# Any Way to Thin, Thickened CA?



## glwalker (Dec 12, 2011)

I've have some med and thin CA for a while now and both have thickened.  I was thinking for utility purposes only I'd combine the two just to use the stuff up.  But if there is a way to thin them out without changing there glueing characteristics, I'd consider that also.

Any suggestions?

Thanks


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## Dalecamino (Dec 12, 2011)

I've always just tossed the stuff and, order more from Indy-Pen-Dance. I'd be interested to see some answers to your question though. I have a bottle of thin that is getting thicker now. Half a bottle. I suppose I could start making more wood pens :redface:


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## snyiper (Dec 12, 2011)

When it gets thicker I just use it for around the house repairs that pop up. I wonder if acetone could thin it?
Guess not I just ran across this:
Subject: 
Re: thinning ca glue
Posted By: 
Emmett Manley, Lakeland, TN
Date: 
11/2/2010, 10:07 pm 
Response To: 
thinning ca glue (eliot d) 

Emmett Manley, Lakeland, TN 
The following paragraphs I wrote for our club newsletter may be of interest. 
We won�t drift off too far into the chemistry of CA glues, but they are a family of monomers which become linked together, or polymerized, when exposed to hydroxyl ions. Please remember that water is H2O, or HOH, or hydrogen hydroxide, so water provides a good source of hydroxyl ions. There is a huge difference in the setup time for CA glues in my humid garage shop in July (very quick) versus the dry air of an air conditioned studio or my shop on a cold day in December (much slower). 
There is not a single cyanoacrylate -- the short chain CA�s (methyl and ethyl) set up faster and form somewhat stronger bonds than do the heavier, or long chain, CA�s. The short chain CA glues are the �thin� glues and the bigger the molecule, the more viscous the glue -- marketed as �medium� and �thick� CA glues. Many of the cyanoacrylate glues are mixtures of the monomers, along with a little acid to keep the glues from setting up until neutralized by the hydroxyl ions. Other thickening agents may be added. Much of this is proprietary information and the adhesive companies do not provide more information than they are forced to disclose. When I first started using the thin/medium/thick CA glues, I figured they were all the same stuff but just diluted more or less with acetone. That is not the case, the cyanoacrylates are different. You can dilute your CA glue with acetone, but you will just be weakening the resulting bond because you are providing less glue.


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## sbell111 (Dec 12, 2011)

I think that I read that you can mix them if they are the same brand, but I'm not sure.  That being said, my favorite CA in the shop is a bottle of thick stuff that has thickened to almost a gel.  It takes longer to cure than the new stuff, but it is great to work with.


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## terryf (Dec 12, 2011)

Why not use it as thick to fill gaps etc and like you say, get some new thin stuff?


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## SDB777 (Dec 12, 2011)

Use it for the wood that requires 20 coats to get a finish on it....sure will be a thick layer for a finish!  Then give Monty a shout, and order more!




Scott (Monty has awesome prices) B


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## Monty (Dec 12, 2011)

No way to thin it. It has started the hardening process but it will still work as intended until it becomes a rock.


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## Jgrden (Dec 13, 2011)

SDB777 said:


> Use it for the wood that requires 20 coats to get a finish on it....sure will be a thick layer for a finish!  Then give Monty a shout, and order more!
> 
> 
> 
> Scott (Monty has awesome prices) B


 Exactly what happened to me and why I called Monty today.


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## Texatdurango (Dec 13, 2011)

Ya'll do what you want by continuing to use the CA when it starts getting thick (old) but not me.

In the past few months I have been using CA that was starting to thicken, the thin was about the same as medium and the medium was about like the thick.  I made and sold several pens then got a couple calls that a few of the pens were full of hairline cracks.  Then a few weeks ago I opened my pen case and to my horror four stars and stripes pens all had hairline cracks as well as a few other pens.  

I ordered some fresh CA and redid all the pens and no problems now.

All in all it cost me the trust of a few good repeat customers and a WHOLE lot of rework on the messed up pens.  Luckily I was able to dissasemble all the pens and redo the finishes without loosing any blanks and I was sure worried about sanding back into and ruining the tiny stars on the stars and stripes kits. 

I learned my lesson the hard way....... To quit being cheap trying to squeeze every last drop from a bottle that by all rights should be tossed or at least used on non-pen finishing tasks.


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## PenMan1 (Dec 13, 2011)

Well said, George. 

Almost everytime I order CA from Monty, I order the big bottles to get the price break, but I also order the empty 2 oz bottles too.

As soon as the CA arrives, I break all of the 16 OZ bottles into 2 oz bottles (actually closer to 3 OZ, because I fill them completely, seal them and refrigerate them). 

If I have to toss that open 2 OZ bottle (GA heat and humidity is Hell on CA) that was left on the workbench, SO WHAT!

Enough of those "my pen cracked" calls will ruin your reputation!


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## Monty (Dec 13, 2011)

Monty said:


> ... but it will still work as intended until it becomes a rock.


Should have qualified this by saying as a glue, not necessarily for finishing.


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## nava1uni (Dec 13, 2011)

This is one of the reasons that I buy in small container, even though it cost a little more.  I am more apt to use it all and not have to throw too much away.  If it does get thick I just throw it away.


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