylate Adhesive", and says "Allow 2-5 seconds for curing". I took two test pieces of wood, coated both surfaces liberally, and tried sticking them together. The two surfaces were flat. I held them together for 30 seconds or so, and they didn't hold at all. I tried letting the glue on the two pieces dry, and then put another coat on both pieces and tried again. Same result. They didn't stick together at all.

I guess I didn't really think this glue would work since wood is porous, and I've had no luck in the past gluing porous things together with CA glue.

My question is:

Have others had any luck with CA glue for carvings? If so, how do you do it? If not, what do you use? I'd like something that is fast acting (a few minutes) so that I can get back to carving again. It just seems to me that I've seen other carvers use CA glue and make it work, and I'm wondering how they do it. Thanks for any and all advice.

Dan C.

[Claude]

For gluing broken pieces back on, or gluing arms on, etc., I use plain old Elmer's Carpenters Glue (the yellow stuff). My primary use for the CA (super glue) is to strengthen cross grain. For example, on a little snowman, the grain normally runs up and down, which makes the hat brim very fragile because of the cross grain. I put a little super glue (the kind from the supermarket in the green tube that looks sort of like a chapstick) on the top and bottom of the hat brim and let it soak in and dry - makes the brim much sturdier. I've also used it to "fill the cracks" in a piece. If the wood has some small cracks that look like they'll be a problem, I let a little super glue soak into the crack... The super glue will darken the wood, so if you are planning on not painting, you may need to use something else.

I'm working on a stylized bird in walnut, and I put some glue in a couple of cracks...darkened the surrounding area quite a bit...may have to convert to firewood, but I'll do some more work on it first...

Claude

[Joggernot]

Originally Posted by Claude

For gluing broken pieces back on, or gluing arms on, etc., I use plain old Elmer's Carpenters Glue (the yellow stuff). My primary use for the CA (super glue) is to strengthen cross grain.
Claude

That's what I normally do, but last night my elf lost an ear in a knife fight. I used super glue applied to both pieces. It worked just fine. I used Instant Krazy Glue, which is purple. On previous carvings it has not turned the wood dark and has painted just fine.

Joggernot

[Claude]

Hmmmm, there must be more than one flavor of Instant Krazy Glue - I just checked the shelf, and that's the name on mine, although the glue is clear - looks like water, until you get a bit on two fingers and then touch them together... I'll look for the purple next time I get to the craft store.

Claude

[Lynn O. Doughty]

I use CA quite a bit but not to hold things together! It's just not strong enough. For joining only yellow carpenters glue or epoxy will do the job and I lean even then toward the yellow glue.

CA is great for strengthening an area where the wood, because of the direction of the grain, is very fragile. These areas can be saturated with Ca and they become quite strong. The only problem with doing this is if you plan on burning that area you can really dose yourself with the fumes and smoke so be very careful. Also, when painting, as the CA has sealed that area completely, paint will not soak in. Of course if you prime your pieces before painting then this is no problem.

When using CA I use an excel

I also use an CA excelerator which sets the glue off immediately. If you want to fill a small void you can fill the spot with fine sawdust, squirt in a little CA then then a spray of accelerator will do the job in an instant.

CA's also great in adding attached details to a carving. To attach a lasso to a saddle I create a twisted wire post as part of the lasso, drill the associated hole in the saddle, saturate the hole with CA, insert the post and then add another drop to lock everything in place.


I just read Claude's reply with pre-empted my but brought up a good point about the type of CA to purchase. Take my advice and don't buy that stuff thats available in WalMart, etc. Go to a hobby shop and get the good very thin stuff in a bottle. You can buy the thicker CA or even the thickest gap-filling variety. However, as the thin will eventually turn thick over time if you use it a lot like I do you'll eventuall create your own supply.

[BobT]

If you lightly dust both pieces with Baking Soda then put them together and add the super glue it will hold forever, it will wick into the joint. The Baking Soda required is just a fine dust. If you get it on your finger and rub you will be fine. Not too much. Globs of Baking Soda with CA added will be like cast iron, really hard.
BobT

[Dan C]

Thanks to all! I'm wondering if there are different kinds of Crazy glue? I thought they were all Cyanoacrylate (CA) and would therefore act pretty much the same. But maybe not.

Joggernot - could you tell me a little more about the glue you used? Was the actual glue itself, purple? Or were you referring to the container? If the glue was purple, did it turn clear when it dried? Was it CA? Did you use an accelerator? I have some accelerator, but couldn't figure out how to get it on the glue once I had the two pieces of wood held together.

Dan C.

[Joggernot]

Originally Posted by Dan C

Thanks to all! I'm wondering if there are different kinds of Crazy glue? I thought they were all Cyanoacrylate (CA) and would therefore act pretty much the same. But maybe not.

Joggernot - could you tell me a little more about the glue you used? Was the actual glue itself, purple? Or were you referring to the container? If the glue was purple, did it turn clear when it dried? Was it CA? Did you use an accelerator? I have some accelerator, but couldn't figure out how to get it on the glue once I had the two pieces of wood held together.

Dan C.

I'm going to try the baking sode idea because it's fun to experiment.

But it is Instant Krazy Glue, Color Change with Brush. Without getting out the magnifying glass, that's all it says. Yes, it is purple and the lid and label on the bottle are purple, but the glue turns clear after it dries. It can dry within a minute and leaves a very thin glue line. I had never heard of excellerator until I got on this forum, so I've never used it. Didn't know it existed. I have to be quick to get the pieces together or it will dry on me. I bought this at a hardware store, but it should be available in any crafts store or crafts section of a department store.

The bigger question is "why did I select this glue?"...I live in a small town and that's all the store had. Elmer's Wood Glue (yellow) is great if I'm quitting for the day. Just put on the glue; hold the pieces with tape overnight; and all is well.

I haven't experienced the brittleness, although I did break the tail off a dog three times, each time in a different spot. The Krazy Glue held fast. That's when I finally tried putting the Krazy Glue over the grain to strengthen it. It worked.

Joggernot

[Wildbirdcarver]

as a bird carver I have had to use crazy glue for years. Not all super glues are equal. Presently I'm uning Zap (got it Hobby Town). Put minimal amount on ONE surface, spray the other surface to be glued with accelerator and press together for 3-5 seconds. Works. I like the idea of using baking soda on the surface first and will try that soon.
I use the baking soda and super glue to build up the bird bill and then carve this very hard mixture. Put a straight pin into the bill and cut off the pin the correct length of the bill prior to the glue and soda.
Accelerator can be bought in 8 oz bottles, then transfer it to a small spray bottle. (buy the accelerator in the spray bottle first, then just refill it)

[Dan C]

Thanks all for your very helpful replies!

BobT - When I wrote my last response, I didn't see your reply posted yet. I think mine and yours were bouncing around out there in the ether somewhere. Thanks for your response about using baking soda. I'm going to try that later today on a couple of scraps.

Wildbirdcarver - Duhh! (smacking my forehead with the my hand.) Why didn't I think of putting accelerator on one side and the glue on the other? Thanks for the solution to that one! Going to try that later today also. The accelerator I have is in a pressurized spray can. I didn't know it came in 8 oz. bottles.

Joggernot - Thanks for your info. I'm going to look for purple Krazy Glue on my next trip to Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Sorry to hear about the knife fight. Got to keep your carving knives away from all those elf characters. Hope the other elf was OK.

Lynn - Thanks for your comment on paint not soaking in. Most of my pieces will be either dipped in BLO or painted with a very dilute acrylic so that the wood grain shows through and then dipped in BLO. I'm afraid that the CA will make the paint or stain look bad in that area. I need to experiment with that and see what it looks like.

Dan C