In the online video tip, “Easy-to-carve diamond beading,” Charles Shackleton mentioned a product:
“You might accidentally pop a bead off…don’t panic, because we use a thing called ‘hot shot glue’ and you can quickly glue it back again in a matter of seconds and nobody’ll know the difference.”
A Google search on “hotshot glue” came up with two products. One is an accelerant for glue, and the other is a glue that is used for taking fingerprints. Is either of these what Mr. Shackleton is talking about?
Janet
Replies
Hot Shot is a brand name for a line of good quality super glues, but you can find something similar, that should work, at almost any hardware store. You are looking for a thickened version of super glue meant for porous materials, several companies make it.
Curiously, super glue vapors stick to fingerprints and the glues are used in forensic work which is why you found the other reference.
John W.
As mentioned, Hot Shot is superglue, or cyano-something that never seems to come out right. You can get it a Woodcraft, I do know. Bear in mind it comes in two or three thicknesses...I keep the thick, gap-filling variety and the regular, thin-as-water variety in my shop.
I started using it when I was learning to turn bowls. Occasionally there would be a check or crack in a bowl that could be filled with the stuff, and it would finish out beautifully.
Remember that super glue is fast setting...especially if you get it on your fingers. Also, it creates a very strong but brittle joint. Perfect for the application you describe, but not good for cabinet making.
In the early episodes of CSI-Las Vegas they actually used a bottle of Hot Shot in the lab for fingerprint detection...now that's attention to detail!
BTW, the best selection of cyanoacrylate glues I've seen are at hobby shops: the places that sell RC-controlled cars and airplanes. You can choose from several different levels of viscosity, depending on application.
Hot shot also called Super-T, is cyanoacrylate glue, same stuff as Krazy Glue. When it says on the warning label that it "bonds skin instantly," believe it - they mean Instantly!
I never carve without a bottle of the medium-thickness Super-T, and a bottle of the accelerant, handy. You pop off a bit, or even just raise a splinter, and you can immediately put it right back down and carry on. The fumes are nasty though, and overuse might lead to allergic reaction.
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
AlbianWood -
How do you use the accellerator? Do you spray it on the wood first, or afterwards?
For instance, when filling checks in wood.
I've used the cyan glues but never with an accelerator.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
You can do it either way, depending on the situation. Usually when filling checks I add the glue first, then hit it with the accelerant; but if you are filling a large void, it's better to spray some accelerant into the void first, wait about 30 to 60 seconds, then start adding the Hot Stuff. (If you add the glue too soon, the accelerant will cause it to foam.) For this you would use the thick formulas - Yellow or Green labels, depending on how big the void is.
Another void-filling trick is to spray in the accelerant, then pack the void with very fine sawdust, then add Hot Stuff, using the low-viscosity formula (the Red label). CA glue has extremely low surface tension, so the thin formula will soak right into the sawdust, and the accelerant will cause it to set up before it soaks too far into the wood.
Doing it this way does have some drawbacks. As noted, the accelerant can cause foaming, so you might end up with voids in your void-filling. Worse, the accelerant is extremely effective, and can cause the glue to begin setting up in the nozzle of the container! You have to allow the glue to drip out of the nozzle onto the work; if you place the tip right onto the work, you can lose the whole bottle. That's why, for check-filling, I usually put the glue in first.
For instant repair of carving pop-offs, I use the Yellow-label glue. Spray a little accelerant onto the work, then add a drop of glue to the broken-off part, and use tweezers if possible to stick the part in place. Or, add the glue first, stick the parts together, then hit it with accelerant. Works either way.
The biggest PITA about this stuff is that you need to wear nitrile-rubber gloves before even picking up the bottle. The tiniest little drip can instantly cement the bottle to your fingers, or stick your fingers to each other. Of course I violate this rule myself all the time, and occasionally regret it. Keep some acetone handy - it will soften the glue if you get to it quickly.
The second worst thing about this is the vapor. The accelerant is extremely volatile (much more than acetone!) and, while it has a sweetish floral smell, it can be an irritant and you can readily develop a sensitivity to it. Also, the reaction between the glue and accelerant sometimes gives off a fume that is quite nasty. So you have to be very careful and do this with good ventilation, and limit your exposure as much as possible."Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
Edited 11/15/2004 12:21 pm ET by AlbionWood
Thanks!
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Try "Hot Stuff" instead of Hot Shot??
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
Dennis is right--there is also Hot Stuff glue. There are lots of choices among this type of instant glue; is there one that is better than the rest?
Come to think of it, replacing a popped-off chunk of wood requires careful positioning. I guess you wouldn't want a glue that bonds immediately.
Janet
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