# how can you tell CA glue is bad?



## mywoodshopca (Apr 4, 2009)

Just bought a new bottle of thin CA, has a different batch code then the others and 1/2 the things I turn out on it is either foggy once I take it off the lathe or turns a bit cloudy by the next morning..

I have had a (pretty much) foolproof method of 5-6 coats thin CA, hit with accel, rub for a second until it heats up and shines using plastic polish, then another 1-2 coats CA - accel then a quick wipe with plastic polish.. I know some people dont recommend accel, but I have no problems with it...

I even tried one without CA and got the same cloud...

Other methods I tried were DBLO then the above method, and acetone and the above method..

The woods were not oily, very dry and were maple, cherry and madrone burl.  I did a batch of 14 secret compartment keychains and 6 were cloudy and had to redo them.. of that 6, 4 were cloudy on the second refinish.

The temperture in the basement stays about the same 24/7 so its not a weather issue.. 

All things point to the CA..? I was going to go get another, but what if the whole batch is bad or old?

Any way to tell before buying? I use the mercury adhesives M5T thin CA from http://www.greathobbies.com/productinfo/?prod_id=MER5T2


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## Woodlvr (Apr 4, 2009)

Jason,  just a quick thought, more of a question really, have you tried not using the same products on top of the CA and seeing if you still have a problem?


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 4, 2009)

Hi Mike,

Yes, I tried just letting the CA airdry once and it still fogged up a bit 

Went to try another today and ended up fighting a battle right now with snow melting (better melting then staying lol) .. Seems the $$$$ basement repair of all new weeping tiles and sump pump last fall is not working like it should.. water pouring in and hope the sumppump can keep up.. got most valuable stuff off the bare floor (most of my shop was still in boxes from when I moved here last fall then had shoulder surgery so I never had a chance to unpack alot of it yet)  The fun never ends!!!! lol


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## hunter-27 (Apr 4, 2009)

I could be wrong but water in basement= moisture in air=ca does not like moisture= cloudiness??


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 4, 2009)

hunter-27 said:


> I could be wrong but water in basement= moisture in air=ca does not like moisture= cloudiness??


 

Its possible, but the melting just started today.. yesterday everything was bone dry.. ?

If thats the case, I should pick a new hobby until....  A: The basement guy fixes it properly, B: It finally drys up.. :biggrin:


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## hunter-27 (Apr 4, 2009)

mywoodshopca said:


> Its possible, but the melting just started today.. yesterday everything was bone dry.. ?
> 
> If thats the case, I should pick a new hobby until.... A: The basement guy fixes it properly, B: It finally drys up.. :biggrin:


 
Well my "shop" is not a very controlled climate and my finishes stuggle when there is snow on the ground and worse while its melting. By the way here is a view out my front door today it was awhile awhile ago, not much has changed except the white stuff is deeper:


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 4, 2009)

hunter-27 said:


> Well my "shop" is not a very controlled climate and my finishes stuggle when there is snow on the ground and worse while its melting. By the way here is a view out my front door today it was awhile awhile ago, not much has changed except the white stuff is deeper:


 
Ouch... A few days ago we had Tshirt weather (7C/44.6F) and then the following day we got about 15 inches of snow.. Now today we have 15C/59F)  Still a few feet to melt.. hopefully I wont be needing a boat to go from shop end to shop end lol


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## Woodlvr (Apr 4, 2009)

Cmon over and you can use my shop all that you want.   It is 16' X 24' and there is plenty of room. I can send you some of the freezing temps we have so that you can stop the flow.:biggrin:


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 4, 2009)

Woodlvr said:


> Cmon over and you can use my shop all that you want. It is 16' X 24' and there is plenty of room. I can send you some of the freezing temps we have so that you can stop the flow.:biggrin:


 
Sounds tempting.. but I like the warmer weather.. Wifes from Kansas and likes the cool weather, I am from up here in the frozen north and hate the cool weather lol


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## maxwell_smart007 (Apr 4, 2009)

Frozen north?  I thought you were from PEI?  

Still forcasting -15c tonight...blah! I'm ready for spring!


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 4, 2009)

maxwell_smart007 said:


> Frozen north? I thought you were from PEI?


 

Feels like it! lol


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## Woodlvr (Apr 4, 2009)

Andrew, Please take more of the cold air farther north towards you,  please. :tongue::biggrin: Down here around SLC, Utah and right now we are right above the bottom edge of the storm:frown:. 

Jason, I hope that it warms up so that your basement will dry up.


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## themartaman (Apr 5, 2009)

Been building RC planes with ca for years. It does not go bad, just gets thicker and thicker. Putting it in a zip lock bag in fridge will extend life. All CA glues have the same main ingredient made by Kodak. Hot Stuff and Zap are 2 of the oldest brands. Only ones I use. Ask mercury adhesives about the clouding or look for Frank Tiano with google and ask him. If he does not know I doubt anyone does.


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## Rodger Bagwell (Apr 5, 2009)

was 70F here yesterday supposed to go down to low 30"s tonight....hows that for a temp swing


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 5, 2009)

themartaman said:


> Been building RC planes with ca for years. It does not go bad, just gets thicker and thicker. Putting it in a zip lock bag in fridge will extend life. All CA glues have the same main ingredient made by Kodak. Hot Stuff and Zap are 2 of the oldest brands. Only ones I use. Ask mercury adhesives about the clouding or look for Frank Tiano with google and ask him. If he does not know I doubt anyone does.


 

Thanks 

The first few bottles I had of this had no clouding at all.. very strange..

Thanks on the tip of extending the life


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 5, 2009)

Rodger Bagwell said:


> was 70F here yesterday supposed to go down to low 30"s tonight....hows that for a temp swing


 
Ouch!


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## shadow man (Apr 5, 2009)

Are you sure the woods were well cured (dry).I have had a similiar issue with some walnut that came from a friends yard. I thought the wood was very dry however I got clouding from the ca after a day or so. The only thing I could fiqure was the the wood was not as dry as I thought.
Hope this might help
George


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## mywoodshopca (Apr 5, 2009)

shadow man said:


> Are you sure the woods were well cured (dry).I have had a similiar issue with some walnut that came from a friends yard. I thought the wood was very dry however I got clouding from the ca after a day or so. The only thing I could fiqure was the the wood was not as dry as I thought.
> Hope this might help
> George


 

Hi George,

Yep.. the maple was sitting for about 10 years drying and never had a problem with the previous bottle 2 weeks earier.. the Cherry.. kiln about a year ago.. the madrone, got on here and it was really light and dry.

Thanks Jason


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## marcruby (Apr 5, 2009)

I saw on one of the glue manufacturers sites not long ago (I thing I got the URL here) that CA glue has to be formulated to prevent clouding.  I suspect that some of the more cheaply made CA's aren't.

ZAP has a Canopy Glue (Formula 560) which is specifically formulated to stay clear.  I'm sure there are others,

Marc


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## workinforwood (Apr 5, 2009)

Mold...if your CA is moldy and your brother uses it to repair a chip in his tooth..you might be a redneck.


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