# My Experiment "We have been hoodwinked"



## shadetree_1 (Jun 23, 2013)

As we all know sometimes a piece of wood needs a little TLC to be able to work with it, and for the most part our go to fixer is CA with a little "accelerator or activator" as the case may be to help it set faster so it can be worked sooner, and we have all paid $3 or more for a 2 oz bottle of this miracle compound I'm sure.

Recently a friend told me that I was wasting money on this " miracle compound" but would not tell me why, he asked me what the the activator did when you sprayed it on the CA and I told him that it beaded up and ran off little water, he said and I quote " there you go "gave me a couple of hints and told me to figure it out, so I did.

Below you will see 2 different pen blanks, the first of the pictures is of a blank with a small crack, picture #2 shows the blank with thin CA applied and sprayed with the activator, ( the activator turns white and the CA is set and it can be sanded ) picture #3 shows the blank sanded.

The last 3 pictures show, picture #1 a blank with a small crack, picture #2 shows the blank with CA applied and sprayed with the CA set and ready to be sanded( but not with activator) and picture #3 shows the blank sanded, looks like the same result to me.

I'm sure some others already know this trick but I'm a latecomer so bare with me.

The result to me is the same and this was brought about with a Home Depot 99 cent spray bottle and plain tap water! I'm sure some may think that the old man has gone off his rocker but Pictures don't lie! All I know it that I'll never spend $3 for a 2 oz bottle of their activator ever again!

I think we have had the wool pulled over our eyes for too long. 


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## Kevin (Jun 23, 2013)

Joe, I think I got them arranged properly for you (?).


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## shadetree_1 (Jun 23, 2013)

Kevin said:


> Joe, I think I got them arranged properly for you (?).



Thank you sir.


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## sbwertz (Jun 23, 2013)

I learned that water will "activate" CA by trying to wash wet CA off my hands. It ACTIVATES it and it gets HOT!!!!


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## Patrude (Jun 23, 2013)

shadetree_1 said:


> As we all know sometimes a piece of wood needs a little TLC to be able to work with it, and for the most part our go to fixer is CA with a little "accelerator or activator" as the case may be to help it set faster so it can be worked sooner, and we have all paid $3 or more for a 2 oz bottle of this miracle compound I'm sure.
> 
> Recently a friend told me that I was wasting money on this " miracle compound" but would not tell me why, he asked me what the the activator did when you sprayed it on the CA and I told him that it beaded up and ran off little water, he said and I quote " there you go "gave me a couple of hints and told me to figure it out, so I did.
> 
> ...


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## barry richardson (Jun 23, 2013)

I think CA does just fine without accelerator, but when your attacking 2 pieces together, its nice to have it set instantly, instead of having to hold it together by hand for a few minutes. If your saying that water works as well as accelerator, that is a revelation to me! I will have to check it out next time I'm in the shop. Like you said, that stuff is pricey!


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## shadetree_1 (Jun 23, 2013)

sbwertz said:


> I learned that water will "activate" CA by trying to wash wet CA off my hands. It ACTIVATES it and it gets HOT!!!!



Yep, smokes and gets hot and the fumes really suck but it works!


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## shadetree_1 (Jun 23, 2013)

barry richardson said:


> I think CA does just fine without accelerator, but when your attacking 2 pieces together, its nice to have it set instantly, instead of having to hold it together by hand for a few minutes. If your saying that water works as well as accelerator, that is a revelation to me! I will have to check it out next time I'm in the shop. Like you said, that stuff is pricey!



Don't know that it will work for joining 2 pieces Barry because when you spray it with water it sets instantly and you can wipe the excess water off with a finger and the CA is set hard and solid and not in the least tacky.


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## Final Strut (Jun 23, 2013)

This may work for a quick fix on a cracked blank but water and CA do not play well. You may find that as the blanks is turned and finished the crack may show up as a very faint white line. CA does not like moisture of any kind. Once it is cured it will repel water but if any moisture gets under the CA disaster can strike. If you have a pen that is made from a blank that had not been dried properly and try to put a CA finish on it 9 out of 10 times the finish will turn cloudy or ghost as it is referred to. I have had this happen and believe me after you put a significant amount of time and effort into a project and the CA finish clouds on you it is about enough to make you want to puke.


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## sbwertz (Jun 23, 2013)

My father built RC model airplanes, and he used Acetone as an accelerator for CA. Misted it on with a spray bottle.


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## shadetree_1 (Jun 23, 2013)

Final Strut said:


> This may work for a quick fix on a cracked blank but water and CA do not play well. You may find that as the blanks is turned and finished the crack may show up as a very faint white line. CA does not like moisture of any kind. Once it is cured it will repel water but if any moisture gets under the CA disaster can strike. If you have a pen that is made from a blank that had not been dried properly and try to put a CA finish on it 9 out of 10 times the finish will turn cloudy or ghost as it is referred to. I have had this happen and believe me after you put a significant amount of time and effort into a project and the CA finish clouds on you it is about enough to make you want to puke.



My experiment was done with the water sprayed on top of the CA after the crack was filled with the CA, all it takes is a very light mist to cover the CA with but very little pressure on the water bottle so as to not push the CA away from or out of the crack, I am very familar with the ghosting you speak of having delt with it more times than I want to remember and at this time I have not had that problem working this the way I have, however I'm not saying it won't happen, just not up to this time and I have repaired and good number of blanks this way but Murphy is a close cousin of mine and he sticks pretty close at times so I'm sure my turn is coming.


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## JonLanier (Jun 23, 2013)

The definitely worth looking into.

This might be one of those things like applying CA to a pen. Everyone has a different method.

Tap water
Bottled water
Distilled water


????? Who knows, but I'm to curious now not to give it a try. :i_dunno:


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