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Author Topic: Best Superglue Brand?  (Read 3910 times)

Online OSHIROmodels

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2019, 10:33:09 AM »
Yeah, not really recommended at home  lol Would do in a beer fridge though  :D
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Offline Mr Tough Guy

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #16 on: August 17, 2019, 11:42:53 AM »
Another easy way to increase it's shelf life is to keep it in an airtight container with a desiccant, some silica gel or something like rice. the way cyanoacrylate( the working part of superglue) works is by chain polymerisation in the presence of water, the humidity in the air is enough to start the process, so keeping moisture out will stop it from getting hard.

Offline ced1106

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #17 on: August 20, 2019, 05:18:00 AM »
Thanks for the tip. I don't like to work with Superglue because of the tips. I prefer to dip the end of a paper clip into the glue and use that as the applicator. This means I don't use the tubes, so use the screw-top bottles (and make sure the top doesn't get glued to the bottle!).
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Offline Brandlin

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2019, 11:31:18 AM »
There is a lot of nonsense talked about superglue.

You will find that almost every brand is packaged and labelled from only a handful of chemical plants that make the stuff, so the actual recipes are pretty much identical across brands.

The significant difference in the recipe of the glues affects the viscosity (thick/thinness). Basically to change the viscosity they add a thickening agent. This has some negative effects on the basic bond strength and speed of the glue. Thinner sets stronger and faster, thicker is slower and weaker. However the area in the bond is far higher with thicker, because it fills the gaps, so with poor mating surfaces thicker CA glue may provide a stronger joint.

CA glue is basically a very fast setting 2 part glue. One part is the chemical (resin based) and the second part is water. It is the contact between the glue and moisture that catalyses the cure.  That's why CA glue was originally intended to stick wounds together and also why it works underwater. You can see this by putting a drop of water on a drop of superglue and watch it skin over and go frosty. In setting the glue faster this also makes the adhesive more brittle than a slower cure. In very dry climates CA glue can be slow to set. One of the recommendations in setting CA glue is to blow on it, not because you are drying the glue, but because the humidity in your breath activates the cure.

CA glue also contains a retarder which is acidic in nature and this slows the cure time. Without this retarder the glue would be curing as it met the atmosphere coming out of the bottle.

Accelerator is just a water based solvent which carries an alkali compound to provide moisture to speed the cure and neuralise the acid in the glue. You can make Accelerator at home simply by mixing water with a little baking soda and putting it in a mister. Your home made stuff will make the joint cloudy whereas the solvents in professional accelerator don't - but basically ts the same stuff.

This is also why mixing CA glue and baking soda gives you a rock hard 'filler'. But remember 'hard' is not the same as 'strong'. And what you need in a successful glue joint is predominantly strength and toughness.

There is a lot of talk about accelerator strengthening a glued joint - and it's simply not true. If anything accelerator will weaken a bond by causing similar brittleness issues to water.

Accelerator is handy because you don't need to hold awkwardly shaped parts in place while the glue cures - which even for just a few seconds can be a pain for things like heads on bodies. I've usually found that trying to hold most things in place and then letting go with one hand to reach for accelerator means i need 3 hands and my 2 hands are better spent holding the item for like 30 seconds while it cures.

As with most issues to do with gluing things together, getting a good bonding area is the biggest variable. Yes, you can use a thicker CA glue (or a CA gel which is really just very thick CA glue), but remember these are all just additives to the basic formula and although they will fill any gap, they also weaken the bond somewhat. Whether that weakness matters is a mostly dependent on your application.

I suspect that none of this is helping the OP make a decision :-)

My answer then is that my preferred CA glue is the one with the nozzle that clogs least and lasts longest without getting gunked up, and allows me fine control of where i put it.  For that reason and that reason alone i usually use Roket or Zap-a-Gap.

Offline Cait Sidhe

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #19 on: August 20, 2019, 12:20:24 PM »
Poundland superglue is what I use, the Tommy Walsh approved own brand.  ;)

It's genuinely one of the best glues I've used, it's fairly runny and dries real quick. The nozzle can get get clogged but they provide a drawing pin in the pack to unblock it. ;D

Offline Orctrader

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #20 on: August 20, 2019, 07:29:58 PM »
...superglue from Poundland.

Is what I use.

I have used some expensive copies  ::) on occasion but never saw any difference apart from the (higher) price.

Offline zemjw

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #21 on: August 20, 2019, 08:10:50 PM »
I have used the poundland stuff, but I had a tube go solid on me after one use, which was annoying. Granted, you get a bunch of tubes, but still...

Unfortunately I seem to have developed a bit of a reaction to superglue in general - major headaches and sinus issues, despite wearing a mask and having the kitchen fan running :'(

I picked up some odourless superglue from Amazon. It's flippin' expensive, but so far hasn't caused any headaches :)

Offline Cubs

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #22 on: August 20, 2019, 08:18:12 PM »
Poundland superglue is what I use, the Tommy Walsh approved own brand.  ;)

It's genuinely one of the best glues I've used, it's fairly runny and dries real quick. The nozzle can get get clogged but they provide a drawing pin in the pack to unblock it. ;D

Same, you get a decent splash of glue in the bottle and it does the job. But to be honest, I don't go out of my way to get it and really just buy a bunch of tubes on a card for £1 from whatever cheapo shop is near. I made a little stand a while back that sits the tubes upright so the nozzles clog less. If they do set or go manky, they get thrown and I reach for the next one, secure in the knowledge I've lost about 10p of glue.
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Offline Cosmotiger

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #23 on: August 21, 2019, 06:46:10 PM »
I do like the Gorilla Glue superglue bottle, it has a good secure screw-on cap that seems to keep out air and prevent the glue from drying up/thickening prematurely.

But barring that, as other have said, I usually buy the  packs of 3-4 small tubes  from a dollar store/discount store. They seem to work fine, and if they dry up, no big loss.

Offline MagpieJono

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #24 on: August 21, 2019, 08:30:03 PM »
Is what I use.

I have used some expensive copies  ::) on occasion but never saw any difference apart from the (higher) price.

This.

Tommy Walsh approved glue from Poundland every time. Three tubes for a pound. Even comes with a de-clogging pin and a few precision application nozzles. If one brings up or goes off chuck it away and start again.

Offline fred

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #25 on: August 21, 2019, 08:44:19 PM »
I’ve definitely seen differences between the really cheap Poundland / Home bargains super glue and more expensive ones.

Recently I have been adding a lot of pikes to 10mm figures, with the cheap superglue, they just wouldn’t stick in place. With gorilla glue, they stuck very easily. Which is important for doing 40-50 figures who are fiddly at best, without getting runny glue on your fingers.

I’ve had similar results when building artillery.

For basing and the like, then the cheap super glue is fine.

The problem with the expensive stuff, is that it often dries up in the nozzle. Which is much more of a pain when the tube costs £2-3, rather then 20p.

Offline JamesValentine

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #26 on: August 22, 2019, 10:16:45 AM »
I've not encountered any issues with Gorilla yet and rather like their brush on stuff.
I try to get it on offer though. sometimes Lidl or wilkinsons have it a quid or two cheaper.

Offline Doug ex-em4

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #27 on: September 08, 2019, 06:53:23 PM »
Thanks for some excellent contributions and especially to Brandlin for his interesting and informative exposition on the subject.

Doug

Offline dampfpanzerwagon

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #28 on: September 14, 2019, 08:28:41 PM »

Offline Meier_Elf_Fanatic

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Re: Best Superglue Brand?
« Reply #29 on: September 17, 2019, 08:04:10 AM »
The absolute best, based on about 40,000 models is Bob Smith Industries..... I have never had a failure or misting. I accept no substitutes.
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