Thread: cyanoacrylate

I'm currently in the process of making my first scales. Inspired by Vlad's posts I wanted to give it a CA finish. After a few early experiments, I thought I had this down, but, boy, was I wrong...

How do you put it on the scale without glueing yourself and everything else around it (for now, I put a pin in the wedge hole which works, but not well)
How do you spread it evenly and thin? I'm getting little 'mountains' all over the place. Is it better to use the thin CA or the slightly thicker one? How long to wait before you sand it? What grit. When I tried with a 1000 it got all white... was it not dried, yet?

Any help would be greatly appreciated


Redwoood

BTW, those medium grit norton pads are really great for getting the CA off your fingers....

I like to use the very thinnest I can find, and build it up in layers. It seems to level better that way, although it takes longer to dry, it seems to me. I'll do as much of the scale as I'm not touching, then go back after that coat dries, and do the rest. Let dry and repeat as often as desired. When it's all dry, I use a scotch-brite (non-woven nylon abrasive) pad to sand it down to even thickness all over. Then sand with 1000 grit-2000 grit SiC paper, then buff the hell out of it. To spread the CA, I cut the finger out of a rubber glove, cover my index finger, and smear it that way.

I didn't actually bother with a glove - I just kept my finger moving quickly so it wouldn't stick and sanded it off my skin once it dried. Joe's method sounds safer.

Malcolm

Originally Posted by stot

I didn't actually bother with a glove - I just kept my finger moving quickly so it wouldn't stick and sanded it off my skin once it dried. Joe's method sounds safer.

Malcolm

Where's the smilie that bangs his forhead...

Where's the smilie that bangs his forhead...

Moments before discovering he's stuck his hand to his forehead...

The really stupid thing is, I actually had an appropriate glove not 2 feet away. I comfort myself by letting others learn from my mistakes.

Malcolm

so you guys apply several layers of CA first and then sand, as opposed to sanding in between ?

Originally Posted by stot

I comfort myself by letting others learn from my mistakes.

Malcolm

LOL thats a good way to look at it

Originally Posted by Redwoood

so you guys apply several layers of CA first and then sand, as opposed to sanding in between ?

ahem... bump

As long as you didn't put so much on that it bubbles, just keep adding the CA. If it bubbles at all... sand to 600 and reapply.

Alrighty, thanks Bill.
For some reason I have the feeling I'm gonna run low on 600 soon...

Redwoood