Not all cyanoacrylate glues are equal

MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Not all cyanoacrylate glues are equal

Posted by MikeV on Friday, January 2, 2004 5:17 PM

I bought this tube of Elmer's Instant Krazy Glue Advanced Formula Extra Strength Gel a while back and I have come to the conclusion that it is worthless. I am going to the LHS and getting another bottle of the only cyanoacrylate glue that I have ever used or trusted and that is Zap-A-Gap.
This junk I have here is going in the garbage. Banged Head [banghead]

Thanks for letting me vent. SoapBox [soapbox]

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 2, 2004 5:33 PM

Funny you should mention this. I had some of this Elmer's stuff, and I thought it was junk too! Zap-A-Gap is the one that works for me. You wouldn't think there is much, if any, difference.

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Friday, January 2, 2004 5:47 PM

Thanks leopold, at least I am not alone. Wink [;)]

Maybe there is a real small concentration of the glue in the Elmer's?
I couldn't answer that. Maybe Gip could educate us a little? Wink [;)]

I tried to glue two pieces of glass back together that had been glued years ago with Zap and even after holding them together for at least 30 seconds this Elmer's Krazy Glue did not hold at all. I doubt you could glue your fingers together with this garbage. Disapprove [V]

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 5, 2004 1:58 AM

try LocTite Gel - grey bottle with blue squeeze dispenser. will come out in small applications for applying with the tip or toothpick and will hold plastic and photoetch. I really like it for small photoetch as it holds it in place while you move it around for positioning for about 30 seconds before it hardens. You still get the white stuff after it dries but this will come off with a stiff brush rubbed over it.

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Monday, January 5, 2004 8:36 AM

Thanks loggerbruce but I think I will stick with Zap as I used it a lot years ago when I built R/C sailplanes and it never failed me.

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 5, 2004 9:49 AM

Zap-A-Gap here!

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mark956

Member since
February 2003
From: USA

Posted by mark956 on Tuesday, January 6, 2004 12:03 AM

Sounds like zap-a-gap is a good glue to try. I might have to buy some.
mark956

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renarts

Member since
April 2003
From: Sunny Florida

Posted by renarts on Tuesday, January 6, 2004 12:26 AM

I used both the thick gel zap and the thin quick dry zap. When it was time to get some new glue I thought I'd try the Loc Tite products. They make a thick gel and a quick set thin glue. They seem to be comparable with the Zap so far.

Mike

Mike "Imagination is the dye that colors our lives" Marcus Aurellius A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 6, 2004 12:40 AM

i tried that elmers garbage also..... JUNK!!!

Zap-A-Gap all the way here!!!! I use the thicker stuff...... with the accelerator!!!!

one tip though, if some of the ZAG leaked onto your finger, don't spray the accelerator!!!! It will give you a nasty chemical burn!!! found that out the hard way!!!

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Saturday, January 17, 2004 9:05 PM

Hey guys,

What is the difference that you Zap users have found between regular Zap and Zap-A-Gap in terms of properties?
I went to the hobby shop this evening and wanted some Zap-A-Gap as that is what I have always used and all they had was the regular Zap with the hot pink colored label on it, so I bought that. Is it just a little slower? Faster? Thinner? Confused [%-)]

Thanks

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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FreedomEagle1953

Member since
December 2012

Posted by FreedomEagle1953 on Saturday, January 17, 2004 10:06 PM

I am not sure ... the stuff I had a while back could have been Elmer's ... but can't say for sure ... tossed it ... might have well been spitting on the parts for all the stick-um that CA had ... I like the ZAP brand too ... Approve [^]

FreedomEagle1953

Chicago, IL area

"keep on building 'em ... but don't glue your fingers together"

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Saturday, January 17, 2004 10:57 PM

Thanks Steve.

From what I found on Zap's web site it appears that the regular Zap is thinner and faster.

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 18, 2004 1:07 AM

I've come to the same conclusion, when I used Plasti Zap a few weeks ago. I chucked the rest of my superglue. I also had some basic CA made by the same place for the LHS. Have you seen those??? It's all the same stuff, but they put on a label with the LHS info on it, and it seems that every hobby shop in San Diego has them. It's also junk!!! LOL

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dostacos

Member since
December 2003
From: Los Angeles

Posted by dostacos on Thursday, January 22, 2004 10:47 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV

I bought this tube of Elmer's Instant Krazy Glue Advanced Formula Extra Strength Gel a while back and I have come to the conclusion that it is worthless. I am going to the LHS and getting another bottle of the only cyanoacrylate glue that I have ever used or trusted and that is Zap-A-Gap.
This junk I have here is going in the garbage.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Mike

there are many different formulas of CA. We ended up with $45 a bottle stuff for a specialized use in my old company [gluing two different types of plastic that became the pylon of artificial legs] and I currently use a different $45 a bottle of the stuff to glue certain types of soles of shoes for shoe lifts, cheap shoes that I have to work with Sad [:(]

]

be glad ours are only a few bucks a bottle Cool [8D]

Dan support your 2nd amendment rights to keep and arm bears!

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 23, 2004 2:24 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by kik36

I also had some basic CA made by the same place for the LHS. Have you seen those??? It's all the same stuff, but they put on a label with the LHS info on it, and it seems that every hobby shop in San Diego has them. It's also junk!!! LOL

I've got some of the same stuff with my LHS on it! I've been wondering about that stuff. I'm going to replace it with the good stuff on my way home from work today...

Murray

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karlwb

Member since
May 2003

Posted by karlwb on Sunday, February 8, 2004 2:53 PM

I've had a couple of tubes of 21st Century CA, is been ok but not brilliant - i've had a few non-stick cases.

I normally use 'Loctite' CA, but I have some Zap that is supposed to be fume less so it reduces the chance of fogging clear parts.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 8, 2004 3:41 PM

I too looked at Zap's website. So many to choose from. Where do you start?
Which ones apply to our hobby?

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Sunday, February 8, 2004 6:04 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by Kingbone

I too looked at Zap's website. So many to choose from. Where do you start?
Which ones apply to our hobby?

The most used ones for modeling are the Plastic Zap, Zap-A-Gap, and regular Zap.
I prefer the Zap-A-Gap myself as it is better at gap filling and is not quite as fast as regular Zap which is real thin.

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 8, 2004 10:07 PM

Thanks Mike!

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 12:18 AM

I've got a couple tubes of worthless Elmer's crazy glue too.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 5:51 PM

personally, i like a local hobby shop brand... from "richmond rc" which is near where i live, so shipping should be cheap, lowers price al ot... $5 for a 1 ounce thin-fastcure. i used maybe 4 grams... oh it comes with those l33t squeeze things and neele thing

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 25, 2004 1:54 PM

Loctite make something like 25 different CA glues, and one made for plastic will not work on metal. Most CA glues are activated by the moisture in the surface of the things that you glue ( thats why it sticks so well to fingers ) so if you have wiped the surface with alcohol or another degreasing agent before you applied the glue, then that can be the reason it doesn' t work, because you have removed the moisture from the surface.

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Torio

Member since
December 2002
From: Cornebarrieu (near Blagnac), France

Posted by Torio on Thursday, March 25, 2004 6:40 PM

I believe we don't get Zap glue in France, but I may be wrong. I tried several models, as does everyone, and I like best the Loctite Control; in fact , it's a mere tube put inside a kind of bottle with two buttons aside to press the tube; yes, but this two buttons make a great difference as to control the glue pouring; I always stock two or three of these bottles in my fridge as a spare.

Thank you all for coming José

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