Is "thin" super glue what you would find at a Lowes?

BB Brown · #1 03-01-2012, 05:51 PM

First time doing a small repair, seems I need "thin" super glue. Is it what you would find at a hardware store or super market? If not, other than online, who might carry it?
Cheers

Jeff M · #2 03-01-2012, 05:55 PM

What kind of "repair" are you doing?
Chances are better than good you don't want super glue at all.

RustyAxe · #3 03-01-2012, 06:05 PM

Any good hobby shop. It's used extensively in model building. It would likely be referred to as "CA" (cyanoacrylic).

BB Brown · #4 03-01-2012, 06:17 PM

Repairing a hairline crack in the bridge. No bridge plate problems...just the crack that I can tell.
Thanks

dchristo · #5 03-01-2012, 06:35 PM

the stuff at lowes is medium...you can get thin at places like woodcraft, rockler or hobby stores....if you want to buy online, wooden wonders is the cheapest place Ive ever seen

http://woodenwonderstx.com/ZC_Wooden...=index&cPath=1

gitnoob · #6 03-01-2012, 06:42 PM

There are various formulations out there. My local Ace carries something called "Loctite Super Glue Precision." Seems to be about the same viscosity as the thin "Hot Stuff" CA.

Is the crack in the bridge along the line of pin holes? If so, that's a structural failure rather than, say, dryness. Couldn't hurt to have a luthier look at it.

Sombras · #7 03-01-2012, 06:51 PM

Yup, the thin CA you want is usually found at a hobby shop. I've got years of experience working with CAs and other adhesives and wood. WATCH OUT with thin CA. It's thinner than water, runs faster than lightning, and can get in every place you DON'T want it if you're not super careful or don't have experience with it. There are very thin "tube" applicators that help limit the amount that comes out of the bottle, again available at hobby shops.

Good luck with your repair. Oh, it never hurts to have a small bottle of good CA debonder right next to you when you're using thin CA as well!

BB Brown · #8 03-01-2012, 06:53 PM

Thanks for the help. I did have a luthier look at it and it's only the surface. He's great, but I forgot to ask what glue to use. While searching the internet it seems thin super glue is often used. I am going to take a stab at it myself...and keep an eye on the pins etc. It's not an expensive guitar and so I figure I can have a little fun with it.

ljguitar · #9 03-01-2012, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BB Brown

Thanks for the help. I did have a luthier look at it and it's only the surface. He's great, but I forgot to ask what glue to use. While searching the internet it seems thin super glue is often used. I am going to take a stab at it myself...and keep an eye on the pins etc. It's not an expensive guitar and so I figure I can have a little fun with it.

HI BBb...

I would not be gluing a bridge crack with pins still in it…and I'd watch my fingertips and table tops (and guitar top).

JimR · #10 03-01-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BB Brown

Thanks for the help. I did have a luthier look at it and it's only the surface. He's great, but I forgot to ask what glue to use. While searching the internet it seems thin super glue is often used. I am going to take a stab at it myself...and keep an eye on the pins etc. It's not an expensive guitar and so I figure I can have a little fun with it.

That's the spirit......go for it. The faint of heart will never have the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of a successful gamble!

MikeD · #11 03-01-2012, 07:52 PM

Not sure if you're located near a tackle shop, or better yet a flyfishing shop, because they usually carry the thin stuff since it's good at penetrating threads & stacked materials and it works well for a knot dressing as it easily penetrates any knot you can tie.

Jamie9 · #12 03-01-2012, 08:04 PM

I would recommend also that you don't apply the glue directly from the tube or bottle. I find it's easier to use if the glue is poured onto a seperate non absorbant surface and then applied to the crack using a sewing needle or similar. Btw I'm a full time woodwind repairer and fill cracks fairly frequently.

JRB · #13 03-01-2012, 08:24 PM

I use StewMac superglue with the whip tips. The whip tips give me incredible control over how much and where I put the superglue.

Gardman · #14 03-01-2012, 10:58 PM

On the advice of folks at frets.net, I used the thinnest super glue (CA) from StewMac (Stewart McDonald) for a similar repair of a hairline crack between the pins on a '76 Guild D-50 I bought. The CA came with the thin "whip" dispenser, but I used a micropipet I borrowed from my lab (biologist) to deliver the CA in 5 microliter amounts... it doesn't take much, and you want to be very careful.

The first thing you should do (after removing the pins and strings from the pin holes) is mask off the entire top of the guitar, leaving only the small region of the bridge you are working on exposed. I used a plastic backed absorbant bench paper (again from my lab), with small strip cut out to expose the work area. I also put a piece of the same absorbant paper inside the guitar under the bridge (thru the soundhole).

I then applied the glue along the crack (delivered with the micropipet). If I didn't have a pipet, I probably wouldnt use the whip dispenser attached to the bottle of glue... I worry it would deliver too much. Rather, I'd put a drop of glue on wax paper. Dip the fine end of the whip dispenser into the glue, and let capillary action pull some into the tip. A little finger pressure on the other (open) end should allow you to "push" some glue out.

I blew a little ebony dust (I bought a violin endpin from StewMac and sanded one corner to make the dust) into the cement (probably wasn't needed). After the glue dried (I think I waited 30 minutes), I sanded a bit with 600 grit paper, repeated the operation, sanded with 600 grit then 800 grit paper...

I then waited (I think I gave it 3 hours) before I inserted the pins. O/N would be safer.

My repair is almost invisible... and had held for 2 years so far. Total cost was minimal. The actual work took <15 minutes (not counting wait time)... but I thought about it for a month before I did the job.

BB Brown · #15 03-02-2012, 05:49 AM

Great advice from everyone and much appreciated. Wondering if the local Orvis or LL Bean stores would have the glue, they have fly fishing equip.. The bridge is dark, ebony color but I think it's rosewood...matching it up was a concern. I thought I could just tab with a sharpie, but ebony end pin idea is great.

Just checked out Stewart McDonald site and I think that might be the way to go. I'm not in a hurry and I can get the right stuff.