Re: accelerator/epoxy

[E R Swanson <ers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The spray accelerator (which used to be CFC and is now ozone safe-- at the
cost of having the stuff attack some styrene plastics) causes
cyanoacrylate to instantly harden into a chunk of plastic.

Re epoxy, there are epoxies and urethanes that will take a surface polish
pretty well, and both epoxy and urethane can be colored to black. The key
problem is the term epoxy connects up with what people by in little tubes
at Eagle, not the specialty epoxies used for model making, boat building,
etc. I actually use a fair amount of epoxy in repairs at times, but never
on an outer surface, only inside where I need reinforcement-- e.g. shear
strength laking in cyanoacrylate. But most people aren't going to take the
time to figure out how to use them properly and which ones to use.

A properly done superglue/cyanoacrylate repair is nearly invisible, and
you can't even find the seam with a fingernail crossing the area.

Elliott


On Fri, 2 Apr 1999, Tom Deering wrote:

> On Thu, 1 Apr 1999, E R Swanson wrote:
> 
> > The process is basically to build
> > up the area with medium viscoscity superglue and spray accelerator until
> > the area is replaced, then shape it with a dremel/file, and polish.
> 
> Great write-up!  Thanks!  I have two questions.
> 
> 1. What is the purpose of the accelerator?  Does it just speed drying, or
> is the accelerated CA different from air-dried CA in some way?
> 
> 2. Why can't epoxy be dremelled and polished the same way?  Never tried
> it, but I currently use epoxy for everything.  I like the black a lot.
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> Tom
>